Relationship Between Moral Intelligence and Occupational Burnout in Mazandaran Pre-Hospital Emergency Staff During COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic caused high workload and led to high levels of burnout in medical staff including emergency medical personnel. Identifying and preventing occupational burnout can efficiently improve mental health in workplace and enhance the quality of services delivered. This research aimed to investigate the relationship between occupational burnout and moral intelligence in emergency medical staff.

This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 250 pre-hospital emergency staff in Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, 2021. The participants were selected from emergency bases using stratified sampling. Data were collected using demographic characteristics checklist, Moral Intelligence Scale (Lennick & Kiel), and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Structural equation and maximum likelihood model were applied. Data analyses were carried out in SPSS 23 and Amos 24.

The mean scores for moral intelligence and burnout were 81.10±8.30 and 44.41±13.73, respectively. Every one point increase in moral intelligence score decreased burnout score by 1.55 (P=0.054). Significant relationships were seen between all dimensions of Moral Intelligence Scale and moral intelligence (P<0.001). Keeping promises (r=0.82, P<0.001) and the ability to let go of one’s own mistakes (r=0.79, P<0.001) were found to be highly correlated with moral intelligence. In MBI, only personal accomplishment showed a significant positive correlation coefficient with burnout (r=0.41, P=0.026).

In this study, improvements in moral intelligence score decreased the burnout score. Therefore, improving moral intelligence, as an acquired ability, in emergency medical personnel can reduce the levels of burnout experienced.