A Longitudinal Study of Burnout among Supervisors and Managers: Comparisons between the Leiter and Maslach (1988) and Golembiewski et al. (1986) Models

Abstract

The Leiter and Maslach (1988) and Golembiewski et al. (1986) models of burnout were examined among supervisors and managers in a public welfare setting. The paths from emotional exhaustion to depersonalization and lack of personal accomplishment were found to be most consistent with the data and partially supported the Leiter and Maslach model. Work autonomy and social support were found to be related to exhaustion through role stress. In turn, exhaustion mediated between these three antecedents and the two other burnout dimensions, and directly affected turnover intentions. Further analyses revealed that a revised Leiter and Maslach model was somewhat more valid for the less experienced employees than for the more experienced employees. Implications for understanding how to cope with burnout and for future research are discussed.