The discriminant validity of burnout and depression: a confirmatory factor analytic study

Health care workers (N = 307) completed measures of burnout and depression as part of a study of personal and occupational sources of distress. A confirmatory factor analysis provided support for differentiating burnout and depression. The analysis confirmed the three-factor structure of the Maslach Burnout Inventory and s multiple factor structure for depression measures. The analysis also provided support for the existence of second-order factors of burnout and depression that accounted for the correlations among the primary factors within each syndrome. The implications of study for the construct validity of burnout and depression are discussed.