Burnout in direct care staff in intellectual disability services: a factor analytic study of the Maslach Burnout Inventory

Abstract

Background There is gathering research interest in the well-being of staff working in services for people with intellectual disability (ID), including the assessment of burnout and its correlates. However, no previous studies have considered the applicability of the main three dimensions of burnout to staff in ID services. Methods Data were analysed from two samples of staff (total n = 184) who participated in research studies that included completion of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Results Nineteen of the MBI items loaded clearly onto factors closely resembling the three original subscales: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment. Internal consistency for the three MBI subscales was fair to good (range 0.68–0.87). Conclusions The original three MBI dimensions were found to be highly relevant to the present sample of staff. The analyses support the construct validity and reliability of the MBI for staff in ID services.