THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEAM FRIENDSHIPS AND BURNOUT AMONG RESIDENTIAL COUNSELORS

The relationship between team friendships and burnout was investigated . The participants were counselors from 16 work teams in a short-term residential facility for emotionally disturbed children and adolescent s that was located in the United States. The burnout dimensions were l ack of personal accomplishment, emotional exhaustion, and depersonaliz ation (Maslach and Jackson, 1986). Reciprocal nominations between team members were used as a measure of team friendships. Friendship betwee n members of the same team was positively related to personal accompli shment and inversely related to emotional exhaustion. The frequency of three aspects of team friendships was also examined: personal discuss ions, work discussions, and having fun. Having fun with a team friend was positively related to personal accomplishment, and having work dis cussions with a team friend was inversely related to depersonalization . The women reported more frequent contact with team friends than the men did.