Author(s)

Jian Yang ¹, Jinfeng Wu ², Liuyuan Zeng ², Jiaxiao Lin ²

Affiliation(s)

¹ School of Education Science, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
² School of Social and Public Administration, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China

Corresponding Author

Jiaxiao Lin

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on 176 novice social workers in Guangdong Province, aiming to explore the relationship between emotional labor and occupational burnout. Data were collected through questionnaires using the Emotional Labor Scale and the Burnout Scale, and analyzed with SPSS 19.0. The main findings include: (1) significant gender differences in surface acting, with males scoring higher than females; (2) assistant social workers reporting higher levels of depersonalization and overall burnout than those with other qualifications; (3) novice social workers working more than 40 hours per week experiencing greater emotional exhaustion than those working 40 hours or less; and (4) lower frequency of emotional labor and less use of deep acting are associated with higher burnout levels. Understanding this relationship is essential for supporting the professional growth and career development of novice social workers.

KEYWORDS

Novice Social Workers; Emotional Labor; Occupational Burnout; Social Work

CITE THIS PAPER

Jian Yang, Jinfeng Wu, Liuyuan Zeng, Jiaxiao Lin. Research on the Relationship between Emotional Labor and Occupational Burnout of Novice Social Worker. Applied & Educational Psychology (2026). Vol. 7, No.1, 29-40. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/appep.2026.070105.

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