In China, college counselors play a multifaceted role as organizers, implementers, and mentors in the daily ideological and political education and management of college students. They uniquely embody the dual responsibilities of educator and supervisor, integrating educational, managerial, and service functions (Li, 2016). Their profession is characterized by comprehensive job responsibilities, hands-on professional activities, and interactive processes that aim to support students throughout their growth trajectory (Xie, 2016). However, amidst the ongoing evolution of Chinese higher education and the increasingly complex needs of students, college counselors face mounting challenges that are attracting the attention of researchers (J. Chen & Muktar, 2022; Cheng et al., 2023).

 

The importance of the health and well-being of college counselors is recognized at the national level in China. The Chinese government has prioritized the sustainability of college counselors’ careers and promulgated policies mandating the ongoing enhancement of their professional competence and vocational capacity (Chinese Ministry of Education, 2017). By March 2022, the number of college counselors in China had reached 240,800 (Chinese Ministry of Education, 2022). Despite this, certain counselors display deficiencies in vocational awareness, occupational identity, and professional attitude, demonstrating symptoms of powerlessness, confusion, anxiety, and disappointment (Y. Chen & Zhou, 2020). Given that college counselors juggle teaching and administrative roles simultaneously, they face a heightened risk of job burnout compared to other professions (Jian & Zhang, 2022). Therefore, it is important to identify strategies that college counselors could use to maintain their well-being.

 

One concept that has been shown to enhance well-being in the workplace is that of a calling. Herein, the term calling refers to a transcendent summons perceived to originate beyond the self, compelling individuals to approach a particular vocational role with a sense of purpose or meaningfulness, prioritizing other-oriented values and goals (Dik et al., 2012). Researchers have found that individuals experiencing a calling toward specific occupational domains often enjoy enhanced levels of work-related well-being (Duffy et al., 2018). However, there is debate among researchers regarding the nexus between calling and burnout, which is a state of chronic physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress typically related to one’s work or personal life (Maslach et al., 2001). On the one hand, individuals who perceive their work as a calling are more inclined to be intrinsically motivated in their tasks, which may have a mitigating effect on burnout (Goštautaitė et al., 2020; Zhao et al., 2022). Supporting this contention, Thompson and Bunderson (2019) conducted a systematic review corroborating the beneficial impacts of having a calling and various indicators of mental health. However, other scholars have posited that a sense of calling may exacerbate burnout (Duffy et al., 2016), suggesting that our understanding of the underlying mechanisms governing the relationship between calling and burnout remains nascent.

 

A potentially crucial avenue for comprehending the association between calling and burnout is the concept of role identity, which refers to the collection of roles and responsibilities that an individual assumes and identifies with in their personal, social, and professional lives (Stets & Burke, 2000). These identities are hierarchically organized based on their significance, with the most salient identities exerting the most substantial impact on behavior (Hogg et al., 1995). The meanings attributed to role identities evolve through ongoing interactions with others and self-evaluations of performance within those roles, suggesting that emotional distress may arise when obstacles impede role-relevant behaviors or goals (Outar & Rose, 2017).

 

Given that college counselors occupy a frontline position in student support, engaging in both educational and administrative duties (Li, 2016), role identity is a potentially pivotal predictor of burnout. The need to balance multiple responsibilities makes this profession particularly susceptible to role conflict and task misalignment, such as being assigned nonguidance responsibilities like administrative tasks (Bardhoshi et al., 2014; Moyer, 2011). The few extant studies in this area provide preliminary support for this assertion, emphasizing the challenges counselors face in defining their roles (Paisley & McMahon, 2001). To address this research gap, we created a model to investigate the relationship between calling and burnout among college counselors, with role identity serving as a mediating factor. The theoretical framework is depicted in Figure 1.

 

Although there are inconsistent findings in the literature regarding the relationship between calling and burnout, it can be inferred that the benefits of calling provide a protective effect. A career calling typically involves a profound intrinsic motivation stemming from a sense of passion, purpose, and alignment with personal values and interests (Duffy et al., 2018). In contrast, burnout is characterized by feelings of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and diminished efficacy, which are less prevalent among individuals driven by intrinsic motivation (Moreno-Jiménez & Villodres, 2010). Researchers have indicated that individuals who feel called to their work often adopt problem-focused coping strategies, which have been positively associated with health-related outcomes (Sears et al., 2000), in contrast to an emotion-focused approach (Treadgold, 1999). Taking these findings into account, we proposed the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 1: Calling will be negatively associated with burnout.

