Burnout and Suicidal Behaviours in Health Professionals in Portugal: The Moderating Effect of Self-Esteem
Alexandra de Jesus, Liliana Pitacho, Ana Moreira
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of burnout on suicidal behaviours and the mediating effect of self-esteem in this relationship. A total of 1172 healthcare professionals working in Portugal’s private and public sector organisations participated in this study. The results indicate a high level of burnout among these professionals and that exhaustion (β = 0.16; p < 0.001) and disengagement (β = 0.24; p < 0.001) positively and significantly affect suicidal behaviours. In turn, self-esteem has a significant and negative effect (β = −0.51; p < 0.001) on suicidal behaviours. Self-esteem moderates the relationship between disengagement and suicidal behaviours (B = −0.12; p < 0.001) and the relationship between exhaustion and suicidal behaviours (B = −0.11; p < 0.001), representing an essential variable for future lines of research, namely on the role of self-esteem in preventing burnout and suicidal behaviours in professionals from other professional areas.