Skip to main content

Burnout: History of a Phenomenon

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Burnout for Experts

Abstract

The chapter discusses in detail the historic development of burnout or the burnout syndrome. Certain aspects of burnout were documented as early as the Old Testament. Essentially, the discourse on the burnout syndrome has taken place in several phases, and it is still going on today. In the 1990s, the so-called empirical phase in particular spread out in several new directions. To this day, burnout is not a diagnosis, neither in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision nor in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahola, K., & Hakanen, J. (2007). Job strain, burnout, and depressive symptoms: A prospective study among dentists. Journal of Affective Disorders, 104, 103–110.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychological Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., Text Rev.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Awa, W. L., Plaumann, M., & Walter, U. (2010). Burnout prevention: A review of intervention programs. Patient Education and Counseling, 78(2), 184–190.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beard, G. M. (1879). Neurasthenia, or nervous exhaustion. Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, III, 217–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolanowski, W. (2005). Anxiety about professional future among young doctors. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 18(4), 367–374.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, H. B. (1969). Community-based treatment for young adult offenders. Crime and Delinquency, 15(3), 359–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buunk, B. P., & Schaufeli, W. B. (1993). Burnout: A perspective from social comparison theory. In W. B. Schaufeli, C. Maslach, & T. Marek (Eds.), Professional burnout: Recent developments in theory and research (pp. 53–69). New York: Taylor & Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cherniss, C. (1980a). Professional burnout in human service organizations. New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cherniss, C. (1980b). Staff burnout: Job stress in the human services. Beverly Hills: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Firth, H., & Britton, P. (1989). Burnout, absence and turnover among British nursing staff. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 62(1), 55–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freudenberger, H. J. (1974). Staff burnout. Journal of Social Issues, 30, 159–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freudenberger, H. J. (1975). The staff burnout syndrome in alternative institutions. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 12, 72–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gencay, S., & Gencay, O. A. (2011). Burnout among judo coaches in Turkey. Journal of Occupational Health, 53(5), 365–370.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Golembiewski, R. T., & Munzenrieder, R. (1988). Phases of burnout. Developments in concepts and applications. New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golembiewski, R. T., Munzenrieder, R. F., & Stevenson, J. G. (1986). Stress in organizations. New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, S., & Diers, D. (1992). The effect of staff stress on patient behavior. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 6(1), 26–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Greene, G. (1960/2004). The burnt out case. London: Vintage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hochschild, A. R. (1983). The managed heart. Commercialization of human feeling. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/burnout. Accessed 1 Nov 2011.

  • http://www.britannica.com/bps/dictionary?query=burnout. Accessed 1 Nov 2011.

  • http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=peel+out. Accessed 1 Nov 2011.

  • Kaschka, W. P., Korczak, D., & Broich, K. (2011). Burnout: A fashionable diagnosis. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 108(46), 781–787.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Körner, S. C. (2003). Dissertation “Das Phänomen Burnout am Arbeitsplatz Schule”—Ein empirischer Beitrag zur Beschreibung des Burnout-Syndroms und seiner Verbreitung sowie zur Analyse von Zusammenhängen und potentiellen Einflußfaktoren auf das Ausbrennen von Gymnasiallehrern (Thesis “The phenomenon burnout at school”—An empirical study to describe the burnout-syndrome and its presence as well as to analyse correlations and potential factors of influence on the burnout of high school teachers). Berlin: Logos.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kristensen, T. S., Borritz, M., Villadsen, E., & Christensen, K. B. (2005). The Copenhagen burnout inventory: A new tool for the assessment of burnout. Work and Stress, 19, 197–207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leiter, M. P. (2008). A two process model of burnout and work engagement: Distinct implications of demands and values. Giornale Italiano di Medicina del Lavoro ed Ergonomia, 30(1 Suppl A), 52–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lim, R. C., & Pinto, C. (2009). Work stress, satisfaction and burnout in New Zealand radiologists: Comparison of public hospital and private practice in New Zealand. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology, 53(2), 194–199.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lim, J., Bogossian, F., & Ahern, K. (2010). Stress and coping in Singaporean nurses: A literature review. Nursing and Health Sciences, 12(2), 251–258.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mann, T. (1901/1999). Buddenbrooks (Translated from the German by H. T. Lowe-Porter). London: Vintage Classics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, C. (1976). Burn-out. Human Behavior, 5, 16–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, C. (1993). Burnout: A multidimensional perspective. In W. B. Schaufeli, C. Maslach, & T. Marek (Eds.), Professional burnout: Recent developments in theory and research (pp. 19–32). New York: Taylor & Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behaviour, 2, 99–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morris, J. A., & Feldman, D. C. (1996). The dimensions, antecedents, and consequences of emotional labor. Academy of Management Review, 21(4), 986–1010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nil, R., Jacobshagen, N., Schächinger, H., Baumann, P., Höck, P., Hättenschwiler, J., et al. (2010). Burnout – An analysis of the status quo. Schweizer Archiv für Neurologie und Psychiatrie, 161(2), 72–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pines, A., Aronson, E., & Kafry, D. (1981). Burnout: From tedium to personal growth. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, G. A. (1997). Prevention of burn-out. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 3, 282–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaufeli, W. B., & Buunk, B. P. (2002). Burnout: An overview of 25 years of research and theorizing. In M. J. Schabracq, J. A. M. Winnubst, & C. L. Cooper (Eds.), Handbook of work and health psychology (pp. 383–425). Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaufeli, W. B., & Enzmann, D. (1998). The burnout companion to study and practice: A critical analysis. London: Taylor & Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaufeli, W. B., Leiter, M. P., & Maslach, C. (2009). Burnout: 35 years of research and practice. Career Development International, 14(3), 204–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, M. S., & Schwartz, C. G. (1955). Problems in participant observation. The American Journal of Sociology, 60(4), 343–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, M. S., & Will, G. T. (1953). Low morale and mutual withdrawal on a hospital ward. Psychiatry, 16, 337–353.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shakespeare, W. (1599/1914). The Passionate Pilgrim, VII, “Fair is my love, but not so fair as fickle”. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. London: Oxford University Press. Cited from: http://www.bartleby.com/70/5207.html. Accessed 1 Nov 2011.

  • The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. (2009). Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/burnout.aspx. Accessed 1 Nov 2011.

  • Transcripture International. http://www.transcripture.com/english-german-exodus-18.html. Accessed 1 Nov 2011.

  • Transcripture International. http://www.transcripture.com/english-german-i%20kings-17.html. Accessed 1 Nov 2011.

  • Transcripture International. http://www.transcripture.com/english-german-i%20kings-19.html. Accessed 1 Nov 2011.

  • Transcripture International. http://www.transcripture.com/english-german-numbers-11.html. Accessed 1 Nov 2011.

  • Weber, A., & Jaekel-Reinhard, A. (2000). Burnout syndrome: A disease of modern societies. Occupational Medicine, 50, 512–517.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wiggins, M. S., Lai, C., & Deiters, J. A. (2005). Anxiety and burnout in female collegiate ice hockey and soccer athletes. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 101(2), 519–524.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organisation. (1992). The ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioral disorders. Geneva: WHO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zapf, D., Vogt, C., Seifert, C., Mertini, H., & Isic, A. (1999). Emotion work as a source of stress: The concept and development of an instrument. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 8, 371–400.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Flavio Muheim .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Muheim, F. (2013). Burnout: History of a Phenomenon. In: Bährer-Kohler, S. (eds) Burnout for Experts. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4391-9_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics