Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine early childhood professionals’ (ECPs) work engagement, burnout and stress regulation in integrated special day-care groups. The participants consisted of 89 ECPs from 21 integrated special day-care groups in Helsinki, Finland. ECPs’ work-related well-being was assessed using self-report questionnaires that measured work engagement and burnout. Stress regulation was assessed by measuring salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase activity during consecutive working and weekend day with a total five samples per day. The results indicated that ECPs experienced high levels of work engagement, and even though signs of burnout appeared among ECPs, compared to reference values in general population results showed ECPs generally experienced lower levels of stress. On average ECP's stress regulation was regular, and there were no differences in salivary AA/Cortisol or Cortisol/AA ratios between the working day and weekend day. No connections between stress regulation, work engagement and burnout were found. However, we found associations between ECPs’ characteristics and work engagement and burnout; younger ECPs showed lower professional self-esteem and ECPs with higher level qualifications (e.g. special teachers) were more likely to report higher levels of work engagement. The main findings drawn from the data are discussed, and suggestions for future research are provided.
Highlights
Every occupation includes aspects that either enhance work motivation and engagement or endanger well-being
We compared the variances of burnout and work engagement in different occupational groups and according to the early childhood professionals (ECPs)’ background characteristics, such as age, illnesses, and length of employment
Our results demonstrated that ECPs were engaged in their work
Summary
Every occupation includes aspects that either enhance work motivation and engagement or endanger well-being. We are investigating to what extent early childhood professionals (ECPs) in integrated special day-care groups experience work engagement and burnout. Our aim is to examine to what extent it is possible to use salivary cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase and their ratios as indicators of the functioning of ECPs’ stress regulation systems. Combined use of these biomarkers is a novel approach in endocrinological research. The context of our study, the ECP work environment, is of great importance; the unique stressors experienced in this workplace coupled with the significance of the work undertaken by ECPs mean that enhancing understanding of ECP workplace wellbeing has an impact not just on the workers themselves, and on children, the future citizens of the world
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