Associations between Training Experiences, Job Stress, Personal Achievement, and Emotional Exhaustion among Peer...

Peer support workers (PSWs) play a critical role in addressing the substance use crisis, and PSWs' training experiences may influence important occupational outcomes such as job stress and burnout. This cross-sectional study examined associations between PSWs' training experiences, job stress, and 2 dimensions that contribute to burnout - a lack of personal achievement and emotional exhaustion - in a sample of 25 PSWs (M_age = 49.3, SD = 12.9; 64% cisgender women; 80% white) from South Carolina.

Participants completed the Subjective Stress Scale and the Abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory. While burnout is typically characterized by 3 dimensions, this study was only able to measure personal achievement and emotional exhaustion due to low reliability of the depersonalization scale. Participants also reported the total number of training hours they received prior to becoming a PSW and what topics they received training in, which were categorized as knowledge-based, skill-based, or value-based. Sum counts for each topic category were calculated.

Adjusted-regression analyses revealed that total number of training hours was not associated with personal achievement or emotional exhaustion (p's > .131) but was positively associated with job stress (B = 0.031, SE = 0.014, 95% CI [0.001, 0.060], p = .042, ηp² = .200). Total number of training topics was not associated with job stress or emotional exhaustion (p's > .248) but was positively associated with personal achievement (B = 0.577, SE = 0.245, 95% CI [0.065, 1.090], p = .029, ηp² = .226). Having received more knowledge-based training (B = 1.494, SE = 0.592, 95% CI [0.254, 2.734], p = .021, ηp² = .270) and value-based training (B = 1.627, SE = 0.722, 95% CI [0.116, 3.138], p = .036, ηp² = .211), but not skill-based training, was associated with greater personal achievement.

High-quality training curricula that cover a range of topics, particularly knowledge- and value-based topics, may enhance PSWs' sense of personal accomplishment. Improving content and quality over quantity may also reduce PSWs' job stress. These efforts can support positive work experiences and engagement among PSWs in the substance use disorder recovery field.