Reduced self-regulation mirrors the distorting effects of burnout symptomatology on task difficulty perception during an inhibition task

Figures & data

Table 1. Sample characteristics for individuals with high and low burnout symptomatology (median split).

	Low burnout (N = 32)	High burnout (N = 33)	Group comparison
Age, years (mean, SEM)	42.42 (1.58)	44.13 (1.92)	F(1,63) = 0.47, p = 0.50
Sex, male (N, %)	5 (15.2)	10 (31.3)	χ^2(1) = 1.97, p = 0.16
BMI (mean, SEM)	24.34 (0.67)	25.12 (0.79)	F(1,63) = 0.57, p = 0.46
Smoking (N, % yes)	3 (9.1)	3 (9.4)	χ^2(1) = 0.00, p = 1.0
Caffeine consumption (N, % yes)	30 (90.1)	23 (71.9)	χ^2(1) = 2.74, p = 0.10
Medication intake (N, % yes)	15 (45.5)	13 (40.6)	χ^2(1) = 0.25, p = 0.61
MBI (mean, SEM)	0.90 (0.09)	3.44 (0.13)	F(1,63) = 259.00, p < 0.001
PHQ-9 (mean, SEM)	3.47 (0.42)	11.91 (0.87)	F(1,63) = 75.88, p < 0.001
HRV (mean, SEM)	31.66 (3.19)	29.66 (3.46)	F(1,63) = 0.48, p = 0.49

Cell values indicate group means. In low burnout and high burnout columns, values in parentheses are SEM (percentages). BMI: body mass index (kg/m²); HRV: root mean square of successive differences between heart beats (RMSSD) at rest; MBI: Maslach burnout inventory – general survey total score; PHQ-9: patient health questionnaire sum score.

Table 2. Means, standard errors, and range of values the participants scored on the cognitive variables for individuals with high and low burnout symptomatology (median split).

	Low burnout (N = 32)	High burnout (N = 33)	Range
Number-letter task
Switch
v	0.12 (0.01)	0.11 (0.01)	–0.18 to 0.25
a	0.16 (0.004)	0.16 (0.004)	0.09 to 0.23
No switch
v	0.13 (0.01)	0.12 (0.01)	–0.18 to 0.27
a	0.18 (0.01)	0.18 (0.004)	0.12 to 0.27
Go/nogo task
d′	4.17 (0.11)	4.04 (0.11)	2.55 to 5.31
C	0.76 (0.06)	0.61 (0.05)	–0.03 to 1.36
2-back task
d′	2.40 (0.25)	2.14 (0.23)	–1.11 to 4.35
C	0.11 (0.38)	0.08 (0.05)	–0.70 to 0.53

Cell values indicate group means. In low burnout and high burnout columns, values in parentheses are SEM.

Table 3. Pearson’s correlation between the MBI total score, HRV, cognitive performance parameters, and demand ratings.

	MBI	HRV	Performance parameters
			Number–letter task				Go/nogo task		2-back task
			Switch		No switch
			v	a	v	a	d′	C	d′	C
MBI	–	–	–0.11	0.04	–0.11	–0.08	–0.13	–0.21	–0.19	–0.05
HRV	–0.10	–	–0.07	0.14	–0.08	0.05	–0.07	0.15	–0.05	0.03
Demand ratings
Number–letter task	0.34**	–0.03	–0.34**	0.02	–.28*	–0.17	<–0.01	<0.01	–0.20	<0.01
Go/nogo task	0.32**	0.01	–0.07	–0.12	–0.10	–0.08	–0.51**	0.30*	–0.06	0.03
2-back task	0.32*	–0.10	–0.18	–0.08	–0.14	–0.11	–0.04	–0.07	–0.32*	–0.21

HRV: root mean square of successive differences between heart beats (RMSSD) at rest, logarithmized; MBI: MBI total score. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01.

Table 4. Moderation models of demand rating and MBI total score respectively HRV predicting cognitive performance.

