Author(s): CHEN Yi-ping, WANG Fang, Beijing Key Lab of Applied Experimental Psychology, School of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai Food and Drug Administration
Pages: 873-876
Year: 2014 Issue:  5
Journal: Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology
Keyword:  Emotional labor; Job burnout; Nurse;
Abstract: Objective: The study explored the mechanism between emotional labor strategy and job burnout through interpersonal and intrapersonal paths. Methods: Totally 252 nurses from five public hospitals in Zhuhai city participated in the survey, and they anonymously completed the Emotional Labor Strategy Scale, Measure of satisfaction with patients’ responses(which was interpersonal factor), Measure of psychological effort(which was intrapersonal factor), and Maslach Burnout Inventory-HHS. Results: Firstly, nurses’ surface acting positively related to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization,and personal accomplishment, deep acting positively related to emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment, and automatic regulation negatively related to depersonalization. Secondly, all the three emotional labor strategies reduced job burnout through improving satisfaction with patients’ response partially or fully. Meanwhile, surface acting improved exhaustion and depersonalization partially through increasing psychological effort. Conclusion: Distinct emotional labor strategies can impact different aspects of job burnout through either intrapersonal or interpersonal path. Relatively, automatic regulation benefits both patients and nurses.