Skip to main content
Log in

An Exploratory Analysis of Racial Factors in Staff Burnout Among Assertive Community Treatment Workers

  • Published:
Community Mental Health Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We examined racial differences in burnout among case managers working with people with severe mental illness, using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Compared to Caucasians, African Americans reported significantly less Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization, but did not differ on levels of Personal Accomplishment. These differences could not be explained by geographic location or perceptions of the work environment; however, age accounted for group differences in Depersonalization. Racial incongruence with caseload appeared to be one factor in burnout, particularly for Emotional Exhaustion. Race of both staff and clients may be important to consider in understanding staff burnout.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Blank, M. B., Tetrick, F. L., Brinkley, D. F., Smith, H. O., & Doheny, V. (1994). Racial matching and service utilization among seriously mentally ill consumers in the rural south. Community Mental Health Journal, 30, 271–281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bond, G. R., Salyers, M. P., & Fekete, D. M. (1996). Illinois Assertive Community Treatment Project Final Report. Unpublished manuscript. Department of Psychology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.

  • Bond, G. R., Witheridge, T. F., Dincin, J., Wasmer, D., Webb, J., & De Graaf-Kaser, R. (1990). Assertive community treatment for frequent users of psychiatric hospitals in a large city: A controlled study. American Journal of Community Psychology, 18, 865–891.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyer, S. L., & Bond, G. R. (1999). Does assertive community treatment reduce burnout? A comparison with traditional case management. Mental Health Services Research, 1, 31–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carney, J., Donovan, R., Yurdin, M., Starr, R., Pernell-Arnold, A., & Bromberg, E. M. (1993). Incidence of burnout among New York City intensive case managers: Summary of findings. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 16(4), 25–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. (1992). A power primer. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 155–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connell, C.M., & Gibson, G. D. (1997). Racial, ethnic, and cultural differences in dementia caregiving: Review and analysis. The Gerontologist, 37, 355–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cordes, C. L., & Dougherty, T. W. (1993). A review and an integration of research on job burnout. Academy of Management Review, 18, 621–656.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finch, E. S., & Krantz, S. R. (1991). Low burnout in a high-stress setting: A study of staff adaptation at Fountain House. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 14(3), 15–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haley, W.E., Roth, D.L., Coleton, M. I., Ford, G. R., West, C. A. C., Collins, R. P., & Isobe, T. L. (1996). Appraisal, coping, and social support as mediators of well-being in black and white family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64, 121–129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, S. A., Koeske, G. F., & Koeske, R. D. (1993). Changes in health and job attitudes of case managers providing intensive services. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 44, 168–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Latimer, E. (1999). Economic impacts of assertive community treatment: A review of the literature. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 44, 443–454.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, R. T., & Ashforth, B. E. (1996). A meta-analytic examination of the correlates of the three dimensions of burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81, 123–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leiter, M. P., & Maslach, C. (1988). The impact of interpersonal environment on burnout and organizational commitment. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 9, 297–308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, C. (1978). The client role in staff burn-out. Journal of Social Issues, 34, 111–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, C. (1993). Burnout: A multidimensional perspective. In W. B. Schaufeli, C. Maslach, & Marek, T. (Eds.), Professional burnout: Recent developments in theory and research (pp. 19–32). Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1986). The Maslach Burnout Inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moos, R. H. (1986). Work Environment Scale Manual (2nd Ed). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueser, K. T., Bond, G. R., Drake, R. E., & Resnick, S. G. (1998). Models of community care for severe mental illness: A review of research on case management. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 24, 37–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orlandi, M. A., Weston, R., & Epstein, L. G. (Eds.). (1992). Cultural competence for evaluators: A guide for alcohol and other drug abuse prevention practitioners working with ethnic/racial communities. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pickett, S. A., Vraniak, D. A., Cook, J. A., & Cohler, B. J. (1993). Strength in adversity: Blacks bear burden better than whites. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 24, 460–467.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulz, R., Greenley, J. R., & Brown, R. (1995). Organization, management, and client effects on staff burnout. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 36, 333–345.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snowden, L. R., Hu, T., & Jerrell, J. M. (1995). Emergency care avoidance: Ethnic matching and participation in minority-serving programs. Community Mental Health Journal, 31, 463–473.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teague, G. B., Bond, G. R., & Drake, R. E. (1998). Program fidelity in assertive community treatment: Development and use of a measure. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 68(2), 216–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Test, M. A., & Stein, L. I. (1976). Practical guidelines for the community treatment of markedly impaired patients. Community Mental Health Journal, 12, 72–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, H. A., & Catania, J. A. (1997). Informal caregiving to persons with AIDS in the United States: Caregiver burden among central cities residents eighteen to forty-nine years old. American Journal of Community Psychology, 25, 35–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valentine, D.P., McDermott, S., & Anderson, D. (1998). Mothers of adults with mental retardation: Is race a factor in perceptions of burdens and gratifications? Families in Society, 79, 577–584.

    Google Scholar 

  • Witheridge, T. F., & Dincin, J. (1985). The Bridge: An assertive outreach program in an urban setting. New Directions for Mental Health Services, 26, 65–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Witheridge, T. F., Dincin, J., & Appleby, L. (1982). Working with the most frequent recidivists: A total team approach to assertive resource management. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 5(1), 9–11.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Salyers, M.P., Bond, G.R. An Exploratory Analysis of Racial Factors in Staff Burnout Among Assertive Community Treatment Workers. Community Ment Health J 37, 393–404 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017575912288

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017575912288

Navigation