EFFECTS OF A RESPITE FROM WORK ON BURNOUT - VACATION RELIEF AND FADE-OUT

In a quasi-experiment designed to examine the relief from job stress a nd burnout afforded by a vacation respite, 76 clerks completed measure s of job stress and burnout twice before a vacation, once during vacat ion, and twice after vacation. There was a decline in burnout during t he vacation and a return to prevacation levels by the time of the seco nd postvacation measure, Comparing the two prevacation measures indica ted no anticipation effects. However the return to work showed gradual fade-out, as burnout returned part way toward its prevacation level b y 3 days after the vacation and all the way by 3 weeks after the vacat ion. Women and those satisfied with their vacations experienced greate r relief; however, both subsamples also experienced the quickest fade- out. The respite effect and its complete fade-out were detected among all subgroups analyzed. Burnout, relief, interpersonal stress crossove r, and burnout climate at work are discussed.