Burnout between personality traits and bowel disorders. An exploratory study of a sample of nurses students.

Abstract

Background: Burnout is a complex psychosocial syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, with significant implications for both mental and physical health. Nursing students appear particularly vulnerable to burnout, which can be associated with somatic symptoms, including gastrointestinal disturbances. Despite existing evidence suggesting correlations between burnout and physical disorders, the interplay between burnout, personality traits, and somatization remains underexplored.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between burnout levels, personality traits, and self-reported bowel disorders among nursing students. A secondary objective was to quantify the psychological components associated with these symptoms.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 196 nursing students from Sapienza University of Rome. Participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), and a health status questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Spearman's correlation with bootstrapping, and multivariable ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to explore associations between burnout dimensions, personality traits, and somatic symptoms, particularly bowel dysfunction.

Results: Burnout components, especially emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, were significantly associated with somatic complaints and self-reported bowel disorders. Female students and those living with others reported higher frequencies of bowel-related symptoms. High PAI somatization and conversion scores were observed among participants with frequent pain and defecation difficulties. Physical activity and adequate sleep appeared as protective factors, while poor sleep quality was associated with higher emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scores.

Conclusions: The study highlights the early onset of burnout symptoms among nursing students and their potential somatic correlates, particularly gastrointestinal symptoms. These findings underscore the need for integrated intervention strategies that address both psychological and physical health dimensions in nursing students, with particular attention to lifestyle factors such as sleep and physical activity.