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Attracting psychologists to practice in rural A ustralia: The role of work values and perceptions of the rural work environment
Author(s) -
Conomos Alexis M.,
Griffin Barbara,
Baunin Nadia
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
australian journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.48
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1440-1584
pISSN - 1038-5282
DOI - 10.1111/ajr.12021
Subject(s) - prestige , work (physics) , perception , rural area , autonomy , value (mathematics) , psychology , odds , mental health , medicine , political science , logistic regression , mechanical engineering , philosophy , linguistics , pathology , neuroscience , machine learning , law , computer science , engineering , psychotherapist
Objective To investigate whether psychologists' career/work values and perceptions of the rural work environment influence their intentions or choice to practise in a rural location beyond the effect of rural background. Design Online, cross‐sectional survey assessed rural background, work values and perceptions of the reinforcers available in rural and urban work environments. Participants One hundred and eighty‐nine first year psychology students (78.8% women) and 124 registered psychologists (84.7% women). Main Outcome Measure Students' intention to practise in a rural location and psychologists' choice of practice location. Results Rural environments were seen as offering psychologists less opportunity than urban environments to fulfil their need for lifestyle, prestige, management and scholarly pursuits, but more opportunity for service and autonomy. Practitioners and students who placed less value on prestige were more likely to have worked in a rural area or be intending to do so. High value of service was also a predictor of rural intentions. Perceptions that rural work environments offered opportunities for scholarly pursuits increased the odds that a psychologist had spent time practising in a rural area. Person–environment fit was not significant. Conclusions Recruitment and retention strategies to address the shortage of mental health professionals in rural areas need to consider perceptions of the work environment and how to fulfil practitioners' work values.