Adaptation of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) into Russian: A search for an effective tool for assessing the negative consequences of professional activity

Abstract

This article presents the Russian-language adaptation of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) (Borritz et al. 2006). The adaptation was necessitated by the evolving nature of the modern professional context, which requires a reliable instrument — applicable not only to helping professions — for assessing the negative consequences of professional activity and its relation to psychological well-being. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally transformed the work of university faculty, who faced new demands and the necessity to develop new competences during the transition to distance learning. These changes introduced additional sources of occupational stress for this group, impacting their mental health and well-being. The CBI is a brief and effective tool that enables rapid monitoring, including online, among university faculty. During the adaptation and validation process, the questionnaire was translated into Russian; its factor structure was assessed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis; its internal consistency was examined; and correlations were tested between the CBI scale scores and those of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) (Maslach et al. 1986) (Russian adaptation by Vodopyanova, Starchenkova 2001) and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales (DASS-21) (Lovibond, Lovibond 1995) (Russian adaptation by Zolotareva 2021). A total of 687 respondents (49.1% male) aged 21 to 67 years (M = 43.2; SD = 10.86) participated in the validation of the Russian-language version of the CBI. The adaptation of the CBI was carried out in accordance with established guidelines using a sample of social workers and demonstrated the validity of the instrument for the Russian sample, supporting its use with the scoring keys provided by the original. The potential application of the inventory to assess burnout among university faculty is discussed.