Family cohesion and family size moderating burnout and recovery connection

• Published in: Occupational medicine (Oxford) 2019-02, Vol.69 (1), p.28-34
• Main Authors: Ugwu, F O, Ugwu, C, Njemanze, V C, Nwosu, I
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Burnout, Professional - epidemiology; Cultural Characteristics; Family Characteristics; Family Relations - psychology; Female; Hospitals, Public; Humans; Intensive Care Units; Male; Middle Aged; Nigeria; Physicians - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0962-7480; 1471-8405
• DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqy155

Abstract Background It has been argued that family issues in individual cultures do not correlate with fulfilment. However, the universality of these findings is unknown as they are based on data from the Western world. Aims To examine the connection between job burnout and recovery and the moderating effects of perceived family cohesion and family size in this relationship. Methods Moderated hierarchical regression analyses were carried out on a sample of medical practitioners working in intensive care units from federal and state-owned hospitals in Southeastern Nigeria. Results There were 183 participants. Job burnout was negatively related to recovery and perceived family cohesion was positively related to recovery. However, contrary to our assumption, family size was positively related to recovery. Perceived family cohesion was vital in recovery regardless of the doctors’ experience of high levels of burnout. In contrast to most previous findings, family size was found to have a moderating effect in the burnout-recovery connection. Conclusions The findings of this study suggested that family bond is important in collectivistic cultures. This was underscored by the moderating effects family issues had on the relation between burnout and recovery. These findings are different from those in Western societies in which previous studies have been conducted.