iv TPC Digest T he purpose of the current study was to present a process model of counselor burnout in response to the necessity to understand its expanded structure using the five dimensions of counselor burnout, introduced by Lee and colleagues in 2007. We proposed an integrative process model of counselor burnout that comprises the following stages in sequence: 1) Negative Work Environment, 2) Deterioration in Personal Life, 3) Exhaustion, 4) Incompetence, and 5) Devaluing Client. That is, professional counselors who work in a negative work environment for an extended period may start to experience a deterioration in their personal lives, which could lead counselors to emotional and physical exhaustion. Counselors exposed to prolonged exhaustion may also feel a lack of competence in counseling, which may make them prone to becoming callous toward their clients. The current study aimed to evaluate the aforementioned sequential model of the five dimensions of counselor burnout, guided by the following research questions: 1) What are the relationships among the five dimensions of counselor burnout measured by the Counselor Burnout Inventory (CBI)? and 2) Is the relation between Negative Work Environment and Devaluing Client mediated by Deterioration in Personal Life, Exhaustion, and Incompetence in a serial order? A total of 359 professional counselors who were currently practicing and affiliated with one or more professional counselingrelated association(s) (i.e., the American Counseling Association [ACA] and the American School Counselor Association [ASCA]) participated in the current study. The majority of them were female and White, and they were employed in diverse counseling settings. The participants completed a demographics sheet and the Counselor Burnout Inventory. We employed a path analysis to examine the hypothesized process model of counselor burnout in the work context. The research findings supported the sequential process model by confirming the full mediating effects of deterioration in personal life, exhaustion, and incompetence in a serial order on the relationship between a negative work environment and devaluing clients, suggesting an explanation of how counselor burnout may develop from counselors’ experiences at work to the point where they may harm their clients. This study provides meaningful implications for counselors, supervisors, and counseling center directors. Counselors may utilize this model to detect the early signs of counselor burnout and to develop strategies, such as self-care or help-seeking plans, so they can avoid progressing to the later phases of counselor burnout. Failing to take immediate action and receive appropriate help can lead to a serious problem, resulting in not only violating ethical obligations given to all counselors but also potentially harming clients. Supervisors should set aside time for genuine discussions to help counselors better address their burnout and encourage them to regularly adopt the sequential model of the current study to assess their experience pertaining to the five dimensions. Furthermore, having a conversation regarding their burnout in a more confidential relationship, such as counseling, would be more effective for the counselors to evaluate their impairment accurately and take actions as necessary. Counseling center directors may periodically examine counselors’ perceptions of their work environment to determine whether they feel frustrated with the working system or perceive any unfair treatment. Donghun Lee, PhD, NCC, is an assistant professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Sojeong Nam, PhD, NCC, is an assistant professor at The University of New Mexico. Jeongwoon Jeong, PhD, NCC, is an assistant professor at The University of New Mexico. GoEun Na, PhD, NCC, is an assistant professor at The City University of New York at Hunter College. Jungeun Lee, PhD, LPC, LPC-S, is a clinical professor at the University of Houston. Correspondence may be addressed to Donghun Lee, 501 W. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd., Durango Building 4.304, San Antonio, TX 78207, donghun.lee@utsa.edu. Donghun Lee, Sojeong Nam, Jeongwoon Jeong, GoEun Na, Jungeun Lee Developing and Validating a Process Model of Counselor Burnout: A Serial Mediation Model
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