The objective of this study was to: (1) assess the overall wellness climate profile of a sample of higher education call centre employees for national benchmarking purposes; (2) explore the relationship between the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout; and (3) determine how the participants differ regarding these variables in terms of socio-demographic contextual factors such as gender, race, age, and marital status. The South African Employee Health and Wellness Survey was used as a measuring instrument. Compared to the national norm, the results indicated a risky wellness climate reflecting a burnout propensity, lower morale (affective wellbeing) and lower resilience (sense of coherence). Significant relations existed between the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout levels. Significant differences regarding these variables were also detected between males and females and the various marital status groups regarding the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout. The findings of this study contributed new knowledge that may be used to inform employee wellness programmes within a higher education call centre environment. The study concluded with recommendations for future research and practice. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The objective of this study was to: (1) assess the overall wellness climate profile of a sample of higher education call centre employees for national benchmarking purposes; (2) explore the relationship between the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout; and (3) determine how the participants differ regarding these variables in terms of socio-demographic contextual factors such as gender, race, age, and marital status. The South African Employee Health and Wellness Survey was used as a measuring instrument. Compared to the national norm, the results indicated a risky wellness climate reflecting a burnout propensity, lower morale (affective wellbeing) and lower resilience (sense of coherence). Significant relations existed between the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout levels. Significant differences regarding these variables were also detected between males and females and the various marital status groups regarding the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout. The findings of this study contributed new knowledge that may be used to inform employee wellness programmes within a higher education call centre environment. The study concluded with recommendations for future research and practice. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The primary aim of this study was to ascertain whether teacher burnout is accompanied by physiological, psychological and behavioural symptoms. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was used to ascertain the levels of burnout among a sample of 282 Indian teachers of all ranks in ex - House of Delegates schools in the Kwazulu - Natal region. The Burnout Manifestations Scale was used to elicit those symptoms which burned out subjects exhibited the most. While 23 % of the sample appeared vulnerable to burnout, 7% appeared to be already burned out. It was found that with a few exceptions, the sample was susceptible to a lesser or greater degree to almost all of the symptoms listed in the Burnout Manifestations Scale. As no significant differences between the groups was detected in the selected demographic variables, it can be concluded that anyone, irrespective of their sex, marital status or any other variable, can become vulnerable to burnout. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Fire fighters are involved in critical decision making situations, and under-performance and lack of job satisfaction due to burnout could adversely affect the welfare of the people that are being provided with the service. This study thus investigated the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction amongst operational fire fighters. Two measuring instruments were used: the Pines, Aronson & Kafry (1981) Burnout Index, and the Smith, Hulin and Kendall (1969) Job Descriptive Index. This study was conducted amongst 102 fire fighters working for a local authority. Through a literature review, burnout and job satisfaction were defined, and a link between the two constructs outlined. Through an empirical study, the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction was determined. Supporting evidence indicates a negative correlation between burnout and job satisfaction, as well as revealing social support amongst co-workers as being an important buffer against the effects of burnout. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Burnout levels have been found to be high among nurses in both public and private hospitals in South Africa. Burnout is defined within the human services as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced personal accomplishment that can occur among individuals who work with people in some capacity. High levels of burnout have been linked to nurses’ intention to leave the profession, which places additional strain on an already struggling public health system characterised by a shortage of nurses in South Africa. The primary aim of the present cross-sectional correlational study was to determine the proportion of the variance in burnout among nurses accounted for by the linear combination of certain demographic characteristics and occupational stress factors. Secondary aims were to determine the relationship between such factors and burnout levels and to determine the average level of burnout and occupational stress factors reported. A convenience sample of 110 nurses was recruited from a public hospital located in the Western Cape. An analytical survey design for the collection of quantitative data was used. