The Relationship between Counselor’s Vocation Calling and Job Satisfaction: Mediating Effect of Psychological Burnout Moderated by Counselor Activity Self-Efficacy

This study examined the moderated mediation effect, including the mediating role of psychological burnout and the moderating role of counselor activity self-efficacy in the relationship between psychological counselors’ vocational calling and job satisfaction. A survey was conducted with 312 psychological counselors nationwide, and the collected data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and PROCESS Macro. The results showed the following: First, significant correlations were found among vocational calling, psychological burnout, job satisfaction, and counselor activity self-efficacy. Second, psychological burnout partially mediated the relationship between vocational calling and job satisfaction. Third, counselor activity self-efficacy significantly moderated the relationship between psychological burnout and job satisfaction. Fourth, the indirect effect of vocational calling on job satisfaction through psychological burnout varied depending on the level of counselor activity self-efficacy, confirming a moderated mediation effect. This study viewed psychological counselors as professionals and identified individual internal factors influencing their job satisfaction. Based on these findings, it proposed directions for education and training to strengthen counselors’ professional identity and performance capabilities.