Burnout among social workers in Kuwait

Objectives: Burnout and job stress are major concerns for human service institutions that affect the mental well-being of social workers and negatively affect their ability to accomplish work and help clients. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of burnout and related factors among social workers in Kuwait and the demographics of affected individuals. Method: Three hundred thirteen social workers who lived in Kuwait were surveyed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory scale (MBI). Results: There was a significant difference between the Emotional Exhaustion subscale and several job-related variables, including the number of years in the current job, attending workshops, performing job tasks related to social work, performing tasks unrelated to social work, and the intention to change careers. Age had a statistically significant main effect on Depersonalization subscale. Several job-related variables showed significant differences in the Depersonalization subscale, such as the number of years in the current job, performing job tasks unrelated to social work, and the desire to change careers. There were significant differences between demographic variables such as gender and age and the Personal Accomplishment subscale among the participants. There was a significant difference between attending workshops, performing tasks related to social work, and the desire to change careers and personal accomplishment. Conclusion: The study indicated that the high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization experienced by social workers with less work experience are a result of a combination of emotional labor, personal conflicts, unfavorable working conditions, and psychological factors.