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that workload, interpersonal conflict at work, job status, organisational constraints, and HIV/AIDS stigma by association significantly predicted burnout levels. The linear combination of these variables accounted for 38% of the variance in emotional exhaustion, 32% of the variance in depersonalisation, and 12% of the variance in personal accomplishment. Death and dying-related stress and age did not predict burnout levels. Age was also the only predictor variable not significantly associated with burnout levels. Although burnout levels were not found to be high on average, 34% of the sample reported high levels of emotional exhaustion. A high average level of workload was also reported. It is recommended that future research should focus on the development and evaluation of interventions to ameliorate burnout among South African nurses. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoë vlakke van uitbranding is bevind onder verpleegkundiges in beide openbare en private hospitale in Suid-Afrika. Uitbranding word binne die menslike dienste gedefinieer as 'n sindroom van emosionele uitputting, depersonalisasie en verminderde persoonlike vervulling wat kan voorkom onder individue wat werk met mense in een of ander hoedanigheid. Hoë vlakke van uitbranding is gekoppel aan verpleegkundiges se voorneme om die professie te verlaat, wat bykomende druk plaas op 'n reeds sukkelende openbare gesondheidstelsel gekenmerk deur 'n tekort aan verpleegkundiges in Suid-Afrika. Die primêre doel van die huidige deursnee- korrelasionele studie was om te bepaal hoeveel van die variansie in uitbranding onder verpleegkundiges voorspel word deur die lineêre kombinasie van sekere demografiese eienskappe en beroepstresfaktore. Sekondêre doelwitte was om die verhouding tussen sodanige faktore en uitbrandingsvlakke te bepaal en om die gemiddelde vlak van uitbranding en beroepstresfaktore soos gerapporteer te bepaal. ’n Gerieflikheidsteekproef van 110 verpleegkundiges is gewerf uit 'n openbare hospitaal geleë in die Wes-Kaap. 'n Analitiese opname-ontwerp vir die insameling van kwantitatiewe data is gebruik. Die resultate van hiërargiese meervoudige regressie-ontledings het aangedui dat werkslading, interpersoonlike konflik by die werk, werkstatus, organisatoriese beperkinge , en MIV/VIGS stigma deur assosiasie uitbrandingsvlakke beduidend voorspel het. Die lineêre kombinasie van hierdie veranderlikes was verantwoordelik vir 38% van die variansie in emosionele uitputting, 32% van die variansie in depersonalisasie, en 12% van die variansie in persoonlike vervulling. Dood en sterfte-verwante stres en ouderdom het nie uitbrandingsvlakke voorspel nie. Ouderdom was ook die enigste veranderlike wat nie beduidend geassosieer was met uitbrandingsvlakke nie. Alhoewel dit bevind is dat gemiddelde vlakke van uitbranding nie hoog is nie, het 34% van die steekproef hoë vlakke van emosionele uitputting gerapporteer. 'n Hoë gemiddelde vlak van werkslading is ook aangemeld. Dit word aanbeveel dat toekomstige navorsing toegespits behoort te word op die ontwikkeling en evaluering van ingrypings om uitbranding onder Suid-Afrikaanse verpleegkundiges aan te spreek.

The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model (Bakker and colleagues) has received increasing attention in recent years, yet there is a distinct literature gap regarding its utility and value towards the international work context. In line with this, understanding how to design jobs representing enhanced climates of work engagement for internationally operating staff alludes practitioners. This thesis therefore aims to substantiate the claim that previous research applying the JD-R model has neglected the international work context and evaluate whether the model has potential to be used as a framework for managing burnout, work engagement and related outcomes beyond the use in solely national contexts. In order to do so, two review studies (systematic and meta-analytic) and two empirical studies (qualitative and quantitative) are conducted of the JD-R model in the international work context. Findings suggest: that existing JD-R literature does not consider the international work context, highlighting a distinct literature gap requiring attention, in order to achieve a holistic understanding of the model and its applicability; strong meta-analytic support for the JD-R model and the impact of variation in the international work context represented by dimensions of national culture; the JD-R model has potential for responding to the management of burnout and work engagement for international business travelers but may benefit from theoretical amendments that focus the models utility and direct scholarly research and practitioner approaches; that the model may not be as valuable as assumed for the international business traveler context, yet it is worth considering the findings in light of relevant literature and possible limitations. Overall, the findings suggest a distinct need for more research examining the JD-R model in the international work context. A number of potential theoretical amendments are suggested in a conceptual internationalized JD-R model that can be used as a foundation for future empirical work to establish the boundaries of the model and its utility. From a practitioner perspective, until more research is conducted, JD-R principles should be applied with caution. As a whole, this thesis encompasses theoretical, empirical and practical contributions relevant for scholarly and practitioner communities which can be built upon over time with regards to the proposed conceptual model.