| The study tested hypotheses about (a) the perceived balance of personal resources experienced by residential frontline staff (RFS) to meet the challenges and demands at work and (b) the relevance of the supervisory relationship to support their job-specific wellbeing. Consistent with the Conservation with Resources (COR, Hobfoll, 1989, 1998; Hobfoll & Freedy, 1993; Hobfoll & Shirom, 2001) theory, burnout and vigor were measured by the RFS's reported levels of available personal energy resources.;A sample of 238 RFS, employed at children's residential programs, rated the extent to which they felt physically, cognitively, and emotionally energized or depleted at work. Their reported levels of personal energy resources were used to measure their negative and positive work-related affective states, burnout and vigor respectively, experienced across the previous 30 workdays. Structural equation modeling analyses were used to test the relevance of the supervisory working alliance (SWA) as a predictor of burnout and vigor while controlling for satisfaction with pay (SP). Participants reported substantially higher levels of burnout and somewhat lower levels of vigor compared to normative data. Although the results supported the discriminant validity of vigor and burnout, these variables were found to be highly intercorrelated for the present RFS. When burnout and vigor were modeled as distinct but related constructs, the overall fit of the SEM model was marginal. Relationships among latent variables were consistent with predictions. After controlling for satisfaction with pay, the supervisory working alliance was significantly inversely related to burnout and directly related to vigor.;The findings provide tentative support for the relevance of the supervisory working alliance as a predictor of less burnout and more vigor among RFS. Thus, efforts to enhance supervisory working alliances between residential supervisors and RFS may be a worthwhile strategy for residential treatment programs and supervisors in aide to reduce burnout and increase vigor for their RFS supervisees. |
