Burnout, Cognitive Emotion Regulation & Coping among College Students & Working Professionals

Abstract

Any kind of work, be it academic or professional, requires ample amount of effort and time. This effort and time also involve an interplay of various emotions, like stress, exhaustion, etc. If not dealt with effectively, this amalgam of negative emotions may eventually lead to burnout. Burnout is a psychological syndrome caused due to constant subjection to stress and excessive workload, and leads to people to lose interest, feel unable to fulfil responsibilities and doubt their ability to accomplish goals. Individuals often employ various strategies to manage the emotions associated with burnout. These are known as coping and emotion regulation strategies. Coping strategies are those that help one manage negative emotions such as stress, whereas emotion regulation strategies are those that help manage an excess of emotions, not just negative ones. Therefore, the study aims to explore the relationship between burnout, cognitive emotion regulation and coping in a sample of 100 individuals (50 college students & 50 working professionals). Standardised tests were administered. Results found a significant relationship between burnout, coping and cognitive emotion regulation. No significant differences were found between college students & working professionals. The study therefore implies that educational institutions and organisations must provide opportunities for the stakeholders to help use adaptive coping strategies in dealing with burnout.