Burnout and coping in human service practitioners.

Do many Spanish human service practitioners suffer from burnout? What coping strategies are used to combat work stress, and are they associated with lower burnout? Which strategies may the psychologist promote to improve organizations? With an eye toward helping organizations improve their workers' quality of work life and service delivery, 211 professionals, either child protection workers or in-home caregivers, completed an inventory on coping and another on burnout. Coping strategies alone do not preclude burnout but may help prevent worker turnover. High job and salary satisfaction, together with active coping strategies play an important role in promoting personal accomplishment. Low job and salary satisfaction and the use of passive or emotional strategies predict elevated emotional exhaustion. The results suggest some possible points of intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stress appraisal in women with spinal cord injury: Supplementary findings through mixed methods.

A study was conducted to examine how women with spinal cord injury (SCI) perceive the stressors they encounter, and how cognitive appraisal is associated with coping and life satisfaction. Fifty women with SCI were interviewed regarding their experience with stress and coping. The interviews were then coded using a framework based on stress and coping theory (transactional model). The systematic application of quantitative methods to the coded interview data allowed for statistical analyses, which demonstrated that the context in which the women spoke about their experiences with various stressors was associated with coping strategies, time since injury, and life satisfaction. Although stress and coping are commonly seen as interacting constructs that influence quality of life outcomes, current findings suggest that appraisal of stressors in the context of loss (more common among women more recently injured) may have a direct impact on life satisfaction apart from any coping strategies put into effect. Interventions designed to facilitate coping with loss and enhance problem-solving skills, along with education about available resources, may foster a sense of empowerment after SCI and ultimately change how stressors are perceived and managed in order to dampen their negative impact on life satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of self-blame and responsibility in adjustment to inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: S. C. Roesch and B. Weiner's (2001) theoretical model of adjustment to chronic illness was adapted to examine the role of attributions, avoidant coping strategies, and disease severity in the psychological adjustment of people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Research Method and Design: People with IBD (N = 259) completed an online survey including measures of health-related self-blame and responsibility attributions, disease severity, avoidant coping strategies, and psychological adjustment indexes (coping efficacy, acceptance, and helplessness). Results: Structural equation modeling revealed that avoidant coping mediated the relationship between attributions and psychological adjustment. Attributions of self-blame were directly related to increased avoidant coping, which was in turn associated with poor adjustment. Beliefs about responsibility were associated with decreased use of avoidant coping strategies and subsequently improved psychological adjustment. Higher scores on disease severity were linked to the use of avoidant coping strategies and poor psychological adjustment. Conclusions: Distinguishing between self-blame and responsibility attributions has important implications for understanding the psychological adjustment of individuals with IBD and may be useful for creating intervention strategies aimed at enhancing the psychological functioning of people with IBD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personal and environmental predictors of posttraumatic stress in emergency management professionals.

Among first responders and other emergency workers in the disaster ecology, an understudied group is that of emergency management professionals (EMP). These individuals share many of the same role conflicts and ambiguities as do health care workers and as a group have been part of national discussions about their role in post-Katrina recovery. Though they have frequent exposures to professional stressors, little is known about the personality traits, cultural issues, and role conflicts that might contribute to their ability to withstand posttraumatic stress symptoms or to grow from their work roles. This research explored 3 models that attempt to explain how previously identified personality traits and role issues such as trauma exposure, burnout, and compassion satisfaction among similar helpers and first responders might predict posttraumatic stress symptoms in EMPs. A sample of 197 participants was recruited using an online methodology, and data were analyzed using hierarchical regression. The results supported a model containing neuroticism and extraversion, trauma exposure frequency, burnout, and compassion satisfaction, accounting for the most variance in predicting PTSD symptoms. Neuroticism, burnout, and compassion satisfaction were found to be significant individual positive predictors, whereas ethnic identity did not significantly contribute to variance or serve as a moderator with trauma exposure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Protective and exacerbating factors in children and adolescents with fibromyalgia.

