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. 2017 Apr 4;22(1):32.
doi: 10.1186/s12199-017-0626-7.

Effects of gaps in priorities between ideal and real lives on psychological burnout among academic faculty members at a medical university in Japan: a cross-sectional study

Yuki Chatani  1 , Kyoko Nomura  2   3 , Saki Horie  4 , Keisuke Takemoto  5 , Masumi Takeuchi  6 , Yukifumi Sasamori  7 , Shinichi Takenoshita  8 , Aya Murakami  9 , Haruko Hiraike  7 , Hiroko Okinaga  10 , Derek Smith  11
Affiliations

Effects of gaps in priorities between ideal and real lives on psychological burnout among academic faculty members at a medical university in Japan: a cross-sectional study

Yuki Chatani et al. Environ Health Prev Med. .

Abstract

Background: Accumulating evidence from medical workforce research indicates that poor work/life balance and increased work/home conflict induce psychological distress. In this study we aim to examine the existence of a priority gap between ideal and real lives, and its association with psychological burnout among academic professionals.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey, conducted in 2014, included faculty members (228 men, 102 women) at a single medical university in Tokyo, Japan. The outcome of interest was psychological burnout, measured with a validated inventory. Discordance between ideal- and real-life priorities, based on participants' responses (work, family, individual life, combinations thereof), was defined as a priority gap.

Results: The majority (64%) of participants chose "work" as the greatest priority in real life, but only 28% chose "work" as the greatest priority in their conception of an ideal life. Priority gaps were identified in 59.5% of respondents. A stepwise multivariable general linear model demonstrated that burnout scores were associated positively with respondents' current position (P < 0.0018) and the presence of a priority gap (P < 0.0001), and negatively with the presence of social support (P < 0.0001). Among participants reporting priority gaps, burnout scores were significantly lower in those with children than in those with no children (P interaction = 0.011); no such trend was observed in participants with no priority gap.

Conclusions: A gap in priorities between an ideal and real life was associated with an increased risk of burnout, and the presence of children, which is a type of "family" social support, had a mitigating effect on burnout among those reporting priority gaps.

Keywords: Academic professions; Children Psychological burnout; Priority gap between ideal and real lives; Social support.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
An effect of WLB gap on burnout (with or without children)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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