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among perceived stress, stressors, and coping mechanisms of nurses in the areas of the intensive care unit, coronary care unit, cardiac recovery unit, and the emergency room. It was proposed that nurses in these areas perceive environmental and job stressors for which they developed specific copingmechanisms. It was further proposed that a relationship exists between levels of stress and coping mechanisms used by nurses.All registered nurses (RN's) and licensed practical nurses (LPN's) in each of the above units at Ball Memorial Hospital who agreed to participate were included in the study. The nurses were surveyed by questionnaires which they completed during their leisure time and placed in a drop box on their unit. No names or signatures were asked for. Informed consent was implied by the completion and return of the questionnaire which included, the Nurse Stress Scale by Gray-Toft & Anderson (1981), a coping mechanism scale by Kelly & Cross (1985), and a demographic questionnaire. Demographic characteristics included age, gender, educational level, marital status, years of experience, and type of nurse (manager or staff and RN or LPN). No risks were foreseen to the participants. However, it is hoped that participants in the study were able to develop a greater awareness of job related stress and coping mechanisms employed.The design of the study was nonexperimental, descriptive, and correlational. The independent variable was work related stress and the dependent varible was coping mechanisms. Pearson's product moment correlation, t-test, and multivariate analysis of variance were used to analyze the data.The results indicated that there were sigificant relationships between five of the stress subscales, and selected coping mechanisms. Total stress was also found to have significant posititve correlations with four of the coping mechanisms. There were no significant differences between RNs and LPNs in general level of stress and in the seven subscales of stressors. / School of Nursing

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of burnout among student affairs professionals at the 52 U.S. member institutions of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities. Packets containing the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the Moos Work Environment Scale (WES), and a demographic survey were mailed to 371 senior student affairs administrators at the member institutions, with a completed response rate of 58.22%. The senior student affairs administrators surveyed included the chief student affairs officers and the professional staff who reported to them. The research design employed t-tests, analyses of variance, and Pearson's Product Moment correlations. The scores obtained from the MBI and WES subscales were compared overall and along 9 independent variablestitle of position, size of institution, appointment, salary, years in current position, years in profession, age, gender, and highest degree attained. Average levels of burnout were found on each of the MBI subscores. Contrary to earlier studies, women did not suffer from statistically significant higher levels of burnout than men, and burnout levels decreased with age and years in the profession for both sexes. Lower scores on the MBI depersonalization subscale were found in employees in mid-career and in professionals from smaller schools. Emotional exhaustion was not a factor. Environmental factors relating to burnout and job satisfaction were also explored. Statistically significant differences on the WES were found on all of the independent variables except the years in the current position variable. The metropolitan environment may have been effective in reducing the amount of burnout felt by this group of student affairs professionals. The study underscored the need for continuing research in burnout for student affairs professionals and for continued professional development throughout the career span.

A nonexperimental descriptive study was conducted to determine the interrelatedness among coping strategies, humor and burnout among nursing education faculty. The conceptual framework of this study was based on the constructs of coping strategies and humor which were conceptualized as having a direct relationship to burnout. Areview of the literature concerning coping, humor and burnout supported this proposition and emphasized the need for empirical testing. Coping Humor Scale. Wavs of Coping Questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory were the instruments used to measure the constructs. Academic history and demographic data sheets were also used. Hie instruments were mailed to 285 nursing faculty teaching in programs of nursing in the Dallas /Fort Worth, Texas area. The return rate for the mailing was 70.07%. Burnout among nursing education faculty showed a low degree of emotional exhaustion (54.8%), a low degree of depersonalization (84.7% and a low degree of personal accomplishment (60.7%). The findings did not reveal a high or low degree of burnout but rather a pattern of burnout suggestive of a different stage. Humor as a coping mechanism during stressful events was not frequently used. The highest proportion of nursing education faculty used distancing (46.53%) as a coping strategy. The second strategy used was planful problem solving (11.3%) with escape-avoidance used the least (3.34%). Multiple regression was used to test the research questions related to the predictor variables of coping, academic history and demographic data as they relate to each criterion variable of burnout. The use coping strategies (including humor) to predict various stages of burnout revealed only weak variable predictors. Academic history and demographic were also weak predictors for burnout.