| Summary: | This thesis explores work and family-life stresses among a sample of family therapists. Previous research had not studied burnout among family therapists nor the effects of both spheres, work and family, on a therapist's work performance. This study addresses these two shortcomings
by exclusively researching family therapists and their work and family lives. A cross-sectional survey design was used to explore the relationship between independent variables — the therapist's family life events and changes, family/work concerns, family functioning, and coping strategies -
and the dependent variables of burnout and therapeutic functioning. One hundred and forty-two family therapists completed a survey consisting of a Maslach Burnout Inventory; a Family/Work Concerns checklist; a Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes; a Family Relationship Index, along with a Family Functioning Grid; a Stress-
Management checklist; and questions on therapeutic functioning, including.
Work Activities list and a Therapeutic Functioning Grid. Three preliminary hypotheses were examined, using t-test comparisons for gender differences with respect to burnout and therapeutic functioning. Significant gender differences were found between males and females for
emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Overall, family therapists were experiencing low to moderate levels of burnout, and compared to the normative sample, were experiencing significantly less depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment. Seven primary hypotheses were examined using t-test comparisons or
one-way analyses of variance. Stressful life events and changes were significantly related to burnout, while moderately correlated with therapeutic functioning. As well, significant correlations were observed for stressful life events and
therapeutic functioning. Analyses found that family therapists' dissatisfaction in their
ability to handle work and family stresses significantly relates to burnout, measured by emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and is
negatively associated with therapeutic functioning, measured by the
Therapeutic Functioning Grid, and the Work Activities list. No s ignificant
correlations were found for therapist's satisfaction in handling work and
family stress and burnout, or for in-session functioning, except for reduction in work activities. This latter finding contradicts expected results. Increased levels of family functioning were found to be negatively
associated with burnout. Specifically, modest correlations were reported
for reduced personal accomplishment, while a trend was noted for emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. No significant relationships were observed between increased levels of family functioning and positive in-session therapeutic functioning, except for a slight but positive
correlation with in-session therapeutic stability.
Finally, a significant difference was reported for family therapists
who engage in many stress-managing behaviours versus therapists who engage
in few stress-managing behaviours on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. No significant differences were found for level of engaging in stress-managing behaviours and the three aspects of therapeutic functioning. The findings form a foundation for understanding the relationship between work and family-life stresses and the professional effectiveness of family therapists. Implications for counselling and future research are
discussed.
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