Burnout syndrome and type A behavior in nurses and teachers in Sicily.

Burnout and Type A behavior were studied in two groups of 50 teachers (26 working in high school and 24 in junior high school) and 50 nurses living and working in Sicily. Each group was composed of 19 men and 31 women. A revised version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Adult and Adolescent Type A Behavior Scale-Revised Form 1 were used to measure burnout and Type A behavior, and a scale of job satisfaction was given. Analysis shows higher scores on stress for nurses, related to the low social acknowledgment of their job. Among nurses, Type A scores were correlated positively with scores on burnout and negatively with ratings of job satisfaction. The teachers showed greater compatibility with their work which may reflect that in Sicily, the teaching profession is still held in high regard.