Do social comparison and coping styles play a role in the development of burnout? Cross-sectional and longitudinal findings

• Published in: Journal of occupational and organizational psychology Vol. 79; no. 1; pp. 85 - 99
• Main Authors: Carmona, Carmen, Buunk, Abraham P., Peiró, José M., Rodríguez, Isabel, Bravo, M. Jesús
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2006; British Psychological Society
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Burnout; Comparative analysis; Contrast; Coping; Coping style; Cross-sectional analysis; Emotions; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Identification; Identity formation; Longitudinal studies; Mental stress; Occupational psychology; Problem solving; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Secondary school teachers; Self-perception; Stress; Studies; Teachers; Work condition. Job performance. Stress; Work environment; Working conditions; Spain; Social comparison; Human; Social perception; Follow up study; Teacher; Coping; Predictive factor; School environment; Stress; Occupational burnout
• ISSN: 0963-1798; 2044-8325
• DOI: 10.1348/096317905X40808

The present longitudinal research among 558 teachers focused on the role of upward comparisons (with others performing better), downward comparisons (with others performing worse), and coping styles in relation to burnout. Assessed were identification (recognizing oneself in the other) and contrast (seeing the other as a competitor) in upward and downward comparison. Cross‐sectionally, downward identification and upward contrast were positively related to burnout and negatively related to a direct coping style, whereas upward identification was negatively related to burnout and positively related to a direct coping style. Downward identification was positively related to a palliative coping style. Direct and palliative coping styles were independent predictors of burnout: those who reported using a direct coping style had lower levels of burnout and those who reported using a palliative coping style had higher levels of burnout. Longitudinally, the use of a direct coping style was associated with a decrease and downward identification with an increase of burnout over time.