Research on the antecedents of burnout syndrome in researchers at public universities in China

With the increasing prevalence of burnout worldwide, especially in the academic field, it is particularly urgent to study the mental health of academicians in universities. Academicians in Chinese universities face heavy workloads and public expectations, which often lead to serious work-family conflicts and psychological stress, thus triggering burnout and depression. This study adopts a cross-sectional and quantitative design to explore the relationship between psychosocial safety climate and burnout based on the job demands-resources theory. Data from 600 researchers in public universities in China were collected through an online questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using SmartPLS software. The results showed that PSC was negatively related to burnout. The study found that WFC mediated the relationship between PSC and burnout, and burnout led to depression. The results suggest that improving PSC can effectively reduce WFC and burnout, thereby reducing the risk of depression. The significance of this study is that it emphasizes the key role of organizational support in improving the mental health of academic staff. By improving the PSC, university management can help academics to better balance work and family responsibilities, reduce burnout, prevent depression, and improve overall job satisfaction and quality of life.