The relationship between personality, areas of work and burnout among social care workers in Ireland
Authors
Gilbert, Gale
Issue Date
2013
Degree
Higher Diploma in Arts in Psychology
Publisher
Dublin Business School
Rights holder
Rights
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Abstract
This study investigates the relationship between personality factors, work satisfaction and burnout in the profession of social care workers in Ireland. The study was a crosssectional design using an online survey completed by 85 Social Care Workers. Questions were asked which measured personality factors, work satisfaction and burnout levels. Correlation tests showed that total scores for work satisfaction was related to emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment. Neuroticism related to emotional exhaustion; agreeableness and conscientiousness to depersonalisation; and extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness to personal accomplishment. In regression analysis, specific work domains and personality factors accounted for 62.9% of the variance in emotional exhaustion; 32.1% variance in depersonalisation; and 31.4% variance in personal accomplishment. Therefore, a combination of work-factors and personality-factors are predictive antecedents to burnout. Author keywords: burnout, social care worker, personality, worklife, work life, areas of work