DefinePK

Abstract

Background: Burnout is a psychological syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. While traditionally associated with professionals, growing evidence indicates that students—particularly those in demanding academic disciplines—are also at risk. Academic burnout among healthcare students can compromise learning outcomes, mental health, and future clinical performance. Despite increasing recognition of burnout in medical education, limited research has addressed its prevalence among students in rehabilitation sciences such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology.
Objective: To measure and compare academic burnout across different disciplines of rehabilitation sciences, evaluating domain-specific prevalence and demographic associations.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over six months using a purposive sampling technique. The calculated sample size was 160 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 years from PSRD and FMH colleges in Lahore. Participants were enrolled in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (OT), or Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology (SLP) programs. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) was modified for academic context and distributed both online and in person. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, employing descriptive statistics and chi-square tests.
Results: The mean age of participants was 21.55 ± 1.75 years, with 65.6% females and 34.4% males. DPT students comprised 54.4%, OT 23.8%, and SLP 21.9% of the sample. Most participants were in their third to fifth academic years. Prevalence of burnout was highest in the personal domain (75.5%), followed by work-related (68.8%) and client-related burnout (61.3%). The overall rate of moderate to severe burnout was 68.6%. No statistically significant relationship was found between academic discipline and burnout (p>0.05, r<0.5).
Conclusion: A substantial proportion of rehabilitation sciences students experience academic burnout, regardless of their specific discipline. This highlights the need for institutional support and early intervention strategies.
Background: Burnout is a psychological syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. While traditionally associated with professionals, growing evidence indicates that students—particularly those in demanding academic disciplines—are also at risk. Academic burnout among healthcare students can compromise learning outcomes, mental health, and future clinical performance. Despite increasing recognition of burnout in medical education, limited research has addressed its prevalence among students in rehabilitation sciences such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology.
Objective: To measure and compare academic burnout across different disciplines of rehabilitation sciences, evaluating domain-specific prevalence and demographic associations.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over six months using a purposive sampling technique. The calculated sample size was 160 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 years from PSRD and FMH colleges in Lahore. Participants were enrolled in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (OT), or Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology (SLP) programs. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) was modified for academic context and distributed both online and in person. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, employing descriptive statistics and chi-square tests.
Results: The mean age of participants was 21.55 ± 1.75 years, with 65.6% females and 34.4% males. DPT students comprised 54.4%, OT 23.8%, and SLP 21.9% of the sample. Most participants were in their third to fifth academic years. Prevalence of burnout was highest in the personal domain (75.5%), followed by work-related (68.8%) and client-related burnout (61.3%). The overall rate of moderate to severe burnout was 68.6%. No statistically significant relationship was found between academic discipline and burnout (p>0.05, r<0.5).
Conclusion: A substantial proportion of rehabilitation sciences students experience academic burnout, regardless of their specific discipline. This highlights the need for institutional support and early intervention strategies.