Predicting Job Burnout, Based on the Quality of Marital Relationship and Sexual Dysfunction in Tehran Firefighters

Author Name(s): Dr.Effat Merghati-Khoei, Asila Hajian Motlagh
Author Email: motlagh125@gmail.com

Abstract

Introduction: Sexual dysfunction is a factor that is associated with job burnout. Sexual dysfunction can affect the quality of life of millions of men and their sexual partners and most of them prefer to suffer in silence. The aim of this study was to predict job burnout on the quality of the marital relationship and sexual dysfunction.  Method: This study was conducted by using descriptive-correlation method. 300 Firefighters in the city of Tehran were selected by using convenient sampling method and they completed Maslach burnout inventory (1981); ENRICH marital satisfaction inventory (1989) and erectile function index (1997). Results: Findings showed that there is a significant relationship between the quality of marital relationship and sexual dysfunction. Also simultaneous regression analysis showed that the quality of marital relationship and sexual dysfunction predicts about 15.5% of the variance of job burnout in firefighters. Conclusion: Fire department personnel are facing tens and distressful job. Their 24-hour work schedule which somehow imbalances their biological clock, all of these factors decrease the quality of their marital relationship and lead to sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction and all of them create a high rate of job burnout in fire department personnel.

Introduction

Firefighters confront difficult and stressful takes. These people are always on standby and encounter the accident and unexpected events and situations. In most of these cases, things get out of control and a large number of firefighters around the world lose their lives every year. Firefighters and workers who work as a team in comparison to those who work independently are more together at the time of performing their tasks and their work relationships can have a huge impact on them (Bakker, Demerouti, & Verbeke, 2004). High risk and sensitivity, complex and uncertain working conditions, direct exposure to a variety of accidents and harmful agents, shift work and the need for staff preparation at any hour of the day and night have all resulted in classification of firefighting as a hard and harmful job. Significant more level of stress (Darvishi, et al., 2015) and decreased job satisfaction in these individuals (Darvishi, et al., 2015). Studies have shown that high pressure and stress is one of the major causes of job burnout (Pardakhtchi et al; 2009).

The human environment includes physical, social and psychological factors and all of them affect the status of job burnout. One of the fatigue-causing factors in humans is the workplace which can also affect other areas of life (Bass and Jonson 1994).  One concept that has attracted the attention of occupational, productivity, industrial and organizational psychologists, in recent years is job burnout and its symptoms, causes and it is adverse impacts. It seems that job burnout is related with psychological, physical and social pressures and the effects of constant psychological pressure is more prominent in this issue and it has been shown that job burnout occurs as a result of constant psychological pressure. Job burnout is affected by various factors such as type of job, conflict and confusion in the role, excessive working pressure, type of management, lack of social support, organizational change and changing working hours (Fletcher, 2001).

The World Health Organization defines sexual health as integrity and harmony between mind emotions and body which pushes social and intellectual aspects of human toward development of his personality and results in relationship and love (WHO). Therefore, any disorder leading to inconsistency and a lack of satisfaction with sex, can cause sexual dysfunction (Jahanfar and Molaei nezhad, 2001). Therefore, any disorder leading to disharmony and dissatisfaction of sexual relationship can entail sexual dysfunction (Mousavi et al; 2013). Researchers have also warned about the impact of sexual dysfunction on marital well-being (McCarthy, 2003) and sexual dysfunction is one of the factors associated with job burnout (Laumann, Paik, & Rosen, 1999) and given the strong connection between sexual dysfunction and quality of life, it can play an important role in the diagnosis of mental health status (Laumann et al., 1999). Briefly, studies have shown that there is a relationship between the quality of marital relationship and job burnout). Studies have also shown that there is a relationship between sexual dysfunction and job burnout (Arizi et al., 2015). This research aims to answer these questions: 1. Is there a relationship between the quality of marital relationship and job burnout in firefighters? 2. Is there a relationship between sexual dysfunction and job burnout? 3. And how much sexual dysfunction is predictive value for job burnout, based on the relationship between marital relationship and sexual dysfunction in firefighters? The study is correlation has two objectives: 1- Determining the relationship between variables. 2- Prediction of a variable based on other variable. In this study both of the objectives are considered.

Conclusion

In this study it was found that there is a significant negative relationship between quality of marital relationship and job burnout. In other words, by increasing the quality of marital relationship job burnout decreases and vice versa. There is a significant positive relationship between sexual dysfunction and job burnout. In other words, by increasing sexual dysfunction, Job burnout increases and vice versa. Also variables of quality of marital relationship and sexual dysfunction explained 15.5 % of job burnout totally. According to the results of the study, we can say that regarding stressful and tense conditions which fire department personnel are facing and considering that these environmental factors create severe stress and anxiety in these individuals and also regarding their 24-hour work schedule which somehow imbalances their biological clock, all of these factors decrease the quality of their marital relationship and lead to sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction and all of them create a high rate of job burnout in fire department personnel.

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