A career counseling program for dentists: Effects on burnout

Examined the effects of a career counseling program on burnout among general dental practitioners. 19 dentists with unfavorable scores on the Dutch version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (C. Maslach et al, 1996, MBI-NL) completed a cognitive-behavioral intervention. Ss again completed the MBI-NL 1 mo following completion of the 6-mo program. Results show that Ss' scores significantly improved between pre- and posttesting concerning emotional exhaustion (EE) and personal accomplishment (PA). Control Ss who had self-initiated preventive measures also attained improved scores concerning EE and PA, but no changes were observed with those controls who undertook no preventive action. It is concluded that the prevention program exerts a positive effect on burnout scores among Ss, while different forms of self-initiated prevention activities may also be effective.