Mobbing and burnout in the service sector: Psychometric and empirical findings from Colombia, Costa Rica, and the USA

Abstract

Relations between mobbing and burnout were examined. A sample of service sector workers (n=1215) completed the Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terrorization (LIPT) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Factorial structure was evaluated by means of principal component analysis. Cronbach́ s Alpha for the LIPT were within the range of .76 to .89, and within .86 to .94 for the MBI. GLM-multivariate revealed that country had significant effects on both mobbing, Wilks’ Lambda=.28, F(10, 2410)=215.25, p<.01, eta2=.47, and burnout, Wilks’ Lambda=.60, F(6, 2412)=118.38, p<.01, eta2=.23. Regression analysis revealed that attacks on quality of life and occupational position were good predictors of depersonalization, R2=.43, F(1, 1213)=921.30, p<.001, 95% CI[.27, .44]; prevention of self-expression and communication was a good predictor of emotional exhaustion, R2=.24, F(1,1213)=921.30, p<.001, 95% CI[.36, .44]. Conversely, isolation from social relationships accounted for only 5% of variance in personal accomplishment.