Deck 11: Stress,Burnout and Self-Care

Question 1

Gary works in an agency that is short-staffed and is continuously being asked to work an overload schedule.He feels overwhelmed by the job and is exhausted by the time he leaves work.Recently,Gary sought help through a counselor for managing his stress.The first step he needs to take to develop an effective stress-management program is

A)altering stress-inducing behavior patterns.
B)avoiding stressors.
C)self-monitoring.
D)using cognitive approaches to challenge irrational beliefs.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

There has been a great deal of friction among staff members at a local community mental health agency due to policies and procedures that are widely regarded as unfair.At weekly staff meetings,an inordinate amount of time is spent discussing superficial matters,yet no time is allotted to discuss the staff's real concerns.This is referred to as

A)a wise management strategy
B)the A-B-C Theory of agency management
C)a hidden agenda
D)the tip of the iceberg effect
E)both a and b

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Individual,or personal sources of stress include

A)the attitudes and characteristics of the helper.
B)the quality of working relationships with colleagues.
C)the physical aspects of the work setting.
D)the reality of having too much work to do in too little time.
E)all of the above

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Self-care is not a(n)

A)narcissistic luxury
B)human requisite
C)ethical imperative
D)clinical necessity

Question 5

The following is true concerning burnout:

A)Burnout is something that simply happens to you suddenly.
B)Professionals that limit themselves to one type of activity are less susceptible to burnout than those who perform a variety of tasks.
C)The chances for burnout are less if the person is younger,impulsive,impatient,and dependent on others for approval and affection.
D)Burnout is the result of severe,prolonged,and mismanaged stress.

Question 6

According to rational emotive behavior therapy,the stress suffered by the helping professional would be the result of

A)the interpretation of events,which are seen to be more important than what occurs in reality.
B)the reality of working in a dysfunctional environment.
C)one's emotional state.
D)incompetent supervisors.
E)chaotic environments.

Question 7

Compassion fatigue,secondary traumatic stress,vicarious traumatization,and burnout are all

A)fatigue syndromes
B)psychiatric disorders
C)anxiety-related symptoms,but not full-fledged disorders
D)false syndromes

Question 8

According to the text,organizations that offer practitioners _____ will decrease and prevent the risk of organizational burnout.

A)some degree of job autonomy,self-direction,and independence
B)little or no job autonomy,but a great deal of personal autonomy
C)flex time
D)opportunities to travel

Question 9

Definitions of burnout have the common core of

A)physical and mental exhaustion.
B)a negative shift in responses to others characterized by depersonalization,negative attitudes toward clients,decline of idealism,and general irritability.
C)personal feelings of depression,loss of morale,feelings of isolation,reduced productivity,and decreased capacity to cope.
D)all of the above

Question 10

From an Adlerian perspective,there are five major life tasks that are a basic part of healthy functioning.They are:

A)biological functioning,moral development,spiritual growth,emotional development,and cognitive development.
B)spirituality,self-direction,work and leisure,friendship,and love.
C)early recollections,basic mistakes,the family constellation,birth order,and social interest.
D)psychosexual functioning,social development,behavior,cognition,and emotional maturity.

Question 11

To retain your vitality as a person and as a professional,you must first realize that

A)you can easily find another job if the one you have is draining you of energy.
B)all jobs usually lead to burnout,so complaining only makes matters worse.
C)there are limits to your ability to give to others
D)a positive attitude at work will protect you from experiencing any job-related stress.

Question 12

Joe is employed at an organization in which there is poor management and little supervision.He seldom receives positive feedback for his work and is expected to meet unreasonable demands.Joe is a high risk for burnout due to

A)personal stress.
B)organizational stress.
C)individual stress.
D)environmental stress.
E)all of the above

Question 13

A way of taking control over the possibility of professional burnout is to

A)look at expectations to determine whether they are realistic.
B)find other sources of meaning besides work.
C)focus on aspects of work that can be changed.
D)rearrange the work schedule to reduce stress.
E)all of the above

Question 14

One who practices rational emotive behavior therapy would be considered a _____ therapist.

