In a comparative social study, researchers from Groningen investigated more than 600 high school teachers. Burnout is a frequent phenomenon in this group. Furthermore, the staffroom provides the teacher with many opportunities to compare himself with colleagues.
The trial subjects completed questionnaires on paper and on the computer. With the questions on the computer, the researchers examined not just the content of the answers but also the response time. The researchers posed questions along the lines of: "How often do you compare yourself with others?", "Are you of the opinion that you perform well?", "How do you respond to a colleague who performs well?", "If the person in the story was your colleague, how would you feel?"
Burnt out teachers were still reasonably capable of maintaining a positive self-image. The feeling of not being as bad as others was particularly prominent. This is the difference between a burnout patient and a depressive person. People suffering from depression are less good at maintaining a favourable self-image.
People with burnout have mixed feelings upon seeing a colleague who performs well. On the one hand they are stimulated, although less than healthy persons. On the other hand they experience negative feelings. When people with burnout see colleagues who are performing badly, they mainly experience negative feelings.
The researchers recommend that therapists treating patients with burnout take advantage of the favourable effects of social comparison. Therefore, the feeling of ‘I’m not doing that badly’ should be built on in particular. Patients can also be taught to cope with comparative information forced upon them. In other words: the burnout patient must learn to arm himself against the negative feelings which comparisons can draw.
For further information please contact Veerle Brenninkmeijer (Department of Social and Organisational Psychology, University of Groningen, now at TNO Work and Employment), tel. +31 (0)50 3636438 (work) or +31 (0)20 4897379 (home), e-mail veerle_brenninkmeijer@hotmail.com. The defence of the doctoral thesis will take place on 23 May 2002. Ms Brenninkmeijer’ supervisor is Prof. A.P. Buunk.
The research was funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).