[Organizational stressors, exposure to critical incidents and organizational well-being among correctional officers].

OBJECTIVE

The present study examined the predictors of burnout and psychological well-being in Italian correctional officers.

METHODS

The subjects were 188 correctional officers (138 men and 33 women) employed in four penitentiaries located in Piemonte (region in northwestern Italy). Participants completed a variety of questionnaire measures of burnout, psychological well-being (General Health Questionnaire), organizational stressors and exposure to critical incidents.

RESULTS

Results showed that neither demographic variables (age and gender) nor the degree of inmates contact and length of service were related with burnout and psychological well-being. Emotional exhaustion was related with exposure to emotionally stressful situations (r = .23), having unjust reproaches (r = .19), unsupportive and punitive supervisors (r = .23), work-to-family conflict (r = .25), overtime work (r = .18), and exposure to insults (r = .18), threats (r = .18) and episodes of self-damaging behaviors of inmates (r = .14). Depersonalization was related with staffing adequacy (r = .17) and inmates' threats (r = .16). Personal accomplishment was related with work load (r = .18) and risk of being attacked (r = .18). Psychological well-being was related with unsupportive supervisors (r = .23), work-to-family conflict (r = .19), and inmates' threats (r = .13) and self-damaging behaviors (r = .13).

CONCLUSIONS

Organizational well-being depends on organizational stressors as well as exposure to critical incidents.