Mediating Effect of Creativity on How Burnout Affects Social Media Use: An Examination on Physicians

Abstract

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion due to exposure to excessive and prolonged stress. It isn’t a medical condition. However, it negatively affects the creativity of employees. The individual with increasing burnout withdraws into his/her world by reducing his/her social ties with his/her environment. Those who are self-isolating might try to connect with the outside world by using social media more. This study primarily aims to examine the mediating effect of creativity on how burnout affects social media use among physicians through a correlational survey study design. Personal information form, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Kaufman Domains of Creativity Scale, and Social Media Disorder Scale were utilized as measures. A total of 529 physicians participated in the study. According to the results, there is a correlation between burnout and self/everyday creativity, as well as self/creativity and social media use. Moreover, there is a correlation between burnout and social media use. It was concluded in the study that creativity among physicians had a mediating effect on social media user. This study is meaningful in terms of seeing the effect of burnout on self/everyday creativity and social media usage. Directing physicians to programs that reduce/prevent burnout might positively affect their self/everyday creativity and social media usage.