Abstract
This longitudinal research examined the directions of the relationships between job burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) among human services workers. In particular, using cross-lagged panel design, we investigated whether job burnout predicts STS at 6-month follow up or whether the level of STS symptoms explains job burnout at 6-month follow-up. Participants in Study 1 were behavioral or mental healthcare providers (N = 135) working with U.S. military personnel suffering from trauma. Participants in Study 2 were healthcare providers, social workers, and other human services professions (N = 194) providing various types of services for civilian trauma survivors in Poland. The cross-lagged analyses showed consistent results for both longitudinal studies; job burnout measured at Time 1 led to STS at Time 2, but STS assessed at Time 1 did not lead to job burnout at Time 2. These results contribute to a discussion on the origins of STS and job burnout among human services personnel working in highly demanding context of work-related secondary exposure to traumatic events and confirm that job burnout contributes to the development of STS.
Highlights
Job burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) have been recognized as the crucial consequences of extreme job demands in human services professionals [1,2]
The analysis indicated that the data did not fit the hypothesized model very well with Root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .169, comparative fit index (CFI) = .922, Tucker Lewis Index (TLI) = .831, and standardized root mean residual (SRMR) =
The results suggested that relationship between job burnout at Time 1 (T1) and STS at T2 was significant, whereas the relationship between STS at T1 and job burnout at T2 was not significant
Summary
Job burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) have been recognized as the crucial consequences of extreme job demands in human services professionals [1,2]. Such demands may include frequent and intense contact with traumatized clients and chronic exposure to traumatic content at work [1,2]. Job burnout generally refers to a response to a broad range of occupational stressors and chronic tediousness in the workplace, and it is often characterized by symptoms such as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, or a lack of personal accomplishment [3]. What Comes First, Job Burnout or STS?. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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