 

While there is consensus in the literature regarding the protective effect of role identity on burnout, the interplay of these factors among college counselors remains unexplored. For instance, Siebert and Siebert (2005) investigated the link between caregiver role identity and burnout, revealing that individuals scoring high on role identity measures reported low levels of depressive symptoms, professional impairment, and burnout. Researchers have argued that the distinct role boundaries inherent in role identity, which often include explicit expectations and delineations concerning job obligations and duties (Bange et al., 2022), may mitigate role overload and ambiguity, which frequently precede burnout (Dasgupta, 2012). Individuals who possess a lucid comprehension of their role expectations are better equipped to manage their workload, establish priorities, and foster a balanced work–life equilibrium (Brough et al., 2020).

 

In accordance with the conceptualization of a calling, it is evident that individuals perceiving their occupation as a calling tend to intricately identify with their professional role, thereby augmenting their role identity by amalgamating their work with their self-concept and nurturing a profound affinity with their vocation. Those who regard their career as a calling often exhibit heightened levels of dedication and investment in their professional roles, dedicating time and effort to honing their competencies, striving for excellence in their domain, and providing meaningful contributions to their profession (Afsar et al., 2019; Blau, 1988). This heightened commitment bolsters their role identity, as they actively seek avenues to align their behaviors with their sense of calling, thereby fortifying their bond with their professional role (Ma, 2022). Drawing from the aforementioned arguments, it can be postulated that college counselors who perceive their career as a calling will experience a heightened sense of identification with their role that serves as a bulwark against burnout. Thus, we proposed the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 2: The negative association between calling and burnout will be mediated by role identity.

After receiving approval from the research ethics board of our university, we recruited college counselors to take part in our survey through connections with employees within the personnel divisions of public universities across East China, who helped us distribute the survey during working hours. Prior to administering the paper questionnaire, we outlined the purpose of the study to the participants, and they provided informed consent. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. The survey took approximately 20 minutes to complete. Of 636 questionnaires we initially distributed, 406 were completed correctly, yielding a response rate of 63.84%. The demographic characteristics of the sample are presented in Table 1.

We adopted the measures used in this study from previous research. The English scales were translated into Chinese by two English as a foreign language teachers and then back again following a standard translation/back-translation procedure. All items were scored on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). All Cronbach’s alpha values surpassed the recommend threshold of .70.

 

To measure calling, we adopted the four-item Brief Calling Scale from Dik et al. (2012). A sample item is “I have a good understanding of my calling as it applies to my career.”

 

To measure role identity, we used Du’s (2020) six-item scale. A sample item is “It will be a loss to me if I have to give up my present job.”

 

We used J. Chen et al.’s (2022) seven-item scale to measure burnout. A sample item is “I feel my work is emotionally exhausting.”

We conducted data analysis using SPSS 25.0 and Amos 22.0.

Prior to hypothesis testing, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to assess the measures’ validity and reliability. The three-factor model demonstrated a satisfactory fit to the data, χ²/df = 1.53, Tucker–Lewis index = .98, comparative fit index = .98, root-mean-square error of approximation = .04. All factor loadings for the constructs exceeded .70, indicating acceptable convergent validity. In addition, all composite reliability values surpassed the recommended threshold of .70, indicating high reliability. Moreover, the average variance extracted (AVE) for each construct exceeded .50, and the square roots of AVE for each construct were greater than the correlations with other constructs, indicating adequate discriminant validity. The correlation coefficients and descriptive statistics are presented in Table 2.

To examine the specific pathways through which calling and role identity affect burnout, we employed structural equation modeling. In addition, we evaluated the mediating role of role identity using the bootstrapping method, and the results are summarized in Table 3. These results show that calling negatively predicted burnout, supporting Hypothesis 1. In addition, significant pathways were observed from calling to role identity and from role identity to burnout. Last, the indirect effect through role identity was found to be significant, supporting Hypothesis 2.

