Burnout and Job Satisfaction: Their Relationship to Perceived Competence and Work Stress Among Undergraduate and Graduate Social Workers

Abstract

Investigated the effects of 2 types of social work competency (knowledge of subject matter and mastery of practice methods) on job satisfaction and burnout among 747 undergraduate and graduate social workers, who completed a questionnaire. While previous research by S. Jayaratne and W. A. Chess (see record 1988-08830-001) has suggested that perceived practice competence may increase job satisfaction and reduce burnout, the present findings suggest a differential effect between various types of competence on these factors, especially among undergraduate workers, who reported higher levels of depersonalization. Findings do not support the contention that perceived practice competence was a primary cause of burnout reduction among graduate workers or undergraduate workers, when compared to other occupational stressors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)