Relationship of Burnout among Professional Psychologists to Professional Expectations and Social Support

Abstract

The current study investigated the phenomenon of professional burnout among psychologists of varying experience. Self-report measures were employed in a mail survey of Ontario psychologists. The average level of burnout, as assessed by the Tedium measure, was i n the low moderate range ( M of 3.0 on a 7-point scale). Of the total sample of 255 subjects, 6.3% were determined to be burned out. Burnout was not related to experience in the profession or to other demographic variables but was significantly related to social support from family and friends. to expectations or attitudes about the profession, and less strongly, to changes in expectations over time (disillusionment). Graduate students reported significantly more disillusionment than practitioners.The term "burnout" was introduced by Freudenberger in 1974 to refer to a phenomenon which he had observed in himself and in coworkers in the free-clinic movement. He defined burnouc as "to fail, wear out, or become exhausted by making excessive demands on energy, strength, or resources" and attributed it to the unceasing pressures of working with emotionally needy and demanding individuals (Freudenberger, 1974). A more recent definition is that of Pines and Aronson (1981), who refer to burnout simply as "physical, emotional, and mental (i.e., attitudinal) exhaustion" (p. 202).Since the introduction of the term a decade ago, the concept of burnout has received great publicity in both the popular and the scholarly press, and an increasing number of serious investigators have turned their attention to the phenomenon. Discussions and studies of burnout have tended to focus on organizational and job-specific factors in the etiology of the syndrome; see reviews by Daniel and Rogers ( 198 1 ) and Perlman and Hartman ( 1982 ) .As the experience of burnout has become increasingly recognized and legitimized, the contribution of individual and job-extrinsic factors has been acknowledged, although little research has been done.Two variables of especial interest that have been largely ignored by investigators are the issue of jo5-extrinsic social support as an ameliorating factor and the role of individual expectations and disillusionment in the development of burnout.A good deal of empirical evidence exists that personal relations and social support in the workplace are related to burnout (Pines & Aronson, 1981;

Personal risk factors associated with burnout among psychotherapists: A systematic review of the literature

“…Preliminary evidence found high burnout was associated with coping by excessively dwelling on one's emotions (emotion‐focused) or avoiding one's emotions (avoidant‐coping) (Ackerley et al., ; Cushway & Tyler, ; Huebner, ; Wilkerson, & Bellini, ), potentially due to reduced opportunities for interpersonal connection and social support (Huebner, ). There were mixed findings on the role of social support, but the majority of studies identified that social support alongside personal therapy, was correlated with high burnout among psychotherapists (Darongkamas et al., ; Kahill, ; Ross et al., ; Stevanovic, & Rupert, ), although it is probable that they were accessing personal therapy as a consequence of (rather than predictor of) burnout (Darongkamas et al., ; Di Benedetto & Swadling, ; Kovach Clark, Murdock, & Koetting, ). A study by Rzeszutek and Schier () posited that perceptions of social support were stronger predictors of burnout than actual social support itself, whereby social support may only be protective if the psychotherapist feels supported.…”

“…psychotherapists (Darongkamas et al, 1994;Kahill, 1986;Ross et al, 1989;), although it is probable that they were accessing personal therapy as a consequence of (rather than predictor of) burnout (Darongkamas et al, 1994;Di Benedetto & Swadling, 2014;Kovach Clark, Murdock, & Koetting, 2009). A study by Rzeszutek and Schier (2014) posited that perceptions of social support were stronger predictors of burnout than actual social support itself, whereby social support may only be protective if the psychotherapist feels supported.…”

National Survey of Burnout among US General Surgery Residents

“…(3–5) Additionally, burnout is associated with increased alcohol and substance abuse and impaired interpersonal relationships. (6) Given the potential impact of burnout on the quality patient care, burnout may have medicolegal and financial implications for surgeons and the institutions at which they work.…”

Resiliency in the Practicing Marriage and Family Therapist

“…Maslach and Jackson (1982) later operationalized the concept into a three‐part construct that included emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. Although exact figures are unknown, it is estimated that approximately 10–15% of practicing mental health professionals will succumb to burnout during the course of their careers (Kahill, 1986). Burnout is problematic for therapists in that it contributes to lower morale, reduced self‐esteem, a tendency to dehumanize clients, and, ultimately, to leaving the field completely (Baird & Jenkins, 2003).…”