This study developed and validated a model elucidating the negative association between calling and burnout through the mediating role of role identity. The results showed a negative link wherein college counselors with a stronger sense of calling experienced lower levels of burnout, which is consistent with prior research findings (Goštautaitė et al., 2020; Zhao et al., 2022). Moreover, the outcomes supported the theory of work as a calling (Duffy et al., 2018), suggesting that perceiving one’s career as a calling can lead to an enhanced sense of job meaningfulness, positive work attitudes, and reduced burnout symptoms.

 

Subsequent analyses revealed a positive relationship between calling and role identity as well as a negative relationship between role identity and burnout, supporting our first hypothesis and aligning with previous research findings (Siebert & Siebert, 2005). In addition, role identity was found to mediate the association between calling and burnout, in line with our second hypothesis. These findings suggest that college counselors with a high degree of career calling tend to possess a robust sense of role identity, indirectly mitigating burnout. One plausible interpretation of these results is that counselors with a strong role identity view their profession as a vital mission, attaching significant importance to fulfilling their counseling duties, which aligns with Duffy et al.’s (2018) definition of a calling. By perceiving counseling as a calling, counselors derive a sense of purpose and personal identity at work, integrating their professional roles seamlessly into their self-concept and fostering a profound connection with their profession. These findings underscore the importance of cultivating calling and role identity among college counselors as a strategy to alleviate burnout.

This study has practical implications. First, maintaining a sense of calling toward one’s career can alleviate burnout (Goštautaitė et al., 2020; Zhao et al., 2022). Thus, we recommend that administrators cultivate a work environment that highlights the meaningfulness and significance of the counseling career. By promoting the idea of counseling work as a calling, administrators could help counselors develop a sense of purpose and intrinsic motivation, which serve as protective factors against burnout. In addition, our results revealed the positive interplay between having a calling and role identity. Thus, we recommend institutions ensure that college counselors have clearly defined roles within their organization, including well-established job descriptions, delineated responsibilities, and guidance on expected outcomes. When counselors have a clear understanding of their role identity, they will be better prepared to effectively manage their workload and navigate job demands, thereby reducing the risk of burnout.

This study has limitations. First, our use of a cross-sectional design prevents us from drawing causal conclusions. Future research could utilize longitudinal studies to address this limitation. Second, the generalizability of the findings is limited due to the study sample being restricted to college counselors from East China. Subsequent research could use a more diverse and representative sample to validate the model proposed in this study. Third, to construct a concise conceptual model, our focus was solely on highlighting the mediating effect of role identity. Future studies could explore additional factors, such as college climate, as potential mediators or moderators.

Afsar, B., Umrani, W. A., & Khan, A. (2019). The impact of perceived calling on work outcomes in a nursing context: The role of career commitment and living one’s calling. Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research, 24(1), Article e12154.

 

Bange, S., Järventie-Thesleff, R., & Tienari, J. (2022). Boundaries, roles and identities in an online organization. Journal of Management Inquiry, 31(1), 82–96.

 

Bardhoshi, G., Schweinle, A., & Duncan, K. (2014). Understanding the impact of school factors on school counselor burnout: A mixed-methods study. The Professional Counselor, 4(5), 426–443.

 

Blau, G. J. (1988). Further exploring the meaning and measurement of career commitment. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 32(3), 284–297.

 

Brough, P., Timms, C., Chan, X. W., Hawkes, A., & Rasmussen, L. (2020). Work–life balance: Definitions, causes, and consequences. In T. Theorell (Ed.), Handbook of socioeconomic determinants of occupational health (pp. 473–487). Springer.

 

Chen, J., Ghardallou, W., Comite, U., Ahmad, N., Ryu, H. B., Ariza-Montes, A., & Han, H. (2022). Managing hospital employees’ burnout through transformational leadership: The role of resilience, role clarity, and intrinsic motivation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17), Article 10941.

 

Chen, J., & Muktar, S. N. (2022). To stay or leave: A career dilemma faced by Chinese college counselors. International Journal of Chinese Education, 11(3), 1–16.

 

Chen, Y., & Zhou, Y. (2020). Study on problems and countermeasures in the construction of college counselor teams [In Chinese]. Chinese Personnel Science, 47(4), 35–40.