A)psychodynamic
B)cognitive
C)humanistic
D)systems-oriented

Question 15

According to rational emotive behavior therapy,an irrational belief that could lead to burnout in the helping field would be the idea that

A)it is necessary for a helping professional to be loved or appreciated by every client.
B)the helping professional must be thoroughly competent and successful in his or her job in order to feel worthwhile.
C)it is awful and catastrophic when clients and the workplace do not meet the expectations of the helping professional.
D)there is a right,precise,and perfect solution to human problems and it is catastrophic if that solution is not founD.
E)all of the above

Question 16

Which of the following actions could an agency take to help its staff members stave off burnout?

A)Provide child care at the job site
B)Create support groups
C)Offer counseling for staff members
D)All of the above

Question 17

Recognizing the signs toward a path of impairment and striving to lessen the consequences to both the professional and the client involves

A)self-assessment,an openness to change,and an action plan with a commitment to change.
B)being aware of the dangers of burnout,therefore being immune to it.
C)being financially and psychologically compensated for the emotional and physical depletion that results from over-scheduling.
D)taking work-related vacations to couple professional commitments with recreation.
E)cutting out all activities that are not enjoyablE.

Question 18

Steve feels relief when a client cancels.His attendance at staff meetings is irregular and he tends to psychologically withdraw when he is there.His wife and children are also feeling the effects of his work situation since he feels overwhelmed by the demands of family life and has become indifferent to their needs.Steve is suffering from the following type of burnout:

A)physical
B)intellectual
C)emotional
D)interpersonal

Question 19

Most helpers enter their profession with a high degree of

A)stress.
B)idealism.
C)frustration.
D)depersonalization.
E)impaired thinking.

Question 20

Impaired practitioners

A)have lost the ability to resolve stressful events.
B)contribute to the suffering of the client rather than alleviating it.
C)occur because of burnout and fragmentation.
D)are ethically bound to recognize and deal with their impairment.
E)all of the above

Question 21

Helpers who have continuous contact with clients who are unappreciative,upset,and depressed often experience stress that leads to burnout.

Question 22

The process of working with clients may open helpers up to some of their deepest personal struggles and unfinished business.

Question 23

Generally,burnout is the result of a single cause.

Question 24

The founder of REBT was Aaron Beck.

Question 25

Agencies often make demands that are unrealistic,especially an insistence that problems be solved quickly.

Question 26

The vast majority of helpers can expect to experience chronic burnout after a few years into their work.

Question 27

Self-monitoring is a prerequisite to using other methods of stress management.

Question 28

Professionals who limit their work to one type of activity are particularly susceptible to burnout.

Question 29

It is very unrealistic to expect helpers to be able to modify stress-inducing behaviors.

Question 30

Burnout is something that tends to happen to helpers suddenly,with very little warning.

Question 31

The final element of the A-B-C Theory is D,which stands for disputing.

Question 32

Aaron Beck contends that people with emotional difficulties tend to commit characteristic "logical errors" that tilt objective reality in the direction of self-deprecation.

Question 33

In the A-B-C Theory,the A stands for the aggravating event.

Question 34

Typically,helpers are good at asking for help for themselves when they need it.

Question 35

Avoiding or reducing stressors is a realistic and an effective way to cope with stress.

Question 36

By creating a positive work environment,organizations can enhance worker productivity.

Question 37

Using problem-solving methods is an example of an effective approach in coping with stressful situations.

Question 38

Burnout is the result of prolonged and mismanaged stress.

Question 39

It is unrealistic to think that most helping professionals can manage their stress effectively;therefore,efforts should be made to avoid stressors altogether.

Question 40

It is rare that a practitioner's professional work affects the quality of his or her personal life.

Question 41

Personalization is the tendency people have to relate external events to themselves,even when there is no basis for making this connection.

Question 42

Our beliefs largely determine how we interpret events.

Question 43

According to Ellis,it is largely our own repetition of early-indoctrinated beliefs,rather than a parent's repetition that keeps dysfunctional thinking alive within us.

Question 44

According to the A-B-C theory,events cause dysfunctional thinking,feeling,and behaving.

Question 45

Awareness is both a necessary and sufficient condition for self-change to occur.