Measuring burnout and work engagement: Factor structure, invariance, and latent mean differences across Greece and the Netherlands

Despoina Xanthopoulou, Arnold B. Bakker, Aristotelis Kantas, Evangelia Demerouti

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study examines the factor structure and invariance of the instruments measuring burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey/MBI-GS) and work engagement (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale/UWES) in a sample of Dutch (N = 162) and Greek (N = 206) employees. Confirmatory factor analyses in both samples supported the superiority of the proposed three-factor structure of both the MBI-GS (exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy) and the UWES (vigor, dedication, and absorption). Alternative two-factor and one-factor models did not show a better fit to the data. In addition, results of multigroup analyses partly supported the invariance of the three-factor model of the MBI-GS, and fully supported the invariance of the three-factor model of the UWES across the two national samples. These results suggest that the MBI-GS and the UWES are not only valid instruments for testing burnout and engagement but also allow comparisons across countries.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)40-52
Number of pages13
JournalInternational Journal of Business Science and Applied Management
Volume7
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Burnout
  • Cross-national study
  • Factor structure
  • Invariance
  • Latent mean differences
  • Work engagement

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Business and International Management
  • Strategy and Management
  • Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Measuring burnout and work engagement: Factor structure, invariance, and latent mean differences across Greece and the Netherlands'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this