The mediating role of autonomous motivation in the effect of satisfaction of basic psychological needs on burnout within the framework of self determination theory: An application in the banking sector

Burnout syndrome, which has many harmful effects both individually and organizationally, is a concept specific to the work context, although it is an individual disorder. Therefore, for many years, a significant number of studies have been conducted on the organizational factors that cause burnout and the nature of burnout has been tried to be understood. This study investigates the factors that cause burnout by using Self Determination Theory. At the center of the model of this study is one of the basic assumptions of Self-Determination Theory, which is that the satisfaction of basic psychological needs leads to autonomous motivation. The purpose of this study, which uses Self Determination Theory, is to examine the mediating role of autonomous motivation in the effect of basic psychological needs on burnout. The model of the study includes autonomy, competence and relatedness as sub-dimensions of basic psychological needs, intrinsic motivation and identified regulation as sub-dimensions of autonomous motivation and emotional exhaustion and depersonalization as sub-dimensions of burnout. The research was conducted with 431 participants working in the banking sector in Turkey. PLS-SEM was used in the analysis of the research data. According to the results of the study, identified regulation plays a mediating role in the effect of autonomy and competence need satisfaction on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Moreover, autonomy need satisfaction directly affects the sub-dimensions of burnout. The findings related to these two basic psychological needs are consistent with the literature and the Self Determination Theory. The hypotheses related to relatedness need satisfaction in this study were not supported. This study, which shows the importance of autonomy and competence needs in preventing burnout, is intended to contribute both to the Self Determination Theory and business practices.