THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BURNOUT AND WORK LIFE BALANCE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS AND SPEECH THERAPISTS WORKING WITH PEDIATRIC POPULATION

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Burnout is a syndrome as hypothesized resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not managed successfully. It is characterized by three extents; emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, reduced personal accomplishment. Work–life balance is essential for health care professionals to prevent burnout, maintain mental and physical health, and deliver high-quality patient care.

OBJECTIVE: To find out the relationship between burnout and work life balance in occupational therapists and speech therapists working with pediatric population.

METHODOLOGY: It was a Cross-sectional Study. Non-Probability Convenient sampling technique used. The sample size was 70. The duration of the study was 6 months. Maslach Burnout Inventory and Life Balance Inventory were the questionnaires used to assess burnout and work life balance.

RESULTS: The total number of participants was 70 in which occupational therapists were 35 (50%) and others were speech therapists (50%) as shown in Table 3. Participant’s gender division showed that there were more females (88.6%) than males (11.4%) as shown in Table 2.  The frequency and percentage distribution of burnout levels across three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal achievement. Emotional exhaustion shows the majority (47.1%) experiencing low-level burnout, while high burnout is minimal (11.4%). Depersonalization is highest at the high-level burnout stage (41.4%). Personal achievement exhibits the highest proportion (62.9%) with low-level burnout, indicating a stronger sense of accomplishment among the majority as shown in Table 4, 5&6. There is no significant relationship observed between OTs and STs in relation to burnout and work life balance with X²-value 0.79 because the two groups showed similar rates of burnout.

CONCLUSION: Concluded from present study that there is no significant relationship observed between the occupational therapists and speech therapists in relation to burnout and work-life balance.

KEY TERMS: Burnout, Occupational therapists, Pediatric population, Speech therapists, Work life balance.