Effort and Reward Predict Burnout in Pediatric Physical Therapists in the Early Intervention Setting

To determine the level of burnout and investigate the relationship between effort-reward imbalance and burnout among early intervention (EI) physical therapists. Study participants included EI physical therapists from 1 state within the United States. Participants completed an online survey that included demographic questions, the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, and the Effort-Reward Imbalance Scale. Linear regression examined the relationship between effort-reward imbalance and burnout. A total of 127 participants were included. Effort, reward, and overcommitment explained 49% (R2 = .490) of the variance in exhaustion (F4,118 = 28.38; P < .001) and 29.7% of the variance in disengagement (F4,118 = 12.48; P < .001) components of burnout. Physical therapists practicing in EI report high levels of emotional exhaustion, disengagement, and burnout. The results suggest that strategies to manage job demands, rewards, and overcommitment may help EI organizations decrease burnout among EI physical therapists.