Рrofessional burnout syndrome as a manifestation of stress in naval specialists of different age groups

OBJECTIVE: To assess the symptom severity and formation of professional burnout syndrome (PBS) in naval experts of different age groups.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: 849 naval experts, aged 25–45 were examined. Based on generally accepted methods, there was the evaluation of professional burnout and stress, considering clinical-psychophysiological features of the respondents with a different severity level of symptom manifestation. Moreover, to assess the dynamics of professional burnout in naval experts, performing military service as part of Arctic division, subgroups by age were identified out of the total sample (N=127): the group of persons, performing military service as part of Arctic division aged 25–30 included 21 people (n1=21), aged 31–40–72 people (n2=72), aged 41–45–34 people (n3=34). Statistics: Statistic analysis of the data was conducted using the application package «STATISTICA 6.0» and spreadsheet Microsoft Excel-2010.

RESULTS: The formation nature of PB syndrome in naval experts of different age showed that the persons, performing military service as part of Arctic division, aged 25–30, experienced a high rate of stress phase (68,1±7,9 points), indicating its formation, and 39,8±7,5 points in the resistance phase, indicating the process of this phase formation; yet there were normative values (28,4±5,1 points) on the exhaustion phase in this group of people. The naval experts, performing military service as part of Arctic division, aged 31–40, experienced a high rate of stress phase (72,8±7,9 points) and resistance phase (73,4±11,5 points), indicating their formation in the examined individuals; at the same time the indicators on the exhaustion phase did not overcome the normative values of 26,7±7,2 points. The naval experts, performing military service as part of Arctic division, aged 41–45, experienced average normative values on stress phase (25,9±3,8 points), resistance phase (23,9±3,9 points); yet there was formation of exhaustion phase (39,1±6,9 points).

DISCUSSION: The analysis allowed to reveal age-sensitive formation of professional burnout syndrome. It is shown that individual manifestations of the syndrome form clear modal symptoms among different age groups. The specifics of neuropsychic disorders in naval experts of different age groups were identified.

CONCLUSION: The data analysis allowed to conclude that prevention of PBS formation and its successful overcoming could largely be achieved by naval experts’ implementation of optimal strategies for coping with stress and using constructive and mature psychological defenses in their behavior.

1. Apchel V.Ya., Belov V.G., Govorun V.I., Parfenov Yu.A., Popryadukhin P.V. Professional «burnout» among medical workers. Bulletin of the Russian Military Medical Academy, 2008, No. 2 (22), pp. 152–159 (In Russ.).

2. Zelenov M.E., Zakharov A.V. Burnout and stress in the context of professional health of military personnel. Social psychology and society. 2014. No. 2, pp. 50–70 (In Russ.).

3. Kemalova L.I., Nikonorova M.A. Analysis of the dynamics of professional burnout among sailors: psychological aspect. Foundation for the Development of Science and Culture, 2016, No. 12 (69), pp. 26–28 (In Russ.).

4. Mosyagin I.G. Psychophysiology of adaptation of naval specialists: monograph / Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation, Northern State Medical University. Arkhangelsk: Northern State Medical University, 2009. 248 p. (In Russ.).

5. Khankevich Yu.R., Sapozhnikov K.V., Sedov A.V., Belov V.G., Ershov E.V., Parfenov S.A. Evaluation of the effectiveness of measures to maintain the functional state of naval specialists in the course of solving tasks by the crew at sea according to the state of the functions of the central nervous system. Actual problems of physical and special training of law enforcement agencies, 2016, No. 1, рp. 171–177 (In Russ.).

6. Boyko V.V. Predicting conditions on the verge of norm and pathology. Moscow: Publishing house Medicine, 1996. 285 p. (In Russ.).

7. Molokoyedov A.V., Slobodchikov V.I., Udovik S.V. Emotional burnout in professional activity. Moscow: Publishing house Lev, 2018. 252 p. (In Russ.).

8. Blikbem W.N. Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change // Psychological Review. 2010, Vol. 84. P. 191–215.

9. Silverstein J.H. Psychosomatic medicine // Psychiatry. 1993. Vol. 45, No. 2. P. 129–131.