Predicting Burnout and Career Choice Satisfaction in Counseling Psychology Graduate Students

Abstract

Counseling psychology doctoral students ( N = 284) from 53 training programs throughout the United States anonymously completed online measures of burnout, career choice satisfaction, global stress, role conflict, social support (from family/friends, advisors, other students) and psychological sense of community (SOC) in the doctoral program. Two hierarchical multiple regressions were performed to test hypotheses that social support would buffer the effects of stress on burnout and career choice satisfaction. For burnout, neither social support nor SOC significantly moderated the effects of stress on burnout; however, global stress, advisor support, and SOC were significant predictors. For career choice satisfaction, SOC was a significant single predictor and moderated the effects of global stress. Under low stress, career choice satisfaction increased as SOC increased. Under high stress, these moderating effects seemed to disappear.