A quantitative study examining violent individuals' impact on health worker burnout

The purpose of this research study was to investigate if staff members who worked with people with intellectual disabilities who displayed violent behavior experienced increased burnout versus staff who worked with people with intellectual disabilities who did not display violent behavior. Staff members who provided direct care to clients with intellectual disabilities in rural community settings in Maryland were participants in the study. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was the instrument used to examine burnout in subjects in three subscale areas of depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and personal accomplishment through an anonymous online survey. In the area of depersonalization, no significant difference occurred between the two groups. In the areas of personal accomplishment and emotional exhaustion, staff members who worked with nonviolent clients had a significantly higher degree of emotional exhaustion than staff members who worked with violent clients. The implications of these findings lead to the need for further research to understand the reasons staff members found higher personal accomplishment and reduced emotional exhaustion when working with clients who are violent and have intellectual disabilities.;Keywords: burnout, intellectual disabilities, Maslach Burnout Inventory.