Role strain among school psychologists in the midwest

Recent studies of job burnout in numerous work settings, as well as studies showing discrepancies between the real and ideal work functions of school psychologists, share the possible interpretation that they involve role conflict as a contributing factor. In 1971, Lyons demonstrated significant relationships between role clarity and job-related tension, propensity to leave, satisfaction and turnover in a sample of nursers. These correlations were particularly strong for nurses high in need for clarity. The present study tested the generality of some of Lyons' findings in a sample of school psychologists. Job-related tension and propensity to leave the job were more highly correlated for those psychologists high in need for clarity than for those who were low. Correlations between other variables were also similar to Lyons' results, including the low relationships of propensity to leave and tension with need for clarity. Neither tension nor propensity to leave were related to organizational size or to respondent characteristics (age, sex, tenure, etc.). The involvement of conflicting expectations and individual variables in creating and responding to role strain are discussed.