Burnout, Job Satisfaction and Work-Life Balance among Psychologists in Islamabad/Rawalpindi: A Correlation Study

RESEARCH DIALOGUE REAL-WORLD IMPACT

Contributors

  • Eisha Younas Student, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Management and Social Sciences, Capital University of Science & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan. ORCID iD https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4340-8538
  • Tehmina Mazhar Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Management and Social Sciences, Capital University of Science & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Keywords
Burnout Job Satisfaction Work-life Balance

Abstract

In an era where mental health professionals are increasingly overwhelmed by the demands of their work and the challenges their clients face, understanding the factors that influence their well-being is more important than ever. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive study on the relationship between burnout, job satisfaction and work life balance of psychologists of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. It aims to study the impact of burnout on job satisfaction and then on work life balance with emphasis on identification of major trends and gender based variations. Using a cross-sectional research design, data was gathered from 200 psychologists practicing in both private and public sector in the twin cities using purposive sampling. Self-reported questionnaires, which include the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, Job Satisfaction Survey and Work-life balance Scale were used. Statistical analyses, including Spearman correlation and Mann-Whitney U Test, were used to examine the relationships and differences and Kruskal-Walis Test to determine differences in variables across multiple demographic factors. The results demonstrated significant correlation between burnout, job satisfaction and work-life balance among psychologists. However, no marked gender difference noticed. The study offers valuable insights into workplace well-being and the need to have institutional solutions such as employee wellness programs, flexible work schedules and workload management strategies in reducing burnout and improving job satisfaction and work-life balance.

References

Ali, M. J. (2022). Work-life balance: Choose wisely. Survey of Ophthalmology, 67(2), 415–416. https://doi.org/10.1080/08820538.2022.2058798

Allen, T. D., Johnson, R. C., Kiburz, K. M., & Shockley, K. M. (2012). Work–family conflict and flexible work arrangements: Deconstructing flexibility. Personnel Psychology, 66(2), 345-376. https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12012

American Psychological Association. (2023, May 12). Employers need to focus on workplace burnout: Here’s why. https://www.apa.org/topics/healthy-workplaces/workplace-burnout

Borowiec, A. A., & Drygas, W. (2023). Work–life balance and mental and physical health among Warsaw specialists, managers and entrepreneurs. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(1), 492. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010492

Chhabra, S., & Dhingra, R. (2023). Occurrence and reasons for burnout among psychologists and mental health professionals. International Journal of Education and Management Studies, 13(3), 394-401. https://www.proquest.com/openview/46ed38b6db2f04be970f3eaf6840eace/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=2032132

Choi, E. Y., Choi, S., & Lee, H. (2021). The association between job quality profiles and work-life balance among female employees in Korea: A latent profile analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1672. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041672

Clausen, T., & Borg, V. (2011). Job demands, job resources and meaning at work. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 26(8), 665-681. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683941111181761

Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Nachreiner, F., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2001). The job demands–resources model of burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(3), 499–512. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.86.3.499

Dutta, A., Saha, R., & Choudhury, S. (2023). The association between work-life balance and employee mental health: A systematic review. Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management, 18(3). https://doi.org/10.24083/apjhm.v18i3.2565

Dyrbye, L. N., Major-Elechi, B., Hays, J. T., Fraser, C. H., Buskirk, S. J., & West, C. P. (2020). Relationship between organizational leadership and health care employee burnout and satisfaction. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 95(4), 698-708. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2019.10.041

Elghazally, S. A., Alkarn, A. F., Elkhayat, H., Ibrahim, A. K., & Elkhayat, M. R. (2021). Burnout impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health-care professionals at Assiut University hospitals, 2020. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10), 5368. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105368

Fisher, G. G., Bulger, C. A., & Smith, C. S. (2009). Beyond work and family: A measure of work/nonwork interference and enhancement. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 14(4), 441-456. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016737

