The relationship between burnout and coping in adult and young offender center correctional officers: an exploratory investigation.

High levels of occupational stress and burnout are costly for correctional services and their employees. Correctional officers report high levels of burnout, absenteeism, turnover, and poor physical health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of burnout and the coping mechanisms used to buffer the effects of burnout within correctional centers. In the current study, 208 correctional officers from adult and young offender centers completed an online survey measuring burnout and coping strategies. Results from the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) Scale indicated that even though correctional center officers mostly used adaptive coping strategies, they still reported high levels of burnout. The results of this study suggest that there are variables other than coping strategies, such as gender and length of experience, that lead to the level of burnout as observed in correctional officers.