Burnout among psychotherapists:
a cross‑cultural value survey
among 12 European countries
during the coronavirus disease
pandemic

Van hoy, A; Rzeszutek, M; Pieta, M; Mestre, J; Rodríguez‑Mora, A; Midgely, N; Omylinska-Thurston, J; Dopierala, A; Falkenstrom, F; Ferlin, J; Gergov, V; Lazic, M; Ulberg, R; Rossberg, JI; Hancheva, C; Stoyanova, S; Schmidt, SJ; Podina, I; Ferreira, N; Kagialis, A; Löffler‑Stastka, H; Gruszczynska, E

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine cross-cultural differences, as operationalized by Schwartz’s
refined theory of basic values, in burnout levels among psychotherapists from 12 European countries
during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We focused on the multilevel approach to
investigate if individual- and country-aggregated level values could explain differences in burnout
intensity after controlling for sociodemographic, work-related characteristics and COVID-19-
related distress among participants. 2915 psychotherapists from 12 countries (Austria, Bulgaria,
Cyprus, Finland, Great Britain, Serbia, Spain, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and Switzerland)
participated in this study. The participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service
Survey, the revised version of the Portrait Values Questionnaire, and a survey questionnaire on
sociodemographic, work-related factors and the COVID-19 related distress. In general, the lowest
mean level of burnout was noted for Romania, whereas the highest mean burnout intensity was
reported for Cyprus. Multilevel analysis revealed that burnout at the individual level was negatively
related to self-transcendence and openness-to-change but positively related to self-enhancement
and conservation values. However, no significant effects on any values were observed at the country

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 28, 2022
• Publication Date: Aug 8, 2022
• Deposit Date: Aug 11, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 11, 2022
• Journal: Scientific Reports
• Print ISSN: 2045-2322
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Volume: 12
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17669-z
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17669-z
• Additional Information: Funders : New Ideas of POB V project implemented within the scope of the "Excellence Initiative—Research University" Program, by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education in Poland (number PSP: 501-D125-20-5004310).