Is Burnout Related to Spiritual Intelligence? Correlation Between Burnout and Spiritual Intelligence Among Residents of an Iranian Dental School

Background: Burnout during stressful dental residency courses can adversely affect the personal abilities and competencies of residents. This study aimed to investigate burnout and its relationship with spiritual intelligence in Mashhad Dental School residents in ۲۰۱۹-۲۰۱۸. Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study, approximately all the dental residents of Mashhad Dental School participated in the survey. Demographic information questionnaire, Maslach burnout questionnaire, and David B. King’s (۲۰۰۸) Spiritual Intelligence Scale were used to collect data. Finally, SPSS software (version ۲۰) was employed for data analysis. Results: Overall, ۵۳ women (۵۲%) and ۴۹ men (۴۸%) with a mean age of ۲۷.۸۳ years participated in this study (a response rate of ۹۷%). The mean score of burnout was ۵۸.۷۵. Residents also had a low reduced personal accomplishment, moderate emotional fatigue, and moderate depersonalization. The mean scores of spiritual intelligence and its sub-scales, including critical existential thinking, production of personal meaning, awareness transcendence, and consciousness expansion were ۵۱.۹۱, ۱۵.۶۶, ۱۳.۱۹, and ۱۴.۶۷, respectively. Personal accomplishment was significantly correlated with overall spiritual intelligence (P < ۰.۰۰۱, r = ۰.۴۰۴) and its sub-scales, including producing personal meaning (P = ۰.۰۰۹, r = ۰.۲۶), transcendental awareness (P < ۰.۰۰۱, r = ۰.۳۸۲) critical thinking (P = ۰.۰۴, r = ۰.۲), and conscious state expansion (P < ۰.۰۰۱, r = ۰.۳۵۶). Eventually, there was no significant difference between burnout and spiritual intelligence and their sub-scales regarding gender, marital status, and school year (P < ۰.۰۵). Conclusions: Mashhad Dental residents showed moderate levels of emotional fatigue and spiritual intelligence. Accordingly, there is a need for planning strategies to reduce burnout.

Keywords:

Burnout , Spiritual intelligence , Specialist assistants , Dentistry