Maslach Burnout Inventory

The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is a comprehensive and widely used tool for assessing burnout symptoms among professionals. Its multidimensional approach, strong psychometric properties, and clinical utility make it invaluable for identifying and addressing burnout within organisations.

Assessment of Burnout Symptoms: The MBI consists of three sub-scales, each measuring a different dimension of burnout. The Emotional Exhaustion sub-scale assesses feelings of being emotionally drained and depleted by work-related demands. The Depersonalisation sub-scale measures the development of negative attitudes and cynicism towards work and clients. The Reduced Personal Accomplishment sub-scale evaluates perceptions of diminished competence and achievement in one's professional role.

Identification of Burnout Levels: Respondents rate the frequency with which they experience various burnout symptoms on a Likert-type scale, ranging from 0 (never) to 6 (every day). Scores on each sub-scale are calculated by summing the responses to relevant items, with higher scores indicating greater levels of burnout in the respective dimension.

Validity: The specific Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the MBI may vary depending on the population and the version of the inventory used (Maslach et al., 1996). However, studies have reported generally high levels of internal consistency for the MBI subclass across various occupational groups and cultural contexts (Maslach et al., 1996; Maslach & Jackson, 1981).

Emotional Exhaustion: α = 0.90
Depersonalisation: α = 0.79
Reduced Personal Accomplishment: α = 0.71

Reliability: The MBI demonstrates strong psychometric properties, including high internal consistency and test-retest reliability across various populations and occupational groups. Numerous studies have reported significant correlations between MBI scores and measures of job satisfaction, job performance, and psychological well-being, supporting its construct validity and utility in assessing burnout (Maslach et al., 1996; Maslach & Jackson, 1981).

Clinical Utility: The MBI is widely used in clinical and research settings to assess burnout among professionals in healthcare, education, human services, and other fields. It provides valuable insights into the prevalence and severity of burnout symptoms within organisations, facilitating early detection, intervention, and prevention efforts. Additionally, the MBI aids in identifying risk factors and protective factors associated with burnout, informing targeted interventions and organisational strategies to promote employee well-being and organisational effectiveness.

Limitations: While the MBI is a valuable tool for assessing burnout, it is not without limitations. Like other self-report measures, the accuracy of responses may be influenced by factors such as social desirability bias or response style biases. Additionally, the MBI focuses primarily on occupational burnout and may not capture burnout experiences in other life domains or contexts. Finally, cultural and contextual factors may influence the interpretation of MBI scores, highlighting the importance of considering cultural diversity and organisational context when using the instrument.