Measure-Description

The Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM-14) is a psychometric tool designed to assess burnout in employees. The SMBM-14 is a shorter version of the original Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure and includes 14 statements that reflect the three main dimensions of burnout: physical exhaustion, emotional exhaustion, and reduced personal accomplishment.

The key dimensions measured by the SMBM-14 include:

Physical Exhaustion: Refers to the feeling of tiredness and lack of energy experienced by the employee.

Cognitive and Emotional Weariness: Pertains to the sense of mental fatigue and reduced ability to cope with work demands.

Reduced Personal Accomplishment: Reflects the feeling of inadequate performance and achievements in the workplace.

Data Analysis and Use

The analysis of data collected through the SMBM-14 includes:

Descriptive Statistics: Calculating means, variances, and frequencies for employees’ scores in each dimension of burnout.

Reliability and Validity: Assessing internal consistency (Cronbach’s α) and structural validity through factor analysis.

Correlation with Other Variables: Exploring the relationship between burnout and other factors such as work-related stress, job satisfaction, and productivity.

Diagnostic Use: Identifying employees with high levels of burnout who may be at risk for psychological issues and reduced performance.

The use of this data can support employers and mental health professionals in developing prevention and intervention programs to manage burnout, as well as in improving the overall well-being and performance of employees.

Purpose

The main objectives of the SMBM-14 are:

Assessment of Burnout in Employees: Providing a detailed understanding of the different dimensions of burnout, allowing for the identification of both the causes and consequences of burnout in the workplace.

Informing Interventions: Providing data that can be used to develop individualized support programs aimed at reducing burnout and improving employees’ psychological health.

Research Support: Supporting research initiatives that examine the role of burnout in job satisfaction, performance, and the general mental well-being of employees.

Scoring

The norming of the SMBM-14 involves creating normative values based on large and representative samples of employees from various industries, ages, and levels of work-related stress. The norming process includes:

Data Collection from a Representative Sample: Gathering responses from a wide range of employees to ensure the representativeness of the normative values.

Creation of Normally Distributed Values: Calculating means and standard deviations for each dimension of burnout.

Establishment of Evaluation Criteria: Defining cutoff points to identify high and low levels of burnout.

Continuous Revision: Updating the normative values based on new research and changing data in the workplace environment.

Norming allows for the comparative analysis of employees relative to the general sample and helps identify individuals who may need additional support to address burnout.

Bibliography

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Melamed, S., Shirom, A., Toker, S., Berliner, S., & Shapira, I. (2006). Burnout and risk of cardiovascular disease: Evidence, possible causal paths, and promising research directions. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 327-353.

Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 2(2), 99-113.

Ahola, K., & Hakanen, J. (2007). Occupational burnout and health among Finnish healthcare professionals: A follow-up study. Psychology & Health, 22(5), 563-573.

Leiter, M. P., & Maslach, C. (2009). Nurse turnover: The mediating role of burnout. Journal of Nursing Management, 17(3), 331-339.

Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 397-422.

Shirom, A. (2003). Job-related burnout: A review. The Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(1), 85-100.