Bakgrund: Psykolog är ett dokumenterat bristyrke i de flesta svenska regioner, trots att antalet utexaminerade ökat. Samtidigt finns intention att lämna yrket för en knapp femtedel av psykologer tre år efter examen. Tankar på att lämna yrket är den tydligaste prediktorn för att lämna yrket. Forskning har visat att en rad faktorer påverkar tankar på att lämna yrket. Syfte: (1) Undersöka faktorer som relateras till processen att lämna yrket hos psykologer, samt hur dessa relateras till varandra. (2) Undersöka vad de som lämnat yrket ser som bidragande till sitt beslut. Metod: Kvantitativ enkätdata som insamlats från nyexaminerade psykologer (n = 603) analyserades med korrelations- samt regressionsanalys, med tankar på att lämna yrket som beroende variabel. Kvalitativ enkätdata (n = 35) analyserades med innehållsanalys. Resultat: Regressionsanalys visade att övergång mellan studier och arbete, arbetstillfredsställelse samt arbetstempo påverkade tankar på att lämna. Även stressymptom tillförde viss förklaringsgrad. Bilden som växte fram i den kvalitativa analysen var att beslutet att lämna var komplicerat med blandade känslor. Främst arbetsmiljö, emotionell påverkan och engagemang för yrket angavs bidragande till beslutet att lämna. Anledningar att stanna kretsade i stället kring trygghet, kärnan i yrket samt belåtenhet. Slutsats: En fungerande övergång mellan studier och arbetsliv med tillräckligt mellanmänskligt stöd hade relevans för tankar på att lämna, så väl som andra arbetsmiljöfaktorer. / Background: Psychologist is an in-demand job in most Swedish regions, despite an increase in graduates. Simultaneously, three years after graduating a scant fifth of psychologists had intentions to leave the profession. Thoughts of leaving the profession is the clearest predictor of actually leaving. Research has shown a multitude of factors to be affecting thoughts of leaving the profession. Aim: (1) Examine factors related to the process of leaving the profession, as well as how these factors can be related to each other. (2) Examine what those who have already left the profession view as contributory to their decision. Method: Quantitative survey data that was collected from psychologists up to three years post-graduation (n = 603) was analyzed using correlation- and regression analysis, using thoughts of leaving the profession as the dependent variable. The qualitative survey data (n = 35) was analyzed using content analysis. Results: The regression analysis showed that work-study transition, work satisfaction and work tempo affected thoughts of leaving the profession. Symptoms of stress also added some explained variance. The picture that emerged from qualitative analysis was that the decision to leave was complicated with mixed emotions. Mainly work environment, emotional impact and engagement for the profession were contributing factors regarding the decision to leave. Reasons to stay in the profession referenced security, core of the profession as well as contentment. Conclusion: An adequate work-study transition, with sufficient interpersonal support was of relevance to thinking about leaving, as well as additional aspects of work environment.

The serious shortage of social workers (nationally) caused by their exodus from the profession at an alarming rate and the resultant classification of social work as a "scare skill" served as motivation for this research project into retention strategies to retain social workers for the profession. A qualitative research approach and an explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was employed to conduct semi-structured interviews with 15 purposely selected participants in the geographically defined boundaries of the Northern Free State and Gauteng. Tesch's (in Creswell, 1994) and Guba's models (in Krefting, 1991) aided the processes of data collection and verification, respectively. The research findings uncovered: general and specific reasons for the social workers' exodus, feelings and emotional reactions of social workers subsequent to the early exodus from the profession, and retention proposals to retain social workers. Based on the findings, recommendation directed to practice, education, policy and further research, were made. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Social Work)

The serious shortage of social workers (nationally) caused by their exodus from the profession at an alarming rate and the resultant classification of social work as a "scare skill" served as motivation for this research project into retention strategies to retain social workers for the profession. A qualitative research approach and an explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was employed to conduct semi-structured interviews with 15 purposely selected participants in the geographically defined boundaries of the Northern Free State and Gauteng. Tesch's (in Creswell, 1994) and Guba's models (in Krefting, 1991) aided the processes of data collection and verification, respectively. The research findings uncovered: general and specific reasons for the social workers' exodus, feelings and emotional reactions of social workers subsequent to the early exodus from the profession, and retention proposals to retain social workers. Based on the findings, recommendation directed to practice, education, policy and further research, were made. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Social Work)