Relationship between Temporomandibular Disorders and Psychological and Sleep Aspects in University Teaching Staff: A Regression Model

Aim: The objective was to analyze burnout syndrome, anxiety, depression and sleep quality in teaching and research staff in the university setting and its impact on temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD), and to analyze the psycho-emotional variables that could explain the possibility of someone suffering from TMD. Methods: A transversal study was carried out with a sample consisting of 173 participants belonging to university teaching and research staff. The correlation between variables was performed using the Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Through a linear regression, an estimate of the degree of contribution was calculated that each independent variable (burnout syndrome, anxiety, depression and sleep quality) has on the dependent variable (TMD). Results: the scores are higher in the group non-tenured staff compared to tenured staff in relation to psycho-emotional variables and TMD and how psycho-emotional variables can influence the presence or absence of temporomandibular dysfunction based on job stability, this value being higher in the group of non-tenured staff (77.8%) compared to the tenured staff (44.2%). Conclusions: The non-tenured university teaching staff demonstrate higher levels of depression, anxiety, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and poorer sleep quality. Furthermore, these variables show a higher incidence in the probability that university teaching and/or research personnel suffer from TMD.