THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BURNOUT LEVEL AND HOPELESSNESS, PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT AND MENTAL WELL-BEING IN PHYSIOTHERAPY AND REHABILITATION SENIOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between burnout level and hopelessness, perceived social support, and mental well-being among physiotherapy and rehabilitation senior undergraduate students. Methods: Three hundred sixty-nine physiotherapy and rehabilitation senior undergraduate students (195 female, mean age: 22.81±3.72 years) were included in the present study. Data were collected using the online survey with a combination of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and Warwick- Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS). Results: There are no gender differences in burnout level and hopelessness level, perceived social support, mental well-being, and sociodemographic characteristics (p>0.05). There were significant relationships between the emotional exhaustion and cynicism subscales of MBI-SS and BHS, MSPSS, and WEMWBS (p<0.05) while the efficacy subscale of MBI-SS correlated with WEMWBS (rho=0.526, p=0.017). In addition, BHS, MSPSS, and WEMWBS were significant predictors in the emotional exhaustion model describing 19% of the adjusted R2, and in the cynicism model describing 9% of the adjusted R2. Conclusion: This study found that burnout level has a relationship between hopelessness, perceived social support, and mental well-being in physiotherapy and rehabilitation senior undergraduate students. Hopelessness, perceived social support, and mental well-being were significant predictors of the emotional exhaustion and cynicism aspects of burnout. Initiatives aimed at increasing hope level and social support for physiotherapy and rehabilitation senior undergraduate students might reduce burnout levels and improve mental well-being.