Mapping the Intellectual Structure and Demystifying the Research Trends of Emotional Exhaustion: A Bibliometric Analysis

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of emotional exhaustion (EE) research to uncover its intellectual structure, evolving trends, thematic clusters, and collaborative networks. A total of 3,667 peer-reviewed articles published between 1978 and 2024 were retrieved from the Scopus database. Using bibliographic coupling, co-authorship, and keyword co-occurrence analyses, the study maps the development of EE research and identifies influential contributors and thematic concentrations. The findings reveal consistent growth in publication volume and impact, with a 21% compound annual growth rate. Five key research clusters emerged: psychological and behavioral factors, mediators in EE research, antecedents of EE in education and health care, theoretical perspectives on EE, and emotional labor and its Link to EE. The United States and China are highlighted as leading collaborators in the field. This is the first bibliometric study to integrate multiple analytic techniques, offering a unique lens into the EE research landscape and proposing a structured agenda for future inquiry.