Positive Organizational Psychology Constructs as Predictors of Job Satisfaction in Rehabilitation Counselors

Rehabilitation counselors play a significant role in helping people with disabilities achieve their independent living and employment goals. However, the current shortage of rehabilitation counselors driven by a well-documented wave of retirements, job dissatisfaction, and burnout is concerning as it may affect the timeliness and quality of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. The purpose of this study was to evaluate constructs of the positive organizational psychology model of job satisfaction as predictors of job satisfaction in a sample of rehabilitation counselors ( N = 395). Hierarchical regression analysis was performed with job satisfaction as the dependent variable and four sets of predictors entered in sequential steps based on the positive organizational psychology model of job satisfaction. The final regression model accounted for 60% of the variance in job satisfaction scores (a large effect size). Work autonomy (β = .32, p < .001), work engagement (β = .36, p < .001) and organizational commitment (β = .22, p < .001) were significant predictors of job satisfaction after controlling for other variables in the regression model. Findings of this study can be used to inform leadership in state VR agencies about the development of policies and practices.