The Relationship Between Burnout and Job Satisfaction Among Autism Coaches in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Abstract

Background: The care, support, and delivery of psychological interventions for children who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder are challenging and burdensome. The present study aims to determine the association between burnout and job satisfaction among autism coaches. It also intends to investigate various demographic and occupational characteristics associated with burnout and job satisfaction. Methods: An online survey was used to collect data on 168 autism coaches in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The instruments used were the Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel to measure burnout; the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire to measure the job satisfaction of the study participants; and some demographic and occupational questions. Results: The results show that burnout and job satisfaction are negatively linked (i.e., the more the level of burnout, the less the level of job satisfaction). Furthermore, factors like being male, working for long hours, and providing applied behavior analysis strategies and individualized educational plans might increase the rate of burnout. However, working as an independent autism coach and marital status had no statistically significant impact on burnout and job satisfaction. Conclusion: The study shows how important it is to prevent burnout in order to increase the job satisfaction of autism coaches. Strategies to combat burnout include reducing excessive working hours and providing better support with the demands of the role. Integrating psychotherapists or counselling services into autism centres may provide important mental health support to autism coaches, improving their job satisfaction and overall wellbeing.