[Effect of occupational commitment on job burnout of traditional Chinese medicine doctors].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the status of job burnout in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctors and explore the effect of occupational commitment on job burnout. METHODS: A test of occupational commitment and job burnout was carried out in 507 TCM doctors with occupational commitment questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). RESULTS: The age group of < 30 years scored lowest (2.352 +/- 0.660) in personal accomplishment compared with 30 years old group and 40 years old group [(2.136 +/- 0.704) and (2.127 +/- 0.628) respectively] (P < 0.01). The score of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization increased with educational levels. There was significantly negative correlation between job burnout and occupational commitment (P < 0.01). Occupational commitment had significant effect on job burnout (P < 0.01). Occupational trouble commitment was a major predictor for emotional exhaustion (P < 0.01). Professional self-efficacy commitment was a major predictor for depersonalization (P < 0.01). Affective commitment was a major predictor for personal accomplishment (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Occupational commitment is a good predictor for job burnout. Improving occupational commitment is an important measure to prevent job burnout.

[Structure validity of an occupational commitment scale for traditional Chinese medical practitioners].

OBJECTIVE: To test the structure validity of an occupational commitment scale for traditional Chinese medical (TCM) practitioners. METHODS: Based on in-depth interviews with 18 TCM practitioners and an open-ended questionnaire survey of 67 TCM practitioners, an occupational commitment scale was developed. The questionnaire was tested in 324 TCM practitioners and revised after an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The revised questionnaire was tested again in another 507 TCM practitioners. A measurement model (structural equation model) by confirmation factor analysis (CFA) was used to confirm the construct validity of the questionnaire. The occupational change intention was used to verify the criterion-related validity of the questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested with Cronbach's alpha coefficient. RESULTS: The EFA indicated that the occupational commitment scale consisted of four components from 13 items. The cumulative contribution of the four components reached 61.437%. The factor loading of each item attached to the relevant common factor ranged from 0.591 to 0.861. The CFA indicated a good fit of construct, with 1.79, 0.039, 0.97, 0.97, 0.98, and 0.72 fit index for chi2/ df, RMSEA, GFI, NNFI, CFI, and PNFI respectively. The occupational change intention correlated with the componets of occupational commitment negatively (P < 0.01). The Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the questionnaire and the four components ranged from 0.602 to 0.847. CONCLUSION: The occupational commitment scale for TCM practitioners has a valid structure of four dimensions, measuring affective commitment, limited alternatives commitment, professional self-efficacy commitment and occupational risk commitment. The questionnaire is valid and reliable.