The purpose of this study was to systematically analyze the impact of job stress experienced by psychotherapists on burnout, to compare the r elative impact of work-related and counseling-related stress on burnout, and to identify the main factors con...
The purpose of this study was to systematically analyze the impact of job stress experienced by psychotherapists on burnout, to compare the r elative impact of work-related and counseling-related stress on burnout, and to identify the main factors contributing to burnout. To do so, a surv ey was conducted among 245 psychotherapists who work with children, a dolescents, and adults. Job stress was measured using Lee's (2012) Coun selor Job Stress Scale, which was divided into work-related stress (orga nizational relationships, inadequate treatment, workload, and work environ ment) and counseling-related stress (lack of counseling competence, diffi cult clients, and social expectations). Burnout was measured using the Ko rean version of the Counselor Burnout Inventory (K-CBI) developed by Lee et al. (2007) and validated by Yu, Lee, and Nesbit (2008) and consi sted of five subfactors: physical exhaustion, incompetence, uncooperative work environment, decreased client value, and deteriorating personal life. The results of the study showed that both work-related stress and cou nseling-related stress were significantly positively related to burnout as a whole and its subscales. In particular, work-related stress had a signifi cant impact on uncooperative work environment, deterioration of personal life, and physical exhaustion, while counseling-related stress caused burn out centered on incompetence and physical exhaustion. When comparing t he relative impact, work-related stress was found to have a greater over all impact on burnout than counseling-related stress. These results suggest that psychotherapist burnout is a result of a com bination of structural and psychological factors rather than a single stress or. Therefore, multilayered and tailored interventions that combine institut ional support at the organizational level with self-care strategies at the i ndividual level are needed to prevent burnout. Future research should de velop prevention and intervention strategies that comprehensively conside r intrapersonal and environmental moderating variables such as stress cop ing and resilience. Keywords: psychological counselor, job stress, burnout