Objective: To investigate protective and exacerbating factors in the adjustment of youth with juvenile primary fibromyalgia syndrome (JPFS), we examined the relationship of stress, coping strategies, social support, and self-efficacy to quality of life, pain, and depression. Method: Participants were 57 youths (ages 10 to 18 years) and their parents from rheumatology clinics at 2 children's hospitals. The youths self-reported daily hassles, coping strategies, social support, self-efficacy, quality of life, pain, and depression. Parents reported on the youths' major life events and quality of life. Results: In regression analyses, daily hassles, catastrophizing (a coping strategies scale), and self-efficacy predicted child-rated quality of life; self-efficacy predicted pain; and daily hassles predicted depression. Self-efficacy and familial social support moderated the relationship between daily hassles and depression. Conclusions: Daily hassles may be associated with health outcomes for youth with JPFS more than major life events are, and catastrophic thinking and self-efficacy beliefs could be appropriate intervention targets. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Influence of Prior Commitment on the Reactions of Layoff Survivors to Organizational Downsizing.

Nurses (N := 179; Study 1) and managers (N = 154; Study 2) participated in 2 panel studies examining the relationship among prior commitment (affective and continuance commitment and perceived organizational support), coping strategies, and survivors' attitudes and perceptions during and following downsizing. In Study 1, perceived organizational support was significantly positively related to control-oriented coping, job satisfaction, and intention to remain and negatively related to perceived job insecurity and burnout 2 years later. In Study 2, coping mediated the relationship between the prior commitment variables and job alienation, health symptoms, and burnout following the downsizing. Control-oriented coping was associated with elevated levels of health symptoms and burnout following the downsizing, suggesting that control-oriented coping may have positive effects in the short term but potentially harmful effects in the long term. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential Effects of Simple Frontal Versus Complex Teaching Strategy on Teachers' Stress, Burnout, and Satisfaction.

This study examined the connections between teaching strategy (complex vs. frontal) and the teacher-related variables of stress, burnout, and satisfaction. In addition, an all-inclusive model was examined that linked the extent of practicing each of the strategies to the teacher-related variables. The results of the study showed that the use of the complex strategy was connected to lower levels of stress and burnout and to higher levels of satisfaction. Within the framework of the all-inclusive model, we found that the complex strategy affected both satisfaction and burnout, whereas the frontal strategy was connected only to satisfaction. Those effects were mediated by the stress variables. The results are discussed from a theoretical, as well as a practical, point of view. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stressful life events, psychological distress, coping, and parenting of divorced mothers: A longitudinal study.

This was a prospective longitudinal study of the relationships among life stress, psychological distress, coping, and parenting behaviors in a sample of divorced custodial mothers. First, the differential effects of major events and daily stressors on psychological distress and parenting were explored. Second, the mediational links among stress, distress, and 3 dimensions of parenting behaviors were studied. Third, 3 coping strategies were studied as moderators of the relationship between distress and parenting. The results showed that both major and small events had significant effects on parental distress, with the effects of daily negative events being greater than those of major events. Parental distress mediated the relationships between stressful life events and parental acceptance of their children's behaviors. Parental coping strategies moderated the relationship between mothers' psychological distress and mothers' discipline practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adjustment to multiple sclerosis: Application of a stress and coping model.

This study examined the use of a stress and coping model of adjustment to multiple sclerosis (MS). A total of 122 MS patients were interviewed and completed self-administered scales at Time 1 and 12 months later, Time 2 (n?=?96). Predictors included stressful life events, illness (duration, severity, and disability), social support, appraisal (threat and control/challenge), and coping (problem focused and emotion [wishful thinking, self-blame, and avoidance] focused). Adjustment outcomes were Time 2 depression, global distress, social adjustment, and subjective health status. Results from hierarchical regression analyses indicated that after controlling for the effects of Time-1 adjustment, better Time-2 adjustment was related to less disability, greater reliance on problem-focused coping, and less reliance on emotion-focused coping. There was limited support for the stress buffering effects of coping and social support. Findings offer some support for the use of a stress and coping model of adaptation to MS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of interparental aggression on children's adjustment: The moderating role of cognitive appraisal and coping.

