Character Strengths in Counselors: Relations With Meaningful Work and Burnout

Abstract

The primary goal of this study was to examine the relations from counselors' character strengths to burnout via the potential mediating effect of meaningful work. We also compared mean levels of counselors' character strengths to population means and conducted regression analyses to examine which character strengths uniquely predicted meaningful work and burnout. Counselors in our sample reported significantly higher levels on 13 of the 24 character strengths compared to a normed sample, with strengths like love of learning, perspective, and social intelligence being particularly elevated. Additionally, regression analyses revealed that prudence and hope predicted both meaningful work and burnout; love, perspective, and zest predicted meaningful work; and forgiveness, honesty, and self-regulation predicted burnout. These character strengths were included in the final structural equation model. Partially supporting hypotheses, prudence, perspective, and zest were related to meaningful work, which were, in turn, negatively related to burnout.

Character Strengths Profiles in Medical Professionals and Their Impact on Well-Being

“…Therefore, this occupational group showed the highest overlap with physicians from this study. Other samples revealed love of learning and social intelligence to be very important among counselors (compared to a normed sample; Allan et al, 2019 ) as well as educators, teachers, psychologists, and therapists ( Ruch, 2014 ); judgment and love were highly evident in teachers and psychologists. Harzer (2008) found in Swiss samples again fairness and love in teachers and care workers, and judgment in psychologists, therapists and social workers.…”

The Strengths-Based Inclusive Theory of Work

“…A larger body of research supports the notion that specific strengths-such as optimism, grit, perseverance, and resilience-relate to contextual supports and barriers in educational and work contexts (e.g., Butler-Barnes, Chavous, Hurd, & Varner, 2013;Creed, Patton, & Bartrum, 2004;Hwang, Lim, & Ha, 2018;O'Neal et al, 2016). In work settings, the use of strengths has resulted in greater citizenship behavior and lower counterproductive work behavior (Littman-Ovadia, Lavy, & Boiman-Meshita, 2017), greater job performance (Harzer & Ruch, 2014), as well as decreased burnout (Allan, Owens, & Douglass, 2019).…”

Highlighting Clients’ Strengths: The Benefits of Using the Balanced Diagnostic Impressions (DICE-PM) Model

“…Cowger 1994;Tedeschi and Kilmer 2005). Longitudinal findings support that strengths knowledge (which is aided by strengths assessment) results in enhanced strengths use (Allan et al 2019), thus fostering the benefits that accompany the implementation of strengths. The assessment of strengths conveys to clients and others that the clients' identities and current functioning are more than their presenting concerns and diagnoses (e.g., Magyar-Moe 2009;Owens et al 2015;Saleebey 1996).…”

“…This study extends that literature, showing that incorporating strengths-based content in other, existing classes and focusing on others' strengths could be another approach to enhance student well-being. Lastly, there is a robust body of literature demonstrating mental health providers and trainees are particularly susceptible to burnout (e.g., Allan et al 2019;Clark et al 2009;Lee et al 2011;Morse et al 2012). Finding ways to enhance their well-being in their work in this case by assessing others' strengthscould potentially buffer against the high degree of burnout.…”