Burnout and its correlates in South African clinical and counselling psychologists

CITATION: Jordaan, I., et al. 2007. Burnout and its correlates in South African clinical and counselling psychologists. Acta Academica, 39(1):176-201.The original publication is available at http://journals.ufs.ac.zaThis article explores burnout and its correlates among South African psychologists. A random sample of 238 clinical and counselling psychologists completed internet surveys that included a biographical questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Brief Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced. Results indicated that approximately half of the participants showed moderate to high levels of burnout. Different combinations of coping strategies predicted the three components of burnout. The biographical variables of age, gender, weekly client hours, years in practice, and medical aid payment difficulties were significant predictors of burnout. Recommendations are made to improve the emotional well-being of South African psychologists.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie artikel verken uitbranding en verbandhoudende komponente by Suid-Afrikaanse sielkundiges. In ’n steekproef het 238 kliniese en voorligtingsielkundiges vraelyste op die internet ingevul, wat ’n biografiese vraelys, die Maslach Burnout Inventory en die Brief Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced ingesluit het. Die resultate het aangedui dat ongeveer die helfte van die deelnemers matige tot hoë vlakke van uitbranding getoon het. Verskillende kombinasies van streshanteringstrategieë het die drie komponente van uitbranding voorspel. Die biografiese veranderlikes soos ouderdom, geslag, weeklikse kliënte-ure, jare in praktyk en probleme met uitbetalings deur mediese fondse was beduidende voorspellers van uitbranding. Aanbevelings word gemaak om die emosionele welstand van Suid-Afrikaanse sielkundiges te verbeter.http://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/aa/article/view/1135Publisher's versio