Is There Utility in Specifying Professional Efficacy as an Outcome of Burnout in the Employee Health Impairment Process

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of specifying professional efficacy as an outcome of burnout in the employee health impairment process of the job demands–resources model. The sample comprised a general, but purposive, sample of employees (n = 660). Specifically, participants needed to be at least 18 years of age and be employed in the formal sector. Structural equation modeling methods were applied to analyze the data with a mean- and variance-adjusted weighted least squares estimation. The results showed that the research model was a good fit to the data. Furthermore, the results showed that burnout had a statistically significant negative structural path to professional efficacy, but that professional efficacy in turn did not statistically significantly explain variance in either psychological distress or turnover intention beyond burnout. There were also no meaningful indirect effects, from emotional load to either psychological distress or turnover intention, of professional efficacy. All in all, the results showed that there was no practical utility in specifying professional efficacy as an outcome of burnout in the employee health impairment process of the job demands–resources model, except if professional efficacy is being investigated as an outcome for its own sake.