Principal Components Analysis of Job Burnout and Coping Strategies among Extension Officers in North West Province South Africa: Implications for Female Officers

Abstract

The component structure of a 44-item scale measuring different aspects of job burnout incidence and 31-item scale on coping strategies were  investigated, among extension officers in North West Province, South Africa. Items on job burnout and coping strategies s were measured at interval level and analyzed with Principal Component Analysis. From the job burnout items 10 components were extracted to show symptoms of job burnout incidence and 8 components for use of coping strategies against job burnout among extension officers. The key component structure of job burnout were feelings of disgust, insomnia, headaches, weight loss or gain feeling of omniscient, pain of unexplained origin, hopelessness, agitation and workaholics, while the factor structure of coping strategies were  development of self realistic picture, retaining hope, asking for help when it’s needed, development of structural and personal support system, not getting easily get worked up, willingness to accept counseling when  needed, and development of a sense of organization involvement. Significant determinants of job burnout were feelings of disgust (t = 3.82), insomnia (t = 1.80), feeling of omniscient (t = 2.79), and workaholics (t = 3.89), while determinants of coping strategies were retaining hope (t = 6.16), willingness to accept counseling when needed (t = 3.39), and development of a sense of organization involvement (t = 2.05). The study has highlighted areas to help extension mangers understand and manage their workforce in terms of job burnout and use of appropriate coping strategies.

Key words: job burnout, job satisfaction, job performance, extension officers, South Africa