The Problem of Emotional Burnout in Domestic and Foreign Psychology

Introduction. The problem of emotional burnout is widely considered in the field of professional psychology. With the manifestation of emotional burnout, efficiency is rapidly declining. To build correctional work with those "burnt out" it is necessary to comprehend the theoretical aspects of modern Russian and foreign psychology. The significance of the problem is determined by economic losses incurred by the state from the work of the "burnt out"; loss of personal meanings by a person; tendencies to the transition of emotional burnout into psychosomatic states. The purpose is to analyze psychological essence of emotional burnout in the modern domestic and foreign psychology. Materials and Methods. The researchers employ theoretical methods: analysis, synthesis, comparison, confrontation. Results and Discussion. The theoretical analysis includes the excursus into the etymology of the concept of “emotional burnout”, shows the variety of its synonymic row in psychological studies. The authors describe factor models of emotional burnout. The main characteristics of the process of emotional burnout are revealed, as well as the understanding of emotional burnout in gestalt approach, cognitive behavioural, psychoanalytical, synthetic, individual psychological and positive approaches. Conclusions. The study of the problem of emotional burnout in domestic and foreign psychology is based on five theoretical and experimental approaches. At the level of the factor approach, researchers seek for those factors that are most vividly manifested in the emotional burnout. The procedural approach implies the study of emotional burnout as a process. Dynamical approach involves investigation of physiological, affective cognitive and behavioural reactions in emotional burnout. Within the etiological approach, the causes of emotional burnout are examined. The cognitive behavioural approach manifests itself in the wrong choice of expectations.