Burnout and Job Satisfaction among U.S. Peer Recovery Support Specialists: Personal Resilience and Satisfaction with Supervisor and Organizational Support as Mediating Mechanisms.

Abstract

Peer Recovery Support Specialists (PRSS) play a crucial role in the behavioral health (BH) workforce, assisting individuals in their recovery from substance use and mental health challenges. Despite their essential contributions to the BH field, research on resilience among peers remains limited. To address the literature gap, this study examined how PRSS' personal resilience and workplace satisfaction with supervisor and organizational support mediate the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction. Secondary analysis was conducted using cross-sectional survey data of U.S.-based PRSS (N = 454). Validated measures of burnout, personal resilience, job satisfaction, and workplace support were utilized. Path analysis was used to test the hypothesized mediating roles of personal resilience and satisfaction with supervisor and organizational support. The hypothesized model accounted for 42% of the variance in job satisfaction and yielded excellent model fit: χ² (14) = 14.52, p = .41, RMSEA = 0.01 (90% CI = 0.00-0.05), CFI = 1.00, and TLI = 1.00. All three variables were statistically significant mediators. Burnout was directly and negatively associated with job satisfaction. Personal resilience and satisfaction with supervisor and organizational support were positively associated with job satisfaction and negatively with burnout. This study identified key mediating pathways through which burnout impacts job satisfaction among PRSS, underscoring the dual importance of personal resilience and workplace supports and demonstrating the multilevel conditions that can shape PRSS' professional well-being. Results highlighted the need for organizations, policymakers, and researchers to collaboratively develop and assess PRSS-centric interventions that foster supportive and well-resourced work environments.