Changing Work Scenario During Pandemic: Burnout Affecting the Psychological Well-Being of College Students

Abstract

Burnout is a three-dimensional syndrome that includes mental fatigue or emotional exhaustion, negative feelings towards colleagues or coworkers or depersonalization, and a decline in sense of personal progress. “Psychological well-being” is defined as “a state of happiness and contentment characterized by low levels of distress, good physical and mental health and perspective, and high quality of life. It must be noted that burnout can be harmful to our health and well-being. Continuous exposure to stressors can lead to emotions of helplessness, a lack of motivation, difficulties concentrating, chronic fatigue, sleeplessness, headaches, poor performance, loneliness, and more. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between psychological well-being and burnout in third-year and postgraduate students in changing scenarios. A cross-sectional and correlational research design was followed to do a quantitative study among college students. The sample size was 166 student participants in the age group of 20-22 years. The Burnout questionnaire (Michelle Post) and Ryff’s psychological well-being scale (Carol Ryff) was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using the statistical methods of the test for independent samples. The results indicate that there was a low level of correlation which signifies that when one variable increases the other variable decreases in an uncertain manner. Furthermore, our findings made it evident that low correlation means that while one measure rises, the other lowers in an unpredictable manner. Burnout levels that increased were linked to worse psychological well-being, while burnout levels that decreased were linked to increased psychological well-being.