Factorial validity and consistency of the Maslach Burnout Inventory among staff working with persons with intellectual disability and dementia

Background Burnout has been considered important to understanding the well‐being of workers in the intellectual disabilities (ID) field and the quality of services delivered to clients/consumers. However, little research has examined the psychometric properties and applicability to staff in ID services of one of the most widely used burnout measurements – the Human Services Survey version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI‐HSS). Methods Data were gathered using a mailed questionnaire comprising the MBI‐HSS and demographic information. The sample consisted of 435 staff delivering direct care and working in out‐of‐home community placements for persons with ID in New York state. The factorial structure of the scale was examined using confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. Internal consistency estimates of reliability of the MBI‐HSS were determined using Cronbach's alpha. Results Confirmatory factor analysis supported the MBI‐HSS as an acceptable measure to evaluate burnout in ID services staff. However, the reliability statistics obtained for the Depersonalization (DP) sub‐scale was much lower than what has been reported in studies with other staff populations. An exploratory factor analysis suggested that a four‐factor solution, dividing the DP sub‐scale into two factors, provided a somewhat better fit for the sample. Conclusions The use of the MBI‐HHS as an instrument for measuring burnout among ID workers has its attraction but also its limitations. In particular, the DP sub‐scale should be used with caution because there appear to be wording issues for staff in ID settings that may lead to inconsistent responses.