Mediating Role of Psychological Capital in Explaining the Relationship between Job Stressors and Burnout among Employees of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences

Job stress is recognized as one of the leading causes of burnout. Psychological capital is another critical factor which is directly linked to burnout. Therefore, the present study aimed to model burnout based on job stressors with the mediating role of psychological capital among employees of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences.

This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 378 non-faculty members of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in 2019. The data were collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Health, and Safety Executive (HSE) Stress Questionnaire, and the Psychological Capital Questionnaire developed by Luthans. To evaluate the relationship among variables, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used in AMOS software (version 24).

The components of job stressors had a positive and significant correlation with all three components of burnout (P<0.05). The measurement model with the collected data had an acceptable fitness(x2/df=3.56, CFI=0.932, AGFI=0.870, GFI=0.915, and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA)=0.081). Psychological capital positively and significantly mediated the relationship between job stressors and burnout in employees of the University of Medical Sciences (P<0.05). The sum of squares of multiple correlations for burnout variable was obtained at 0.52. This finding indicates that job stressors and psychological capital explain 52% of burnout variance.

Due to the harmful effects of burnout on employees, it is suggested that authorities take measures to reduce stressors, such as psychological and physical needs of the workplace, lack of support, lack of job security, and psychological capital.