Burnout and Wellbeing: Testing the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory in New Zealand Teachers

The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) is a public domain questionnaire measuring the degree of physical and psychological fatigue experienced in three sub-dimensions of burnout: personal, work-related, and client-related burnout. This study first examines the reliability and validity of the CBI in measuring burnout in New Zealand secondary school teachers, and then the relationship between burnout and wellbeing among this population. The CBI had acceptable reliability (internal consistency and homogeneity) as well as factorial and criterion-related validity. As expected, burnout was negatively related to wellbeing measures (wellbeing index, school connection, and perceived general health). The findings indicate that this burnout questionnaire is a valid instrument to use with New Zealand secondary teachers, and also highlight the potential impact of burnout on the health and wellbeing of teachers.

Building Resilience in Social Workers: An Exploratory Study on the Impacts of a Mindfulness-based Intervention

Burnout is a frequent and well-documented consequence of social work practice. The literature suggests that mindfulness-based interventions might help develop the mental states and emotional skills that are indicators of resilience. This mixed-methods, non-randomised controlled, exploratory study with 14 social workers in Canada investigated differences in social workers’ levels of stress, resilience, and burnout after a mindfulness-based intervention, compared to a waitlist group. The intervention group was also interviewed about changes in their relationships within the workplace, their perceived sense of mental health, and wellbeing. Results suggested that the mindfulness-based intervention significantly decreased the treatment group’s perceived stress compared to those on the waitlist and continued to decline for 26 weeks post-intervention. Intervention participants reported positive changes in attitudes, perspectives, behaviours, and energy in relation to their workplace relationships with peers and supervisors. Mindfulness-based interventions for reducing stress and building resilience to burnout in social workers and other helping professionals hold promise, and invite further research.     

Burnout and Secondary Trauma Among Forensic Interviewers of Abused Children

This study examined factors associated with burnout and secondary trauma among forensic interviewers of abused children. Sixty-six forensic interviewers who are affiliated with advocacy centers across the United States completed an online survey. The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale were used to measure burnout and secondary trauma, respectively. Results indicate that organizational satisfaction has a moderate inverse relationship with burnout and a slight inverse relationship with secondary trauma. The number of forensic interviews conducted or length of employment in forensic interviewing did not have a strong relationship with either burnout or secondary trauma.     

角色冲突：辅导员职业倦怠的根源

文章以角色冲突为研究视角,分析了辅导员工作过程中存在的角色过载、角色间,中突和角色内冲突,论述了角色冲突和去个性化、情感衰竭以及低成就感的关系,得出角色;中突直接导致辅导员的工作作懈怠这一观点。提出缩小辅导员工作职责、专任教师定位、弹性工作制和同工、同酬、同编制四个方面的解决思路,为全面破解辅导员的职业懈怠做出了有益的探索。     

The association between job skill discretion,decision authority and burnout

This paper reports on the relationship between dimensions of control (skill discretion and decision authority) and burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment) among 164 human service workers. It examines the differential influence of job demands, control (skill discretion and decision authority) and social support (supervisor, co-workers, others) on each burnout dimension. Then it examines the moderating effects of higher skill discretion, higher decision authority, and higher social support on burnout. Low skill discretion was found to be associated with high emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and low personal accomplishment. The effects of decision authority were not statistically significant. High job demands were associated with high emotional exhaustion only. Social support (supervisor, co-worker, and others) was not associated with burnout when demographic variables and job characteristics were controlled for. Neither dimension of control moderated the impact of high job demands on burnout. Social support did not moderate the impact of high demands, low skill discretion, or low decision authority on any burnout dimension. The full model explained 44% of the variance in emotional exhaustion, 25% in depersonalization, and 42% in personal accomplishment. Despite its limitations, the study suggests that the Job Demand-Control model may provide a useful theoretical foundation for the study of burnout, but that the control dimensions need to be evaluated independently since they appear to be differentially related to the burnout dimensions.     

