[Job satisfaction and burnout in professionals in austrian mental health services].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to explore job satisfaction, professional role and burnout among community mental health staff in Austria.


METHODS
The Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire, the GHQ-12, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a questionnaire exploring staff's professional role and team identity were administered to 195 community-based mental health professionals in two Austrian regions. Staff's job perception was assessed in open questions. Predictors of burnout scores were identified in multivariate analyses.


RESULTS
While the mental health professionals had elevated scores on the GHQ-12, their levels on the three burnout subscales were low. Social workers and psychologists showed the lowest job satisfaction, social workers also had low role identity scores. Being in the current job for a short time and disposing of psychosocial skills were predictors of high job satisfaction. High burnout scores were predicted by the lack of basic psychosocial competence and a lack of general knowledge in mental health care. The effect of caseload on psychological well-being was positive as well as negative.


CONCLUSIONS
Even if the mental health professionals in our study show high levels of general stress, they seem to have less emotional problems resulting from extensively dealing with troubled individuals. Improving basic psychosocial competence and general expertise in mental health care might have a protective effect against developing a burnout syndrome.
Swoboda
Hemma
H
Abteilung für Sozialpsychiatrie und Evaluationsforschung, Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie, Universität Wien. hemma.swoboda@meduniwien.ac.at
Sibitz
Ingrid
I
Frühwald
Stefan
S
Klug
Günther
G
Bauer
Belinda
B
Priebe
Stefan
S
D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires