This paper presents an overview of systems theory as an introduction to the applications possible to a model of burnout. Literature dealing with burnout is reviewed and shown to be in an early, descriptive stage, with basic concepts largely unchallenged. Meier's (1982) expanded model of burnout, based on current cognitive-behavioral and vocational models of human behavior is proposed to integrate the findings of previous burnout studies under one theoretical model. The concept of expectations, defined as probabilistic descriptions of interactions between the self and the world, is explored, and the three components of the model (reinforcement, outcome, and efficacy expectations) are explained and illustrated. The most expansive category of the burnout model, contextual processing, is described as human information processing within contexts, and several examples of the process are given. Systems theory is suggested as a useful approach to studying the contextual processing aspects of burnout, particularly in treating family problems. Finally, examples of structural and communication theories which apply to burnout are described, and boundary patterns are discussed. (JAC)