Construct validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey: a two-sample examination of its factor structure and correlates

This research examines the construct validity of Schaufeli, Leiter, Maslach, and Jackson's (1996) general burnout measure, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS). Whereas burnout is traditionally defined and measured in terms of a phenomenon occurring among workers who work with people, the MBI-GS is intended for use outside the human services. The authors first address the internal validity of the MBI-GS using data from two Dutch samples (179 software engineers and 284 university staff members). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the distinction among the three subscales of the MBI-GS was retained. To examine external validity, these subscales were then related to selected work characteristics. Based on conservation of resources theory, differential patterns of effects were predicted among the correlates and the three burnout subscales. Expectations were largely supported, suggesting that the meaning of the three subscales is quite different. These results largely replicate findings obtained in similar studies on the validity of the contactual version of the MBI.     

A study of coping: Successful recovery from severe burnout and other reactions to severe work-related stress

This is a qualitative study of the situational determinants of coping with severe reactions to work-related stress, including burnout. The successful resolution of the crisis caused by an incapacity to work due to physical and emotional exhaustion is documented in an exploratory study of broad coping processes and specific strategies involved. Subjects were recruited from a large territory (the province of Quebec in Canada). Comparative analysis of the accounts of the 20 human service workers and 16 other professionals led to the identification of a common process typified by six consecutive stages: admitting the problem, distancing from work, restoring health, questioning values, exploring work possibilities and making objective changes. The recovery process is long and takes from 1 to 3 years. The ultimate strategy utilized by most of the subjects was to change their objectivc working conditions. Various strategies for identity reinforcement (seeking reassurance, understanding causes, seeking support) were observed in addition to the stages. Three-fifths of the subjects resorted to formal psychotherapy in the first sample. The recovery process appears to be of a psychosocial nature. This characteristic may render it sensitive to social context; although it has been observed in two samples, it would require testing in different working conditions and different countries.     

Four-stage process model of the core factors of burnout: The role of work stressors and work-related resources

The impact of work stressors and work-related resources on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, as the two core factors of burnout, is investigated. According to the German Action Regulation Theory work stressors are conceptualized as regulation problems that lead to work stress in terms of additional effort (e.g. working longer hours), increased intensity of effort (e.g. working at a faster pace), and risky action (e.g. by neglecting safety rules). Consequently, an extended process model consisting of objective work stressors, work stress, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization is proposed. Nurses from three general hospitals (N=482) provided data for evaluating this model. Complete mediation of work stress and emotional exhaustion were analysed by hierarchical regression analysis. The overall model was tested by structural equation analysis in two steps; in the first step the basic model was analysed while in the second step the model was extended by autonomy as a work-related resource. The process model could be confirmed with respect to: (1) the mediating function of work stress and emotional exhaustion, and with regard to (2) the direct impact of autonomy as a work-related resource on work stressors but not on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Methodological considerations and implications for work design and burnout prevention are discussed.     

Gender differences in the effects of coping assistance on the reduction of burnout in academic staff

This study examined gender differences in the effectiveness of five sources of coping assistance to reduce dissatisfaction and emotional exhaustion among 403 female and 664 male academic staff of a Dutch university. It was hypothesized that support at work ((1) socio-emotional aid from the supervisor and colleagues, (2) a supportive climate in the department, and (3) practical assistance in the department) and support at home ((4) socio-emotional aid from the spouse, and (5) practical assistance from the spouse) would reduce dissatisfaction and burnout, and that women especially would benefit from these coping assistance measures. Using moderated regression analyses, the results showed that coping assistance from a supervisor and colleagues is an important measure to reduce both dissatisfaction and emotional exhaustion. Further, a supportive departmental climate and practical assistance in the department reduced emotional exhaustion and especially female academic staff benefited from these types of coping assistance at the aggregate level. However, contrary to expectations, such beneficial effects were not found for both socio-emotional aid and practical assistance from the spouse.     

TREATING CLIENTS FAIRLY

The equitable distribution of maintenance, or care, services derives principally from the decision-making activities of the line workers in a service program. When program rules and guidelines are relatively general and awards are specific, workers develop functions which relate client need to program benefit. However, among counties and offices within a county, these functions may differ, resulting in inequitable service awards to clients. An empirical study of the In-home Supportive Services program in California reveals office distributive functions and determines the consistency with which workers follow them. Through factor analysis and linear regression, the distributive rules are made explicit so that workers can determine how they may be unintentionally treating clients unfairly.