Longitudinal study predicting burnout in Spanish nurses: The role of neuroticism and emotional coping

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether nursing students' neuroticism trait and coping styles can predict nurses' professional burnout. A three-wave longitudinal study with a time lag of 6 years was conducted, following nursing students from three Spanish universities until they joined the health labor market. The sample consisted in 249 students in the first year of their nursing studies (T1), 199 at the end of their studies (T2), and 70 registered nurses three years after graduation (T3). Predictor variables were neuroticism, emotional and behavioural coping. Criterion variables were the three components of burnout (emotional exhaustion, despersonalization, and personal accomplishment). To examine the model fit between the predictor and criterion variables, we conducted structural equation modelling. Three years after graduation, 23% of the nurses reported high levels of burnout emotional exhaustion, and 11.4% reported high levels of burnout depersonalization. Structural equation modelling shows a direct effect of neuroticism and emotional coping on burnout-emotional exhaustion and -depersonalization. We suggest that training programs (e.g. mindfulness) aimed to increase nurses' emotional regulation should be implemented in both universities and healthcare institutions, in order to prevent and deal successfully with future situations of burnout.