NCJ Number
85560
Journal
Journal of Probation and Parole Issue: 13 Dated: (Fall 1981) Pages: 29-33
Date Published
1981
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Three researchers -- Freudenberger, Maslach, and Cherniss -- have different conceptions of what the terms 'burnout' or 'job stress' mean and how it can be managed, particularly by probation and parole officers.
Abstract
Freudenberger describes burnout as a chronic condition of fatigue or frustration brought out by 'devotion to a cause, way of life, or relationship that failed to produce the expected reward.' Unlike Freudenberger, Maslach defines the problem to be one of quantity rather than quality, one of too many clients, not necessarily one of unrealistic or externally imposed expectations. Cherniss notes that burnout can also be caused by demands that are too low, so that boredom results. Because these researchers differ in their definitions of burnout, it is essential that those seeking to prevent and remediate the problem analyze only the one organization they are concerned with to determine the nature and extent of the problem. The author's analysis of probation officers in a county department indicates that staff who left or were thinking of leaving appeared ambitious and goal-oriented, following Cherniss' model. However, the conceptualization of burnout is still diverse, and agencies must be examined before interventions are tried. Endnotes are supplied.