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PRACTICAL
SIGNIFICANCE
Females
and
those
working
in the
college/university
settings
are more
likely
to be
burned
out than
males
and
those
working
in the
clinical/industrial
or
secondary
school/youth
settings.
Intervention
efforts
should
focus on
these
sub-groups
of
certified
athletic
trainers
(ATCs)
to
prevent
burnout.
STUDY
BACKGROUND
Stress
and
burnout
have
been
studied
for at
least
two
decades
in the
athletic
training
profession.
From
this
research,
it is
clear
that
occupational
stress
is
associated
with
burnout
symptoms,
job
dissatisfaction,
and
health
complaints.
However,
important
shortcomings
in the
literature
are
present
that
generally
include
a lack
of
random
sampling
procedures,
inadequate
focus on
gender
and
years of
experience
within
the
profession.
Moreover,
no
studies
have
assessed
the
logical
opposite
of
burnout
–
occupational
engagement.
Perhaps
even
more
importantly,
no
studies
have
used a
phase
model of
burnout
which
provides
a more
fine-grained
analysis
of this
syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
The
objective
of this
investigation
was to
assess
the
health
and
well-being
of full
time
certified
ATCs.
Data are
presented
from a
nationwide
random
sample
of ATCs
who
completed
measures
of
work-related
psychological
stress,
the
independent
constructs
of
occupational
burnout
and
engagement,
somatic
health
complaints,
and
associations
between
these
variables.
This
study
also
evaluated
differences
between
males
and
females,
those
with
more
versus
less
post-certification
experience,
and
individuals
who work
in
different
occupational
settings
(e.g.,
secondary
school/youth,
university/college,
clinical/industrial)
on the
various
measures.
DESIGN
AND
SETTING
A
stratified,
proportionate
random
sample
of
full-time
ATCs
completed
a
battery
of
previously
validated
surveys.
SUBJECTS
A
sampling
frame of
3,998
ATCs was
provided
by the
membership
office
of the
National
Athletic
Trainers’
Association.
These
individuals
were
sent
recruitment
invitations,
where
this
process
resulted
in a 24%
response
rate.
The
sample
consisted
of 934
ATCs
(age
=33.84±8.29)
who
worked
in
college/university
(N =
293),
secondary
school/youth
(N =
276),
and
clinical/industrial
settings
(N =
365)
with an
average
of 90
clients.
MEASUREMENTS
The
specific
measures
assessed
were:
demographic
measures,
Maslach
Burnout
Inventory,
Occupational
Engagement
Scale,
and the
somatization
scale of
the
Symptom
Checklist
(SCL-90).
RESULTS
The mean
scores
on the
MBI for
depersonalization
were
6.21±
5.11,
for the
emotional
exhaustion
subscale
the mean
was
16.34±0.24
and for
the
personal
accomplishment
subscale
the mean
was
36.45±7.14.
Collectively,
these
scores
were
within
below
one
standard
deviation
of the
normative
data for
burnout
as were
the
participants
mean
levels
of
somatic
health
complaints
(0
=
0.41±0.41).
Scores
for
occupational
engagement
were
also
higher
than
norms
for
vigor (0
=
4.62±.94),
absorption
(0 =
3.80±1.11),
and
dedication
(0 =
4.73±
1.06).
Female
ATCs
and
those
working
within
college/university
settings
scored
significantly
higher
on
burnout
(P <
.05),
while
men and
those in
clinical/industrial
settings
scored
higher
on
engagement
(P <
.05).
Females
also
reported
significantly
more
somatic
health
complaints
than
males (P
< .05).
Using
the
phase
model as
an
analytic-heuristic
revealed
that
21.5% of
the
sample
was in
the
advanced
stages
of
burnout.
Finally,
somatic
health
complaints
was
positively
and
significantly
associated
with
emotional
exhaustion
(r =
.44),
depersonalization
(r =
.27),
work-related
stress
(r
=.33),
and
negatively
related
to
personal
accomplishment
(r =
-.16)
and
vigor (r
= -.21).
CONCLUSIONS
While
the
average
burnout
and
engagement
scores
were
low, a
substantial
portion
of ATCs
were
classified
as being
burned
out.
Females
and
those
working
in
college/university
settings
were
more
likely
to
experience
the
signs
and
symptoms
of
burnout
while
men and
ATCs
working
in
clinical/industrial
settings
scored
significantly
higher
on
measures
of
occupational
engagement.
Funded
by NFL
Charities
|
Publication
and
Presentation
List:
-
Giacobbi
PR
Jr.
Occupational
stress,
burnout,
engagement,
and
health
complaints
in
the
athletic
training
profession:
Results
from
a
nationwide
random
sample
of
certified
athletic
trainers.
2008.
National
Athletic
Trainers’
Association
Annual
Meeting
&
Clinical
Symposium
St.
Louis,
MO.
|
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|
Peter R. Giacobbi, PhD |
Dr. Peter ‘Pete’ Giacobbi, Jr. is an Assistant Professor of Health Promotion Sciences in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona. Pete earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the State University of New York, College at Oswego, his Master of Science in Physical Education, Health, and Sport Studies at Miami University of Ohio, and his Doctor of Philosophy in Education from the University of Tennessee. His research focuses on “adaptational processes” linked to coping with stress and burnout within occupational and physical activity settings and mental imagery and exercise behavior. A productive researcher, he has 28 peer-reviewed publications in 10 different scholarlyjournals.
Peter R. Giacobbi, PhD
Assistant Professor
1295 N. Martin Ave., #A266
Campus POB: 245209
Tucson, AZ 85724
(520) 626-3158
giacobbi@email.arizona.edu |
|
|
This
Grant
Information
Summary
may be
downloaded
in a
2-page
pdf file
from
www.natafoundation.org/pdfs/08GiacobbiGrantSummary.pdf. |
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