Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Job Burnout Among Jail Officers. Issue 6 (June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jaegers, Lisa A.; Matthieu, Monica M.; Vaughn, Michael G.; Werth, Paul; Katz, Ian M.; Ahmad, Syed Omar
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 61:Issue 6(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-06
• Subjects: corrections officer -- corrections workplace -- depression -- emotional labor -- hierarchical regression -- job burnout -- posttraumatic stress disorder -- self-efficacy -- total worker health; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001600
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: The aim of this study was to explore posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom prevalence and health characteristics among jail correctional officers, a generally understudied population of public safety workers. Method: A Conservation of Resources (COR)-inspired framework explored relationships to PTSD symptoms among jail officers ( N = 320) employed in Midwest US jails. Results: More than half (53.4%) of jail officers screened positively for PTSD. Hierarchical regression analysis indicates that burnout was a significant predictor of symptoms of PTSD ( B = 0.25, P < 0.001). Self-efficacy ( B = −0.42, P < 0.01), emotional labor ( B = 0.20, P < 0.01), and an anxiety- or depression-related diagnosis ( B = 0.92, P < 0.001) remained significant predictors of PTSD-related symptoms in the final step. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the potentially high prevalence and impact of PTSD among jail officers, and offer implications for public safety workplace health interventions.