Why is This Happening? A Causal Attribution Approach to Work Exhaustion Consequences

Abstract

In an effort to clarify the literature on work exhaustion (or job burnout), the author integrates causal attribution research and the burnout and exhaustion literature to develop an attributional model of work exhaustion consequences. With this model the author suggests that individuals experiencing work exhaustion will not exhibit all of the job attitudes and behaviors found to correlate with exhaustion. Rather, individuals are likely to experience a subset of these, depending on their perceptions regarding the cause of exhaustion. The author also discusses implications and directions for future research.