This research examined the relationship between interparental aggression and children's adjustment through an analysis of the moderating effects of children's cognitive appraisal and coping strategies. Participants were 80 children in Grades 6, 7, and 8 who completed measures of level of interparental aggression and of cognitive appraisal and coping strategies reported in response to parents' conflicts. Children's adjustment was based on self-report measures of self-worth, externalizing behavior, and depression. Results showed that more frequent and intense conflict was associated with greater adjustment problems for children. Problematic beliefs about interparental conflict and ineffective coping strategies were also related to greater maladjustment. Significant interaction effects suggest that perceived peer availability and the use of social supports may buffer the negative effects of marital conflict. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping with job stress and burnout in the human services.

Conducted a mail survey of 141 human service workers (aged 25–65 yrs) to investigate the effects of coping on psychological strain and burnout produced by job stress. The survey assessed job stressors and coping strategies with open-ended questions and measured strain using closed-ended alienation, satisfaction, and symptom scales. Because previous research suggested that individual coping responses do not alleviate strain produced by job stress, the survey elicited information on group coping (social support) and on coping strategies initiated by agencies. Job stress was associated with high levels of strain, and group coping with low levels, but individual responses had little effect. Although Ss identified many strategies that agencies could use to reduce stress and strain, actual use of such strategies was slight. Because men and women worked in the same jobs, no sex differences in individual coping were predicted and none were found; women, however, reported more social support than men. There was no evidence for moderating (interaction) effects of stress and coping on strain. Results suggest that social service agencies should take actions to reduce stress among employees. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The psychosocial impact of caregiving on young people who have a parent with an illness or disability: Comparisons between young caregivers and noncaregivers.

Objective: To investigate the psychosocial impact of young caregiving by empirically validating prominent qualitative themes. This was achieved through developing an inventory called the Young Caregiver of Parents Inventory (YCOPI) designed to assess these themes and by comparing young caregivers and noncaregivers. Method: Two hundred forty-five participants between 10 and 25 years completed questionnaires: 100 young caregivers and 145 noncaregivers. In addition to the YCOPI, the following variables were measured: demographics, caregiving context, social support, appraisal, coping strategies, and adjustment (health, life satisfaction, distress, positive affect). Results: Eight reliable factors emerged from the YCOPI that described the diverse impacts of caregiving and reflected the key themes reported in prior research. The factors were related to most caregiving context variables and theoretically relevant stress and coping variables. Compared with noncaregivers, young caregivers reported higher levels of young caregiving impact, less reliance on problem-solving coping, and higher somatization and lower life satisfaction. Conclusions: Findings delineate key impacts of young caregiving and highlight the importance of ensuring that measures used in research on young caregivers are sensitive to issues pertinent to this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relations between appraisals and coping schemas: Support for the congruence model.

Determined whether relations between appraisal and 5 coping schemata were consistent with predictions from the congruence model (CM) of effective coping. Participants were 185 undergraduates in search of employment. Multiple regression analyses revealed that appraisals of challenge and controllability significantly predicted strategies representative of the problem-focused schema, whereas threat appraisals significantly predicted emotion-focused coping. The existential coping schema was positively associated with appraisals of challenge and low threat. Spiritual coping was also significantly predicted by appraised uncontrollability. Results extend evidence of appraisal-coping relations to a broader range of coping strategies and demonstrate the heuristic value of the cognitive schema approach to coping and of the CM in predicting appraisal–coping relations. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of coping in the relationship between perceived racism and racism-related stress for Asian Americans: Gender differences.

