Abstract

Background: The personal relative time and rhythms become dysfunctional within burnout syndrome, as biological and psychosocial rhythms are dysregulated. Not yet investigated is the movement behavior of burnout patients and therefore nor are the time-dynamics. The aim of this study is to find a deeper understanding of the time-dynamics within the movement behavior of burnout.
Methods: Hospitalized burnout patients (n = 22) and a healthy control group (n = 20) participated in a standardized movement sequence with simple time-related tasks. Two certified movement analysts rated each participant independently using Laban Movement Analysis. The analyzed categories were the time-related Effort Time and Phrasing. The consistency between the raters was tested with the interrater reliability test, Cohen’s Kappa, and the comparison between the groups was tested with the Mann- Whitney U test.
Results: The rater agreement (inter-rater reliability) was substantial to almost perfect in all variables: Kappa = 0.65-0.92 (p < .001), (0.457 ≥ 95% CI ≤ 1.04). So, the consistency between the two raters was good enough to guarantee objectivity and thereby also the reliability of the test is proven and given. There are significant differences between the burnout patients and the control group in the variables: Sustained Movements, Rhythmic Phrasing, Impulses, Repetitions, Sequences and Variations. No significant differences were found in the variables: Sudden/Fast Movements, Metric Phrasing, Ametric Phrasing, Free-Rhythmic Phrasing, Continuous and Interrupted Phrasing.
Conclusion: Burnout patients have deficits in their time related movement behavior. They have a lack of the Sustained Time Effort element and the Phrasing. So, the implicit time dynamics of the living body are shown less within burnout-syndrome. These findings could provide new starting points for preventive and therapeutic interventions.