The moderating role of passion for work on burnout - psychological distress

This paper analyzes the moderator role of harmonious passion for work in the relationship between burnout and psychological distress, Harmonious passion is defined as the personal option to freely engage in an activity (e.g., work) without any contingencies attached. Its role in moderating the relationship between burnout and its consequences such as psychological distress, is assumed. The sample consisted of 812 Spanish workers ( M age = 38.11; SD = 11,32) from companies and entrepreneurial organizations across southern Spain. The significant interactions in predicting psychological distress showed that harmonious passion played a decisive role, particularly in relation to emotional exhaustion. The harmonious passion reduces the effects of chronic stress on psychological distress and can be considered as a personal resource that allows individuals to deal with job demands. An autonomous internalization of work, through job enrichment, would develop harmonious passion at the same time that it would reduce the SQT levels in workers.