Personal and Occupational Factors in Burnout Among Practicing Social Workers

Abstract

Burnout is a frequent topic of discussion and study in the helping disciplines, popular because the feelings of fatigue and disengagement that are descriptive of burnout resonate with many caregiving professionals. Social work researchers typically utilize small convenience samples or qualitative methods to study workplace features that contribute to burnout, so this paper fills a significant gap in the literature by utilizing a large representative sample of practicing social workers (N = 751). The findings include a current burnout rate of 39% and a lifetime rate of 75%. Regression analyses support the author's contention that personal variables should be included in analyses of burnout (R2 = .45). Researchers, practitioners, managers, and educators should take an active role in understanding and addressing the multiple influences on burnout among social workers.

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