Neural and cortisol responses to acute psychosocial stress in work-related burnout: The Regensburg Burnout Project

Spillover effects of work-family conflict on job consequences influencing work attitudes

A society risks experiencing inadequate educational services from higher education institutions if severe shortages of lecturers persist. Addressing such a critical social issue necessitates prioritizing lecturer satisfaction, as it is intrinsically linked to lecturer retention, reduced turnover rates, institutional cohesion, lecturer well-being, professional teaching development, and enhanced research and publication outcomes. The study aims to investigate the spillover effects of work-family conflict on job-related consequences, specifically stress and burnout, which subsequently shape work attitudes such as lecturer satisfaction, with occupational experience examined as a moderating variable. Data were collected from 450 Thai lecturers through a survey questionnaire, and a path analysis technique was employed for data analysis. The findings revealed that work-family conflict significantly influenced lecturer stress, which, in turn, was a key predictor of burnout. Additionally, burnout was found to significantly impact lecturer satisfaction, whereas stress did not directly influence satisfaction making burnout act as the mediator between stress and satisfaction. Furthermore, occupational experience moderated the relationship between burnout and lecturer satisfaction, highlighting its critical role in mitigating the adverse effects of burnout on overall work attitudes.

Salivary Cortisol as a Biomarker for Assessing Fear and Anxiety in Patients with Molar-Incisor Hypomineralization

Background/Objectives: Molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is a prevalent dental condition characterized by hypomineralized enamel affecting the first permanent molars and incisors. It leads to visible enamel opacities, with varying severity. Children with MIH often experience dental hypersensitivity, which can result in increased dental fear and anxiety, complicating dental treatment. Salivary cortisol, a well-established biomarker of stress, has been used to assess stress levels in various pediatric conditions but has not been extensively studied in MIH. This study aimed to assess salivary cortisol levels as a stress biomarker in children with MIH and compare them to those in children without MIH. Methods: Sixty children aged 5-9 years were divided into two groups: 31 with MIH and 29 healthy controls. Salivary cortisol levels were measured using ELISA, and statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS software, version 23 The Mann-Whitney test was used for group comparison, and the Kruskal-Wallis test evaluated the correlation between MIH severity and cortisol levels. Results: Children with MIH showed significantly higher mean cortisol levels (2.63 ng/mL) compared to controls (0.96 ng/mL), with a p-value of 0.0001. A progressive increase in cortisol levels was observed with the severity of MIH, with the highest levels recorded in grade 3 (4.38 ng/mL), in contrast to grade 0 (0.95 ng/mL), with a p-value of 0.001. Conclusions: Salivary cortisol levels are significantly higher in children with MIH, suggesting that MIH-related stress may contribute to dental anxiety and hypersensitivity. These findings highlight the importance of stress management in pediatric dental care.

[Burnout : Symptoms, diagnostics and treatment approaches]

Burnout syndrome is characterized by the triad of symptoms exhaustion, mental distance from work activities and a feeling of ineffectiveness. The syndrome is not an independent mental disorder but can be coded in the 10th Revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) as a problem related to difficulties in coping with life (Z73) and in ICD-11 as a qualifying diagnosis (QD85). This article discusses the prevalence and comorbidities of burnout syndrome, taking the methodological difficulties in conceptualizing and operationalizing the construct into account. In addition, it provides an overview of available measurement instruments and their validation. Furthermore, it discusses work-related and individual factors in the development of burnout syndrome as well as analysis of the effectiveness of treatment options.