Striving for mental vigor through restorative activities: application of the Campbell Paradigm to construct the attitude toward mental vigor scale

Recognizing people at risk is essential for effective prevention. We developed an instrument that conceptually links engagement in restorative activities with persons’ appreciation for mental vigor. Based on a sample of 322 persons from the general population and a clinical sample of 56 patients diagnosed with burnout, we found that the scope of a person's recovery-geared activities significantly corresponds with cognitive failures, mental fatigue, need for recovery, psychosomatic complaints, and neuroticism. Patients also engaged in significantly more restorative activities than respondents from the general population. Engagement in recovery activities may indicate elevated vulnerability to stress and a need of restoration.