Measuring and validating autistic burnout

Jane Mantzalas

doi:10.1002/aur.3129

Measuring and validating autistic burnout

2024-04-25

3

OA

AI

DOI：10.1002/aur.3129

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Researchers have begun to explore the characteristics and risk factors for autistic burnout, but assessment tools are lacking. Our study comprehensively examined and compared the psychometric properties of the unpublished 27-item AASPIRE Autistic Burnout Measure (ABM), and personal and work scales of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) to evaluate their efficacy as screening measures for autistic burnout, with a group of 238 autistic adults. Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) revealed a 4-factor structure for the ABM and a 2-factor structure for the CBI personal scale (CBI-P). Factorial validity and dimensionality were examined with four exploratory models which indicated a unidimensional structure for the ABM with an overarching 'Autistic Burnout' construct, and multidimensional CBI-P structure comprising two subscales and overarching 'Personal Burnout' construct. Other reliability and validity indicators included Spearman correlations, analysis of variance, receiver operating characteristics, sensitivity, specificity, and intra-class correlations (ICC). The ABM and CBI-P were strongly correlated with depression, anxiety, stress, and fatigue. Unexpectedly, correlations between the burnout measures and camouflaging, and wellbeing measures were moderate. Potential overlap between burnout and depression and fatigue was examined through EFA, which supported convergent validity of the ABM and depression measure, while correlations and ICC analyses revealed mixed results. We concluded that the ABM and the CBI-P Emotional Exhaustion subscale were valid preliminary screening tools for autistic burnout. Testing with larger and more diverse autistic samples is required to further examine the psychometric properties of the ABM, and to understand the relationships between autistic burnout and depression, and masking. Early research shows that autistic burnout could be very harmful and can have negative consequences for the mental health and wellbeing of autistic people. Outside the autistic community, most people do not know about autistic burnout, so we need to find ways for healthcare providers and researchers to identify and measure the condition. This study tested two burnout questionnaires, the new AASPIRE Autistic Burnout Measure (ABM) and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) to compare how well they were able to detect and measure autistic burnout among a group of 238 autistic adults. We also examined whether the ABM was measuring a unique condition called 'Autistic Burnout' or if the symptoms were better described by measures of depression and fatigue. Our research found that both the ABM and 'Emotional Exhaustion' subscale of the CBI-P accurately detected self-reported autistic burnout among the study participants, but more testing is needed with more diverse groups of autistic people, and those with higher support needs. We also need to explore the relationship between autistic burnout and depression further.

Keyword:

autism

autistic burnout

autistic burnout measure

Copenhagen Burnout Inventory

factor analysis

validation

Measuring and validating autistic burnout

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