Gillet, N., Fouquereau, E., Coillot, H., Cougot, B., Moret, L., Dupont, S., Bonnetain, F., & Colombat, P. (2018). The effects of work factors on nurses’ job satisfaction, quality of care and turnover intentions in oncology. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 74(5), 1208–1219. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13524

Greenhaus, J. H., Collins, K. M., & Shaw, J. D. (2003). The relation between work–family balance and quality of life. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 63(3), 510–531. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-8791(02)00042-8

Jamil, Z., & Baseer, A. (2023). The lived experiences of burnout in clinical psychologists in Pakistan: A phenomenological study. NUST Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 9(2), 1-30. https://doi.org/10.51732/njssh.v9i2.175

Kelly, M., Soles, R., Garcia, E., & Kundu, I. (2020). Job stress, burnout, work-life balance, well-being, and job satisfaction among pathology residents and fellows. American Journal of Clinical Pathology, 153(4), 449-469. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcp/aqaa013

Lee, D.-W., Jang, T.-W., Kim, H.-R., & Kang, M.-Y. (2021). The relationship between working hours and lifestyle behaviors: Evidence from a population-based panel study in Korea. Journal of Occupational Health, 63(1), e12280. https://doi.org/10.1002/1348-9585.12280

Lee, M. H., Lee, Y., Huang, C., Wu, C., Hsueh, H., & Wu, H. (2020). undefined. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 17(1), 93-108. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-020-09881-8

Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Burnout: A multidimensional perspective. In M. P. Leiter, A. B. Bakker, & C. Maslach (Eds.), Burnout at Work: A Psychological Perspective (pp.15–32). Psychology Press.

Ng, J. Y., Ntoumanis, N., Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C., Deci, E. L., Ryan, R. M., Duda, J. L., & Williams, G. C. (2012). Self-determination theory applied to health contexts. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7(4), 325-340. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691612447309

Poelmans, S. A., Kalliath, T., & Brough, P. (2008). Achieving work–life balance: Current theoretical and practice issues. Journal of Management & Organization, 14(3), 227-238. https://doi.org/10.5172/jmo.837.14.3.227

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Human autonomy in social psychology: A self-determination theory perspective. In P. A. M. Van Lange, E. T. Higgins, & A. W. Kruglanski (Eds.), Social psychology: Handbook of basic principles (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.

Savarimalai, R., Christy, J., Bhaskarapillai, B., Damodharan, D., & Sekar, K. (2023). undefined. Industrial Psychiatry Journal, 32(2), 354-360. https://doi.org/10.4103/ipj.ipj_31_22

Sinval, J., & Marôco, J. (2020). Short Index of Job Satisfaction: Validity evidence from Portugal and Brazil. PLOS ONE, 15(4), e0231474. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231474

Smith, M., & Reid, S. (2024, August 22). Burnout: Symptoms, treatment, and tips on how to deal. HelpGuide.

Spector, P. E. (2022). Job satisfaction: From assessment to intervention. Routledge.

Vyas, L., & Butakhieo, N. (2020). The impact of working from home during COVID-19 on work and life domains: An exploratory study on Hong Kong. Policy Design and Practice, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2020.1863560

Warlick, C. A., Van Gorp, A., Farmer, N. M., Patterson, T., & Armstrong, A. (2021). Comparing burnout between graduate-level and professional clinicians. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 15(2), 150-158. https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000328

World Health Organization. (2022). Mental Health Atlas 2020: Pakistan country profile. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/mental-health-atlas-pak-2020-country-profile

Yang, Y., & Ling, Q. (2023). The influence of existence–relatedness–growth need satisfaction and job burnout of young university teachers: The mediating role of job satisfaction. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1205742

Corresponding Author

Eisha Younas

Student, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Management and Social Sciences, Capital University of Science & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Corresponding Author: [email protected]

How to Cite

Younas, E., & Mazhar, T. (2026). Burnout, Job Satisfaction and Work-Life Balance among Psychologists in Islamabad/Rawalpindi: A Correlation Study. The Regional Tribune, 5(3), 168-186. https://doi.org/10.55737/trt/v-iii.399