Objective: To test the hypothesis that psychosocial working conditions are more strongly associated with subsequent work-
related emotional exhaustion (core component of burnout) than with depressive symptoms at follow-up.
Methods: A 5-year cohort study (2011/2012–2017), based on a random sample of persons in employment subject to pay-
ment of social contributions aged 31–60 years (Study on Mental Health at Work; S-MGA; N = 1949), included self-reported
measures of organisational demands (organisational layoffs and restructuring), task-level demands (work pace and amount of
work) and job resources (influence at work, possibilities for development, control over working time, role clarity), all taken
from the COPSOQ, except the organisational demands that were single-item measures. Work-related emotional exhaustion
and depressive symptoms were measured with the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9,
respectively.
Results: Cochrane Q tests revealed stronger associations between psychosocial working conditions and work-related emo-
tional exhaustion only for the amount of work (p = 0.013) and control over working time (p = 0.027). No differences were
observed for the Demands and Resources Indexes, capturing overall exposure to psychosocial working conditions. The same
differences were observed in a subsample including only participants who remained at the same employer from baseline to
follow-up, although more psychosocial working conditions were associated with work-related emotional exhaustion than
with depressive symptoms. Supplementary analyses employing dichotomous measures of work-related emotional exhaustion
and depressive symptoms confirmed these results.
Conclusions: Overall, the findings provide limited evidence supporting the hypothesis that psychosocial working conditions
are more strongly associated with work-related emotional exhaustion than with depressive symptoms.