Long-term consequences of burnout: An exploratory study

Abstract The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between degree of burnout experienced during the first year of the career and career adaptation during the next decade. Subjects were 25 human service professionals originally working in the fields of public service law, public health nursing, high school teaching, or mental health. They were studied during the first year of their careers and again 12 years later. Early career burnout was assessed via ratings of interviews that were highly correlated with the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Career adaptation variables included career stability, work satisfaction, attitudes towards recipients, and flexibility as measured at the time of follow‐up. Each of these variables was measured via interview ratings, a questionnaire, and ratings made hy confidants of the subjects. Results showed that subjects who were more burned‐out early in their careers were less likely to change careers and more flexible in their approach to work as rated by confidants at the time of follow‐up. The results suggest that early career burnout does not seem to lead to any significant, negative, long‐term consequences. However, burnout occurring later in the career might have more serious long‐term effects.