Journal of Psychiatry

Abstract

Effect of Demographic Variables on Organizational Role Stress and Burnout: an Empirical Investigation

Subhash R Soni, Vyas J M, Pestonjee D M, Kher H N, Thakkar K A and Vijaya Lakshmi Y

Objective: To examine the relationship of a set of independent variables (age, qualification, experience, position, income and marital status) with occupational stress (Organizational Role Stress (ORS) & Burnout) among Animal Husbandry Personnel.

Setting: Eight districts of Gujarat state, India Design: Descriptive cross-sectional

Subjects: Two hundred and thirty six (236) Veterinarians and One hundred and forty six (146) Para Veterinarians of Animal Husbandry Department Outcome measures: The findings relate to the status of Burnout and ORS factors in case of Veterinarians and Para Veterinarians of Animal Husbandry Department. The statistical treatment established the various possibilities of ‘cause-effect’ relationship by applying Multiple Regression Analysis and Path analysis.

Methods: The Pareek’s Occupational Stress scale and Maslach Burnout scale (MBI-GS) were used for data collection, while central tendencies, frequency, t-test, Co-efficient of Correlation (‘r’), Multiple regression analysis, Standard Partial Regression Co-efficient, Stepwise multiple regression analysis and Path co-efficient analysis were used for statistical analysis.

Results: The data revealed that maximum respondents had education of graduation level with above 21 years service experience (62.0%) with monthly income in the range of Rs.20,001 to Rs.50,000 (69.6%). Majority of them were from age group of 36 to 50 years (59.5%). Maximum number of veterinarians and paraveterinarians had high IRD, RS, REC, RO, PI and RA. On the other hand, maximum respondents in case of RE were under low category. Considering Role Isolation, nearly 40% of veterinarians (39.83%) and paraveterinarians (38.36%) were under high category. Almost equal distribution of 33% each in low, medium and high categories of SRD was observed, in case of veterinarians. Length of service and age had negatively significant relationship with RS and PI, Age had negatively significant relationship with RIN. Similarly, length of service had negatively significant relationship with REC. Educational qualification had positively significant relationship with RE and monthly income had negatively significant relationship with PI. The data revealed that majority of veterinarians and paraveterinarians were having low level of Exhaustion and Cynicism. The Personal Efficacy was found to be high in both the categories of the employees. All the six demographic variables failed to establish significant relationship with three sub-scales of burnout viz., Exhaustion, Cynicism and Personal Efficacy.

Conclusion: The results lead us to conclude that there is a need for more proactive HR policies to maintain and alleviate the role stress and burnout. It can be recommended that the organization needs to mandate a ‘stress audit’ for various categories of personnel. Counseling may also be provided on a case to case basis so that individuals may be helped with their cognitive restructuring.