Workplace demands and resources as antecedents of job burnout among public child welfare workers: A longitudinal study

Abstract

This three-wave longitudinal study is the first multiple point longitudinal study to examine the impact of workplace demands and resources on the development of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization among public child welfare workers. This study is contextualized within the Job Demands and Resources (JD-R) theoretical model of burnout development. Growth curve analyses results from an availability sample of 335 public child welfare workers indicate that emotional exhaustion and depersonalization increase over time. Organizational tenure, job stress, and work–family conflict were found to be associated with the development of emotional exhaustion, while age, work–family conflict, and organizational support were related to the development of depersonalization. Implications for workforce management in child welfare organizations and directions for future research are discussed. ►This is the first public child welfare worker multi-wave longitudinal burnout study. ►We examine the impact of job demands and resources on burnout development. ►Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization change and increase over time. ►Tenure, job stress, and work–family conflict predict emotional exhaustion. ►Age, work–family conflict and organizational support predict depersonalization.