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Factors Influencing Burnout in Croatian Medical Students: The roles of Lifelong Learning and Loneliness

delete2025-05-13
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OA
AI
I
Ivan Pavao Gradiški
A
Ana Borovečki
M
Marko Ćurković
E
Esperanza García-Gómez
R
Roberto C. Delgado Bolton
L
Luis Vivanco *
DOI:10.5334/pme.1468delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Background: Burnout and engagement are seen as opposite ends of a continuum. In medical education, engagement reflects motivation and social belonging, while burnout signifies a lack of interest in learning and social detachment. This study aimed to investigate the influence of lifelong learning and loneliness on these dynamics. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving a culture back-translation procedure was performed. Participants were medical students enrolled in a Croatian medical school. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-GS), Jefferson Scale of Physician lifelong learning (JeffSPLL-MS), and the Scale of Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA-S), were used as main measures. Sex, age, grade point average, and year of study, were collected in a complementary form. Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFAs), followed by correlation, comparative and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess the above-mentioned variables. Results: The sample consisted of 1,371 medical students (872 women), all native Croatian speakers. A model including lifelong learning, loneliness and sex variables accounted for 17% of the variance in the global MBI-GS score. This model showed a medium-to-large effect size and fulfilled conditions required for statistical inference. Additionally, differences by sex appeared in loneliness (p < 0.001), but not in lifelong learning abilities. Furthermore, the Croatian versions of the JeffSPLL-MS and the SELSA-S exhibited good psychometric properties, as confirmed by CFAs. Conclusions: These findings highlight the influence of lifelong learning abilities and loneliness on the burnout-engagement continuum. Additionally, findings indicate that female medical students are at heightened risk of experiencing burnout.
Keywords:
EMOTIONAL LONELINESS
ORIENTATION
EMPATHY
SCALE

Journal

P
Perspectives on Medical Education
IF:
3.9
Papers:
501
Citations:
2.5K

Organization

C
cantabrian hlth serv
Scholars:
1
Papers: 1
Citations: 0
I
int univ la rioja unir
Scholars:
3
Papers: 4
Citations: 2
M
Miguel Hernandez Univ Elche
Scholars:
64
Papers: 27
Citations: 7
U
Univ Zagreb
Scholars:
898
Papers: 417
Citations: 132
S
specialist psychiat off ivan pavao gradiski md
Scholars:
1
Papers: 1
Citations: 0
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