Evaluation of the relationship between burnout levels, counterproductive work behaviors, and depression among professionals providing psychosocial support servi̇ces

This study aims to evaluate the relationship between burnout level, counterproductive behaviors and depression among professionals providing psychosocial support services.The research covers professional groups such as social workers, psychologists, child developmental and psychological counselors who provide psychosocial support services. In the study, a correlational design was adopted from quantitative methods and Maslach Burnout Inventory, Beck Depression Scale and Counterproductive Work Behaviors Scale were used as data collection tools. Participants were selected by snowball sampling method and data were collected through online questionnaires. The findings of the study revealed that there was a significant relationship between burnout level and depression and counterproductive work behaviors. In particular, it was found that an increase in emotional exhaustion and depersonalization levels led to a significant increase in counterproductive behaviors. It was also observed that depression level was positively correlated with burnout sub-dimensions. As a result, it is recommended to develop support programs for professionals who provide psychosocial support services to become more resilient against the risk of burnout and depression caused by occupational stress. In this direction, it was emphasized that interventions such as on-the-job trainings, supervision and improvement of working conditions are critical in terms of protecting the mental health of employees and increasing professional performance.