Emotion Dysregulation and Workplace Satisfaction in Direct Care Worker Burnout and Abuse Risk
Anissa J Maffett1, Danielle N Paull1, Reid L Skeel1
1Department of Psychology, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA.
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
|April 5, 2022
Summary
Direct care workers with emotional dysregulation and low job satisfaction face higher patient abuse risk, mediated by burnout. Improving emotion regulation and reducing burnout can protect older adults from abuse.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Healthcare Management
- Psychology
Background:
- Direct care workers experience frequent challenging interactions, leading to frustration and burnout.
- Caregiver abuse risk is a significant concern in direct care settings.
- Burnout symptoms are hypothesized to mediate the relationship between predictors and abuse risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test a model where emotional dysregulation, difficulty managing patient behavior, and workplace satisfaction predict caregiver abuse risk.
- To examine the mediating role of burnout symptoms (depersonalization, emotional exhaustion) in this model.
Main Methods:
- Online cross-sectional survey of 206 direct care workers.
- Utilized validated instruments: Caregiver Abuse Screen (CASE), Difficulty with Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS-SF), and Maslach Burnout Inventory.
- Employed correlational methods, including path analysis, to assess variable associations.
Main Results:
- Over half of the participants showed significant risk for patient abuse.
- Emotional dysregulation and low workplace satisfaction were linked to increased abuse risk.
- Burnout facets (depersonalization, emotional exhaustion) partially mediated these associations.
Conclusions:
- Difficulties in emotion regulation predict caregiver abuse risk through burnout.
- Interventions aimed at enhancing emotion regulation skills and reducing burnout in direct care staff are recommended.
- Reducing staff burnout may decrease the risk of abuse towards older adults.
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