An Exploratory Study on the Role of Burnout and Devaluation among Staff in Psychiatric Correctional Facilities

• Date: 01 February 2022
• Published date: 01 February 2022
• DOI: 10.1177/0306624X211010288
• Author: Robin Gearing,Berenice Pérez Ramírez,Lindamarie Olson,Luis R. Torres
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X211010288

International Journal of

Offender Therapy and

Comparative Criminology

2022, Vol. 66(2-3) 249 –266

© The Author(s) 2021

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DOI: 10.1177/0306624X211010288

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Article

An Exploratory Study on

the Role of Burnout and

Devaluation among Staff

in Psychiatric Correctional

Facilities

Lindamarie Olson1, Robin Gearing1,

Berenice Pérez Ramírez2,

and Luis R. Torres3

Abstract

Correctional staff work in demanding job environments that can lead to increased

burnout. Research aims were to determine the prevalence of burnout and devaluation

of consumers (i.e., individuals in their care) and their families among correctional

staff, examine associations between burnout and devaluation of consumers and their

families, and determine significant predictors of burnout. This exploratory study

investigated 30 correctional staff in a specialized psychiatric correctional facility for

individuals with mental illness in Mexico City. Correctional staff experienced low

to moderate burnout, reported high levels of devaluation of consumers (DCS), and

low levels of devaluation of consumers’ families (DCFS). The implications of burnout

on DCS and DCFS warrant large scale research and should compare burnout and

devaluation in specialized psychiatric correctional facilities versus general correctional

facilities.

Keywords

burnout, devaluation, mental health, correctional staff

1University of Houston, TX, USA

2Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacan, DF, Mexico

3The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, USA

Corresponding Author:

Lindamarie Olson, Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, 3511 Cullen Boulevard,

Houston, TX 77004, USA.

Email: leolson@uh.edu

1010288IJOXXX10.1177/0306624X211010288International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative CriminologyOlson et al.

research-article2021

250 International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 66(2-3)

Introduction

Correctional staff operate in high-risk environments caring for individuals who may

exhibit hostility or have intense behavioral and mental health concerns, placing them at

risk for an increased likelihood of experiencing burnout. Burnout has been extensively

researched in human service sectors where direct contact and care is provided to clients

(Maslach et al., 2001; Schaufeli & Peeters, 2000), and there is evidence of high rates of

burnout among correctional staff (Griffin et al., 2012; Keinan & Maslach-Pines, 2007).

Research has examined the relationship between burnout among juvenile probation

officers (JPOs) and mental health stigma and competency (White et al., 2015). The

authors posit that mental health stigma may contribute to or intensify burnout among

JPOs and prevent them from attending fully to their client’s needs. This is important, as

the number of imprisoned individuals with mental illness continues to increase and

prisons currently lack adequate identification and treatment services for mental health

(National Alliance of Mental Illness [NAMI], 2020). As mental illness is overly expe-

rienced by imprisoned individuals (Treatment Advocacy Center, 2016), understanding

the association and implications between burnout and mental health stigma is critical to

provide adequate care for this population. This exploratory study focuses on the asso-

ciations of burnout and devaluation among correctional officers working in a specialty

prison for imprisoned individuals with serious mental illness.

Social Service Burnout

Initially, occupational burnout was operationalized as a process where a person fails,

becomes worn out or exhausted by making excessive demands on their energy,

strengths or resources (Freudenberger, 1974). This construct was extended by examin-

ing burnout among human services workers (Maslach, 1976). Specifically, Maslach

(1976) focused on emotional exhaustion resulting from work, and how it can lead to a

loss of respect or devaluing of clients. With this emotional strain, human service work-

ers may become detached or even cynical toward their clients (Cherniss, 1980).

Burnout was further expanded and conceptualized as a syndrome of emotional exhaus-

tion and cynicism that often emerges among individuals who work with others in some

sort of “people work” (Maslach & Jackson, 1984). Specifically, the authors posited

three main dimensions of the concept: emotional exhaustion (EE) recognizes the

importance of feeling drained or fatigued either mentally or physically from work;

depersonalization (DP) occurs when you begin to treat clients in an impersonal or

uncaring manner; and professional accomplishment (PA) relates to the feeling that you

may be making a difference through your work (Maslach & Jackson, 1984; Maslach

et al., 2001). In this conceptualization, high rates of EE and DP coupled with low rates

of PA are indicators of burnout.

Factors known to contribute to burnout include job demands and job resources such

as high caseloads and a lack of supervisor support (White et al., 2015). Burnout has

also been positively associated with turnover intent and absenteeism (Carlson &

Thomas, 2006; Lambert et al., 2010).