Support, supervision, and job satisfaction: Promising directions for preventing burnout in South African community service occupational therapists

Abstract

Background:

Community service occupational therapists may be especially vulnerable to experiencing burnout. This study sought to determine the levels of burnout experienced by this population and to investigate the relationship between reported burnout and various contextual, personal, and demographic factors.

Methods:

A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional survey design was used. The online questionnaire included contextual information of the participants and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Data were analysed using Statistica 13.5. The effect of contextual, personal and demographic variables on burnout was tested using Kruskal-Wallis tests.

Results:

All community service occupational therapists were invited to participate in the study. A response rate of 31.92% was achieved (n=75). High levels of emotional exhaustion were reported by 55% (n=41) of participants. ‘Strong’ and ‘adequate’ support systems were associated to a greater sense of personal accomplishment (p=0.02) and ‘minimal’ social support was associated to increased emotional exhaustion (p=0.01). Dissatisfaction with supervision was associated to increased emotional exhaustion (p=0.017). Job satisfaction was associated to a greater sense of personal accomplishment (p=0.0002). Job dissatisfaction was associated to depersonalisation (p=0.047) and emotional exhaustion (p=0.006).

Conclusion:

Support systems, supervision and job satisfaction showed significant association to burnout. Interventions to address these factors, and research that further investigates the impact of contextual factors on burnout is recommended. This is imperative if South African occupational therapy is to take seriously its responsibility to the therapists responsible for taking services to populations with the greatest health needs.

Implications for practice 

Opportunities for occupational therapists to develop professional resilience to prevent burnout should be offered across the lifelong learning continuum.

• Strengthening supervision capacity and implementing mentoring and supervision strategies that provide mutual reward for both parties are needed.

• The responsibility for promoting the vitality and job satisfaction of COSTs should be taken seriously by the Department of Health as CSOTs continue the vital work of taking rehabilitation to South Africa’s populations with the greatest health needs.