On the basis of stress and coping theory, the authors examined coping as a mediator of the relationship between perceptions of racism and racism-related stress with a sample of Asian American college students (N = 336). Results indicated that coping mediated the relationship between racism and racism-related stress differentially by gender. The more that men perceived racism, the more likely they were to use support-seeking coping strategies that were associated with higher levels of racism-related stress. The more that women perceived racism, the more they used active coping strategies that were associated with higher levels of racism-related stress. The findings demonstrate how coping with racism differs for Asian Americans on the basis of gender. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping strategies that psychotherapists use in working with stressful clients.

Historically, research in the area of coping has been based on subjective data-gathering techniques and has dealt with specific life crises or the phenomenon of burnout. Many researchers concluded that client contact is the basis of burnout; however, little or no research has dealt solely with the client–therapist interaction. The purpose of this study was to address this interaction. The coping instrument used in this study consisted of selected coping scales of Folkman and Lazarus and of Prochaska and DiClemente, as well as those that we constructed. We identified six coping strategies that psychotherapists use to deal with the stress that they experience in working with difficult clients. Analyses also revealed that certain coping strategies were related to perceived success. By ascertaining coping strategies used by psychotherapists who perceive themselves as successful, both practitioner and researcher can gain a better understanding of how therapists cope with client-generated stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contrast-enhanced MR angiography

These studies investigated appraisal and coping strategies of tension-type headache sufferers and headache-free controls. In study 1, 60 women engaged in an interpersonal stressor. They completed measures that assessed subjective stress and coping strategies. Headache sufferers reported greater levels of stress at baseline than did controls but were not more reactive to a stressful interpersonal situation. All participants reported greater use of disengagement coping during the interpersonal interaction, while the amount of engagement coping strategies did not differ. Participants (30 women) in Study 2 engaged in progressive muscle relaxation. Headache participants again reported higher levels of subjective stress at baseline, this difference was nearly gone following relaxation. Together, the results suggest that individuals with tension-type headache report higher levels of subjective stress than headache-free controls when they make baseline ratings of stress and that this elevation cannot be attributed to the anticipation of a future stressful event.     

The impact of perceived group success-failure on motivational beliefs and attitudes: A causal model.

Two models describing the theoretical relationship among the constructs of perceived group success–failure, individual and collective levels of job-specific efficacy and outcome expectancy, satisfaction, and organizational commitment were developed. Model 1 proposed that the causal relationship between group success–failure and subsequent attitudinal variables (satisfaction and organizational commitment) is completely mediated by efficacy and outcome expectancy variables. Model 2 proposed a direct causal link from perceived group success–failure to the attitudinal variables and omitted questionable causal paths from personal efficacy and collective outcome expectancy to the attitudinal variables. The competing models were subjected to structural equation path model analysis. The 2nd model produced an adequate fit between theory and data. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping with sexual harassment: Personal, environmental, and cognitive determinants.

A multidimensional coping typology and a process model of coping were used to examine coping strategies in response to sexual harassment, the personal and environmental determinants of these strategies, and the cognitive processes underlying strategy choice. Survey responses of 15,404 military members who reported unwanted sex-related attention were analyzed. Strong support was found for the usefulness of both the typology and the model. Choice of specific coping strategies used in response to sexual harassment varied significantly depending on occupational status, gender, climate, harassment severity, and power differential. Cognitive appraisal mediated the determinant-coping relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In the Eyes of the Beholder: Cognitive Appraisals as Mediators of the Association Between Interparental Conflict and Youth Maladjustment.

Although the association between interparental conflict and youth maladjustment has been established, processes underlying this relationship are less understood. In this investigation, children's conflict appraisals were examined as mediating variables. In Study 1, 1,893 6th graders reported their perceptions of conflict and appraisals of threat and self-blame. Youth and teachers reported on externalizing and internalizing problems. In Study 2, 416 married parents from the larger sample reported their conflict and youth maladjustment. Children's appraisals of coping efficacy also were examined. Perceived threat, self-blame, and coping efficacy were salient mediators of overt conflict and triangulation, particularly for internalizing problems. Findings indicate that children's beliefs about interparental conflict play an important role in their adjustment to this family stressor. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)