Citation

Carlini L, Fidenzi L, Gualtieri G, Nucci G, Fagiolini A, Coluccia A, Gabbrielli M. Riv. Psichiatr. 2016; 51(3): 87-95.

Vernacular Title

Analisi e valutazione medico-legale della sindrome da burnout nell'ambito delle helping profession e della tutela INAIL per i casi di malattia e suicidio.

Affiliation

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Neuroscienze, Università di Siena; UOC Medicina Legale, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore)

DOI

10.1708/2304.24790

PMID

27362819

Abstract

After a survey of the definition and etiopathogenesis of burnout syndrome (BOS) carried out with the support of the most reliable available literature on the subject, the essay focuses on clinical evaluation (psychometric identification and quantification) of burn-out. In accordance with Circular 71/2003 of INAIL, it is assumed to be essential both legally and scientifically knowledge that the syndrome of burnout, knowledge, which involves an analysis of the case conducted with objective strictness and critical sensibility. It is carried out by collecting data on work history, physiological history, remote and proximal pathological history and performing a physical examination including neuro-psychiatric and psycho-diagnostic tests surveys. Only after the ascertainment of an effective existence of a psychiatric syndrome related to burnout phenomenon indeed, it will be possible (and necessary) to quantify the period of illness and the potential temporary biological damage or, more rarely, a permanent one. Given the difficulty of applying the forensic methodology to BOS (among which: the evaluation of the previous state of the person, the assessment of the causal link, the difficulties of nosographic of mental illness, the near impossibility of adequate prognostic evaluation, the difficulty to identify suitable criteria for establishing the importance and nature of limitations of daily living), in order to quantify the damage as objective as possible, it will be necessary to: 1) reconstruct the previous mental state of the subject; 2) assess the psychopathological condition following the event which the action of recognition focuses on; 3) express the clinical severity graduation judgment of the framework as well as a prognosis regarding the mental disorder found. The second part of the analysis focuses on the relationship between BOS and "helping profession"; specific attention is paid, in this section of work, to the analysis of the relationship between a typical BOS work-related stress and suicide.

Language: it