INEQUITY AMONG HUMAN-SERVICE PROFESSIONALS - MEASUREMENT AND RELATIONTO BURNOUT

This research investigated the impact on burnout of inequity experienc ed by human service professionals. Two studies were conducted, among t herapists working with inmates in a forensic psychiatric center (N = 1 12) and among staff members of an institute for the direct care of men tally disabled (N = 189). Two types of inequity were examined: interpe rsonal inequity in the relations with recipients and inequity in relat ion with the organization. The majority of the professionals in both s tudies felt underbenefited in relation with recipients as well as in r elation with their organization. As expected, inequity was curvilinear ly related to burnout, especially with the emotional exhaustion dimens ion. Surprisingly; professionals who felt overbenefited experienced mo re burnout than colleagues who felt underbenefited. No gender effects were found for the distribution of inequity nor for the relation betwe en inequity and burnout.