Hardy personality and sense of coherence as predictors of burnout in critical care staff

The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between burnout syndrome and two personality variables: Hardy Personality and Sense of Coherence, in order to determine whether these variables can be considered significant predictors of burnout. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out with a sample of 144 Intensive Care professionals who responded to several questionnaires: the Brief Burnout Questionnaire (CBB), Resistant Personality Questionnaire (CPR) and the Spanish version of the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ-13). A higher than average level of burnout was detected in the population. There was a negative correlation between hardiness (globally and through its components) and burnout. No correlation was found between sense of coherence and burnout (except in the comprehension scale), nor between hardiness and sense of coherence (except in the comprehensibility and control dimensions). Hierarchical regression analyses showed that hardiness and comprehensibility (a sense of coherence component) modulate the effects of occupational stress (a burnout antecedent) on burnout syndrome. These results may be especially relevant when designing and implementing burnout prevention programmes.