Predicting Job Burnout of Medical Staff of Karaj Government Hospitals by Ego Strength: Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation and Alexithymia

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Kharazmi, Karaj, Iran.

2 Department of Counseling, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Allameh-Tabatabaei, Tehran, Iran.

3 Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educatoin, University of Tehran. Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The objective of the current study was to examine the mediating role of alexithymia and emotion regulation in the prediction of job exhaustion among the treatment staff of Karaj city government hospitals, as determined by ego strength. The current research was descriptive of the correlation type. The research’s statistical population comprised all active medical personnel employed by Karaj public hospitals during the spring of 2024. 250 people (97 men and 153 women) were selected as a sample using the available sampling method. The tools of the current research included Ego Strength Scale (ESS), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Toronto alexithymia Scale (TAS) and Maslach Job Burnout Questionnaire (MBI). The structural equation analysis method was employed to analyze the collected data in SPSS version 25 and Mplus version 8.3. The obtained findings indicated that job burnout was substantially and negatively predicted by Ego Strength. Ego Strength had a direct and significant effect on emotion regulation and alexithymia, and emotion regulation and alexithymia also had a direct and significant effect on job burnout. The indirect path analysis results indicated that the relationship between ego strength and job burnout is substantially mediated by emotion regulation and alexithymia. Considering the stressful environment of hospitals and considering the findings of the research, it is possible to design and implement educational and intervention programs based on ego strength with more emphasis on emotional dimensions, including emotion regulation and alexithymia, in order to reduce the burnout of medical staff.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Applied Psychological Research
Volume 16, Issue 2
March 2025
Pages 81-95

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History

  • Receive Date: 10 September 2024
  • Revise Date: 10 October 2024
  • Accept Date: 10 November 2024
  • First Publish Date: 30 April 2025
  • Publish Date: 22 June 2025

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