title: Attracting psychologists to practice in rural Australia: the role of work values and perceptions of the rural work environment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether psychologists' career/work values and perceptions of the rural work environment influence their intentions or choice to practise in a rural location beyond the effect of rural background.
  
  
  METHODS
  Online, cross-sectional survey assessed rural background, work values and perceptions of the reinforcers available in rural and urban work environments.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eighty-nine first year psychology students (78.8% women) and 124 registered psychologists (84.7% women).
  
  
  METHODS
  Students' intention to practise in a rural location and psychologists' choice of practice location.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rural environments were seen as offering psychologists less opportunity than urban environments to fulfil their need for lifestyle, prestige, management and scholarly pursuits, but more opportunity for service and autonomy. Practitioners and students who placed less value on prestige were more likely to have worked in a rural area or be intending to do so. High value of service was also a predictor of rural intentions. Perceptions that rural work environments offered opportunities for scholarly pursuits increased the odds that a psychologist had spent time practising in a rural area. Person-environment fit was not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recruitment and retention strategies to address the shortage of mental health professionals in rural areas need to consider perceptions of the work environment and how to fulfil practitioners' work values.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Alexis M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Conomos
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baunin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D002321:Career Choice; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D011586:Psychology, Clinical; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012945:Social Values; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D000078329:Workforce; D055815:Young Adult