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Burnout - A Personal Hazard

NCJ Number
72589
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 31 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1980) Pages: 11-14
Author(s)
E S Morgenthau; J L Morgenthau
Date Published
1980
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The symptoms of burnout are described and the organizational conditions that cause burnout are discussed.
Abstract
Descriptions of the burnout syndrome include (1) to fail, or become exhausted by making excessive demands on energy, strength, and resources; (2) a progressive process of fatigue and depletion of personal resources; and (3) a syndrome of physical and emotional exhaustion involving the development of negative self-concept, negative job attitudes, and loss of concern and feeling for clients. The recognition of burnout requires an awareness of its symptoms. An individual may exhibit some of these warning signals: comes to work late and leaves early, seeks interruptions, is easily angered, discusses clients in impersonal ways, withdraws, increases 'busywork' (filing, telephoning), becomes inflexible and rigid in thinking, daydreams, and watches the clock. Organizational conditions can contribute to burnout. When organizational missions, goals, and objectives are not clearly developed and communicated by administrators to workers, the resulting role ambiguity can cause burnout. Other causes include worker responsibility for things over which they have no authority, unrealistic demands upon workers, workers' lack of involvement in decisionmaking, excessive paperwork for the sake of accountability, and inappropriate supervision. Furthermore, workers who provide direct services to people often face singularly stressful circumstances. Twelve references are provided.

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