Outcome	Go/nogo task				2-back task
	d′		C		d′		C
Moderator	MBI	HRV	MBI	HRV	MBI	HRV	MBI	HRV
Age	−0.003 (0.01)	−0.01 (0.01)	−0.01 (0.003)*	−0.01 (0.004)	−0.04 (0.02)*	−0.05 (0.02)*	−0.002 (0.003)	−0.003 (0.004)
Sex	−0.16 (0.16)	−0.16 (0.16)	0.05 (0.08)	0.07 (0.08)	−0.03 (0.37)	−0.001 (0.36)	0.17 (0.07)*	0.14 (0.07)
PHQ-9	−0.01 (0.02)	−0.01 (0.01)	0.003 (0.01)	−0.01 (0.01)	−0.02 (0.05)	−0.03 (0.03)	−0.01 (0.01)	0.001 (0.005)
Demand rating	−0.16 (0.03)**	−0.14 (0.03)**	0.07 (0.02)**	0.06 (0.02)**	−0.10 (0.07)	−0.06 (0.11)	−0.03 (0.02)	−0.03 (0.01)
MBI	0.02 (0.08)	–	−0.06 (0.04)	–	−0.04 (0.20)	_	0.05 (0.04)	–
HRV	–	−0.16 (0.13)	–	0.03 (0.06)	–	−0.33 (0.29)	–	−0.03 (0.06)
Demand rating × moderator	0.07 (0.02)*	−0.15 (0.06)*	−0.03 (0.01)*	0.08 (0.03)*	0.004 (0.05)	−0.06 (0.11)	0.01 (0.01)	−0.04 (0.02)
	Number–letter task
	Switch				No switch
	v		a		v		a
OutcomeModerator	MBI	HRV	MBI	HRV	MBI	HRV	MBI	HRV
Age	−0.002 (0.001)*	−0.003 (0.001)*	−0.001 (0.0003)	−0.001 (0.0003)	−0.002 (0.001)*	−0.003 (0.001)*	−0.001 (0.0003)*	−0.001 (0.0003)**
Sex	−0.01 (0.02)	−0.002 (0.02)	0.01 (0.01)	0.01 (0.01)	−0.01 (0.02)	−0.001 (0.002)	0.01 (0.01)	0.01 (0.01)
PHQ-9	0.005 (0.003)	0.002 (0.002)	−0.001 (0.001)	−0.0002 (0.001)	0.004 (0.003)	0.001 (0.002)	0.001 (0.001)	0.0002 (0.001)
Demand rating	−0.01 (0.005)*	−0.01 (0.005)*	0.001 (0.001)	0.001 (0.001)	−0.01 (0.005)*	−0.01 (0.005)*	−0.001 (0.002)	−0.001 (0.002)
MBI	−0.01 (0.01)	–	0.005 (0.003)	–	−0.01 (0.01)	–	−0.001 (0.004)	–
HRV	–	−0.02 (0.02)	–	0.001 (0.005)	–	−0.03 (0.02)	–	−0.01 (0.01)
Demand rating × moderator	−0.002 (0.003)	−0.01 (0.01)	−0.001 (0.001)	−0.001 (0.002)	−0.001 (0.004)	−0.01 (0.01)	−0.001 (0.001)	−0.003 (0.002)

HRV: root mean square of successive differences between heart beats (RMSSD) at rest, logarithmized; MBI: Maslach burnout inventory – general survey total score; PHQ-9: patient health questionnaire sum score; cells indicate unstandardized beta values with standard errors in parentheses. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.001.

Figure 1. Simple slopes of demand ratings predicting respective d′ and C performance parameter of the go/nogo task for high, mean, and low levels of the MBI total score respectively heart rate variability (HRV) at rest (root mean square of successive differences between heart beats [RMSSD], logarithmized). High levels represent the mean +1 SD, low levels represent the mean – 1 SD.