The role of psychological capital and personality traits in the relationship between emotional labor and burnout

The main purpose of this study is to reveal the mediating effect of psychological capital and the moderating effect of five-factor personality traits on the relationship between emotional labor and burnout levels of healthcare professionals. The scope of the research includes Konya province and the sample group consists of healthcare personnel working in Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Faculty of Medicine Hospital and Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine Hospital in Konya. Convenience sampling technique was preferred in determining the sample group. Questionnaire forms were used to collect data in the research. The questionnaire forms consist of a total of five main sections. The first section deals with demographic information and the second section deals with the "Emotional Labor Scale" developed by Diefendorff, Croyle, and Gosserand (2005) and translated into Turkish by Basım and Beğenirbaş (2012). The third section examines the "Burnout Scale" prepared by Maslach and Jackson (1981) and adapted to Turkish by Ergin (1992) was employed. In the fourth section, the "Psychological Capital Scale" developed by Luthans, Avolio, Avey, and Norman (2007) and translated into Turkish by Çetin and Basım (2012) was utilized. Finally, the fifth section carried out the Five Factor Personality Traits Scale, which was developed by Benet-Martinez and John in 1998 and adapted into Turkish by Sümer and Sümer in 2005. The data used for the analysis were collected from 441 healthcare workers through a three-month online survey using the quantitative research method. In the analysis of the data, analysis was carried out with structural equation modeling using SPSS 22.0, AMOS 21.0 and SmartPLS 4.1.1.1 software. In this context, descriptive statistics were applied to the data to start with. Then, reliability tests and factor analyses were performed to evaluate the reliability and validity levels of the scales. Then, correlation and structural model analysis were performed to determine the relationship and effect between the variables within the scope of the research. In order to determine the validity of the scales; first explanatory and then confirmatory factor analysis was used. As a result of the factor analysis applied to the emotional labor scale, a three-factor structure explaining 71.85% of the total variance of the scale consisting of 13 items, a three- factor structure explaining 60.13% of the total variance of the scale consisting of 22 items in the burnout scale, a four-factor structure explaining 57.44% of the total variance of the scale consisting of 24 items in the psychological capital scale and a five-factor structure explaining 55.61% of the total variance of the scale consisting of 44 items in the personality traits scale emerged. As a result of confirmatory factor analysis, it was proven that the scales had sufficient fit indices. Then, the reliability analysis determined that the scales had a high reliability level according to Cronbach-α coefficient. To ensure model fit, partial least squares structural equation model (KEKK-YEM) was preferred, which can work with small samples and does not require the assumption of multivariate normal distribution. The mediation typology developed by Zhao, Lynch and Chen (2010) was used in explaining the mediation model. To determine the regulatory effect, the method of Baron and Kenny (1986) was used as basis. As a result of the analysis, it was seen that emotional labor behaviors had a positive significant effect on burnout and psychological capital, while psychological capital perception had a negative significant effect on burnout. It was seen that psychological capital had a partial mediation effect on the relationship between emotional labor and burnout and five-factor personality traits had no moderation effect on the relationship between emotional labor and burnout. In the last section of the study, conclusions and recommendations are provided.