Investigating frontline service provider burnout : working with youth victims and perpetrators of inappropriate sexual behaviours

Abstract

This research paper was completed and submitted at Nipissing University, and is made freely accessible through the University of Toronto’s TSpace repositoryFrontline service providers (FSP) working with youth victims and perpetrators of inappropriate sexual behaviours (ISB) are working in high stress positions. Researchers have demonstrated FSP experience burnout symptoms related to their work, including emotional and physical exhaustion, depersonalization, and feelings of reduced personal accomplishment. However, very few researchers have compared the experiences of burnout between those working with youth victims and youth perpetrators of ISB. Therefore, this study aims to fill the gap of the existing literature. The proposed study investigates the experiences of burnout within FSP working with youth who are victims and perpetrators of ISB. This detailed literature review includes both qualitative and quantitative research to describe burnout while differentiating burnout from similar work stress conditions, the experiences of burnout of FSP in various occupations including policing, social work and mental health fields, and the challenges associated with researching burnout. Results show confounding definitions of burnout throughout disciplines confusing the research and results. Burnout symptoms have been reported in both FSP working with adult sex offenders and youth perpetrators and victims of ISB. It is seen that the experience of the FSP, age of FSP, environment in which FSP work, and the sex of the FSP have shown to influence particular FSP populations, though it is unclear if this includes those working with youth engaging in ISB. Further investigations are required to identify possible influences of burnout, as well as an overarching and accurate definition of burnout for future study