Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to clarify the burnout tendency and related factors in care workers at residential facilities for persons with mental retardation. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was mailed to workers at 85 residential institutions. Of 1,221 replies received (63.4% response rate), responses were useable from 997 care workers (530 men, 467 women). The results revealed that scores of care workers on the Maslach Burnout Inventory were as high as scores of other human service workers. Factors that increased the care workers' scores included the following: the care workers being female, in their thirties, and unmarried; years of experience as a care worker, and working hours. Other factors included job stress, management of the facility, relations among care workers, and how busy the care workers were. Problem-focused coping functioned as a burnout bumper factor. Educational supervision decreased personal accomplishment, whereas emotional supervision increased it. These results suggest that possible ways to avoid burnout include an increase in the number of care workers and establishment of a supervision system.
