Burnout and Meaningful Work Among Disability Support Staff in Inclusive and Segregated Summer Camps: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Disability support staff are central to the delivery of Adapted Physical Activity and recreation programs in summer camps, yet their occupational wellbeing remains poorly understood. This study examined burnout and perceptions of meaningful work among disability support staff and compared outcomes across inclusive and segregated camp formats. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 63 disability support staff employed across three summer sports and leisure camps in northern Greece. Burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and meaningful work using the Work and Meaning Inventory (WAMI). Data were analyzed using one-way MANOVAs and Spearman correlations. Camp type emerged as the most consistent predictor of staff wellbeing - staff in segregated camps reported significantly higher Emotional Exhaustion than those in inclusive camps, while inclusive camp staff reported greater Positive Meaning in Work. Educational attainment and gender had significant effects on Personal Accomplishment but neither protected against Emotional Exhaustion. Age had no significant effect on any outcome. Personal Accomplishment was positively correlated with meaningful work subscales, while Depersonalization was negatively correlated with Greater Good Motivations, though findings for two WAMI subscales should be interpreted cautiously given limited internal consistency. These findings indicate that organizational context is a more powerful determinant of staff wellbeing than individual demographic variables, supporting investment in inclusive camp models as a workforce protection strategy in disability recreation settings.

SportRxiv (preprint)