Impact of job burnout on mental health among social workers in public and private sector in Greece

Konstantinos Tsaras; Maria Malliarou; Stiliani Kotrotsiou; Ioanna V. Papathanasiou; Evangelia Christopoulou; Evangelos C. Fradelos

doi:10.32437/mhgcj.v2i1.47

Authors

Konstantinos Tsaras, Dr. General Department, University of Thessaly, Larisa, GREECE https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9350-0519
Maria Malliarou, Dr General Department, University of Thessaly, Larisa, GREECE
Stiliani Kotrotsiou, Dr. General Department, University of Thessaly, Larisa, GREECE
Ioanna V. Papathanasiou, Dr. General Department, University of Thessaly, Larisa, GREECE
Evangelia Christopoulou, Dr. Direction of Social Welfare, Municipality of Thessaly, Larisa, GREECE
Evangelos C. Fradelos, Dr. Psychiatric Department, Athens General Hospital for Thoracic Diseases “Sotiria”, Athens, GREECE

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32437/mhgcj.v2i1.47

Keywords:

burnout, satisfaction, mental health, depression, stress, social workers

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines the impact of job burnout on the social workers’ mental health in public and private sector.

Material and Method: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in which 103 social workers who were working in public (n=56) and private (n=47) sector of the Thessaly region in Greece. Data were collected with a questionnaire including socio-demographic and work-related characteristics, the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Independent t-test, anova and Pearson coefficient were used in statistical analysis.

Results: Emotional exhaustion was positively related to somatic symptoms (r=0.470, p<0.001), anxiety/insomnia (r=0.429, p<0.001), social dysfunction (r=0.365, p<0.001), depression (r=0.252, p=0.010) and overall mental burden (r=0.518, p<0.001) of social workers. Personal achievements were negatively related to somatic symptoms (r=-0.326, p=0.001), anxiety/insomnia (r=-0.266, p=0.007), social dysfunction (r=-0.321, p=0.001), depression (r=-0.444, p<0.001) and overall mental burden (r=-0.444, p<0.001). Also, depersonalization was positively associated with somatic symptoms (r=0.218, p=0.027), anxiety/insomnia (r=0.317, p=0.001) and overall mental burden (r=0.258, p=0.009).

Conclusion: All dimensions of burnout had a significant effect on mental health disorders of social workers in labor