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Hanging on Too Long: The Relationship between Different Forms of Organizational Commitment and Emotional Burnout among Correctional Staff

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Abstract

This study examined the relationship of organizational commitment with job burnout in the correctional institution setting. Participants were 272 corrections employees at a maximum security state prison housing approximately 1000 male felony offenders. Participants completed survey instruments measuring the emotional exhaustion dimension of burnout and three primary forms of organizational commitment (affective, moral, and continuance). Results support the study’s predictions of a negative relationship between burnout and affective commitment, and a positive relationship between burnout and continuance commitment. No significant relationship was found between moral commitment and emotional burnout. While no personal variables were related to burnout, the three forms of organizational commitment accounted for 22% of the burnout variance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Criminal Justice, Wayne State University, 3281 Faculty Administration Building, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA

    Eric G. Lambert

  2. Department of Criminal Justice, Wayne State University, 3255 Faculty Administration Building, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA

    Thomas Kelley

  3. School of Criminal Justice, Ferris State University, 525 Bishop Hall, Big Rapids, MI, 49307, USA

    Nancy L. Hogan

Authors
  1. Eric G. Lambert
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  2. Thomas Kelley
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  3. Nancy L. Hogan
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Correspondence to Eric G. Lambert.

Additional information

The authors thank Janet Lambert for editing and proofreading the paper. The authors also thank the editor and the anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions. These comments and suggestions improved the paper.

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Lambert, E.G., Kelley, T. & Hogan, N.L. Hanging on Too Long: The Relationship between Different Forms of Organizational Commitment and Emotional Burnout among Correctional Staff. Am J Crim Just 38, 51–66 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-012-9159-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-012-9159-1

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