A Comparison of Perceived Stress, Job Satisfaction and Professional Quality of Life in Occupational Therapists Working in Neurologic, Pediatric and Psychiatric Rehabilitation: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: Occupational therapists' levels of perceived stress, job satisfaction, and professional quality of life may vary depending on the working areas. The study aimed to compare the perceived stress levels, job satisfaction, and professional quality of life of occupational therapists (OTs) working in neurological, pediatric, and psychiatric rehabilitation fields. Material and Methods: Eighty-six OTs working in neurological, pediatric, and psychiatric rehabilitation fields participated in the study. Data were obtained with Sociodemographic Form, Perceived Stress Scale, Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale, and Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQoL). Results: All OTs working in pediatric, psychiatric, and neurologic fields had similar mean scores on perceived stress, job satisfaction, and professional quality of life. While there was no difference in terms of perceived stress, job satisfaction, and professional quality of life scores according to occupational therapists' working areas, the Compassion Satisfaction subscale of the ProQoL mean scores of OTs working in pediatric rehabilitation were statistically higher than OTs in neurological and psychiatric rehabilitation. Conclusion: OTs across different rehabilitation fields exhibit similar levels of perceived stress, job satisfaction, and overall professional quality of life, with those in pediatric rehabilitation experiencing higher compassion satisfaction. Further research is recommended to explore the factors contributing to increased compassion satisfaction in pediatric settings and consider strategies to enhance this aspect in other rehabilitation fields.