 

Cheng, H., Liu, W., Dong, M., & Zhou, C. (2023). Assessing the professional personality of college counselors: A student-oriented psychological scale. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2023, Article 6066039.

 

Chinese Ministry of Education. (2017). Regulations on the construction of counselors in colleges and universities [In Chinese].

 

Chinese Ministry of Education. (2022). The number of full-time and part-time counselors in colleges and universities reached 240,800, with a teacher–student ratio of 1:171 [In Chinese].

 

Dasgupta, P. (2012). Effect of role ambiguity, conflict and overload in private hospitals’ nurses’ burnout and mediation through self-efficacy. Journal of Health Management, 14(4), 513–534.

 

Dik, B. J., Eldridge, B. M., Steger, M. F., & Duffy, R. D. (2012). Development and validation of the Calling and Vocation Questionnaire (CVQ) and Brief Calling Scale (BCS). Journal of Career Assessment, 20(3), 242–263.

 

Du, X. (2020). Research on the relationship between employee perceived service climate and adaptive performance: The mediating effect of psychological capital and role identity (Unpublished master’s thesis) [In Chinese]. South China University of Technology.

 

Duffy, R. D., Dik, B. J., Douglass, R. P., England, J. W., & Velez, B. L. (2018). Work as a calling: A theoretical model. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 65(4), 423–439.

 

Duffy, R. D., Douglass, R. P., Autin, K. L., England, J., & Dik, B. J. (2016). Does the dark side of a calling exist? Examining potential negative effects. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(6), 634–646.

 

Goštautaitė, B., Bučiūnienė, I., Dalla Rosa, A., Duffy, R., & Kim, H. J. (2020). Healthcare professionals with calling are less likely to be burned out: The role of social worth and career stage. Career Development International, 25(6), 649–670.

 

Hogg, M. A., Terry, D. J., & White, K. M. (1995). A tale of two theories: A critical comparison of identity theory with social identity theory. Social Psychology Quarterly, 58(4), 255–269.

 

Jian, C., & Zhang, Y. (2022). Attribution of college counselors’ job burnout in the new period and its solution [In Chinese]. Journal of North China University of Science and Technology (Social Science Edition), 22(4), 89–94.

 

Li, M. (2016). A study on characteristics and professional development of excellent college counselors—Taking national college counselors of the year from 2008 to 2014 as an example [In Chinese]. Journal of Higher Education, 37(3), 68–79.

 

Ma, D. (2022). The role of motivation and commitment in teachers’ professional identity. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 910747.

 

Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review of Psychology, 52(1), 397–422.

 

Moreno-Jiménez, M. P., & Villodres, M. C. H. (2010). Prediction of burnout in volunteers. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 40(7), 1798–1818.

 

Moyer, M. (2011). Effects of non-guidance activities, supervision, and student-to-counselor ratios on school counselor burnout. Journal of School Counseling, 9(5), 1–31.

 

Outar, C., & Rose, J. (2017). Is there a relationship between role identity, work demands, and burnout in direct care staff working with individuals with intellectual disability? Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 42(2), 123–130.

 

Paisley, P. O., & McMahon, G. (2001). School counseling for the 21st century: Challenges and opportunities. Professional School Counseling, 5(2), 106–115.

 

Sears, S. F., Jr., Urizar, G. G., Jr., & Evans, G. D. (2000). Examining a stress-coping model of burnout and depression in extension agents. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5(1), 56–62.

 

Siebert, D. C., & Siebert, C. F. (2005). The Caregiver Role Identity Scale: A validation study. Research on Social Work Practice, 15(3), 204–212.

 

Stets, J. E., & Burke, P. J. (2000). Identity theory and social identity theory. Social Psychology Quarterly, 63(3), 224–237.

 

Thompson, J. A., & Bunderson, J. S. (2019). Research on work as a calling...and how to make it matter. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 6(1), 421–443.

 

Treadgold, R. (1999). Transcendent vocations: Their relationship to stress, depression, and clarity of self-concept. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 39(1), 81–105.

 

Xie, X. (2016). Analyzing the core characteristics of excellent college counselors—An empirical analysis based on the national college counselor of the year [In Chinese]. Ideological and Theoretical Education, 39(5), 104–107.

 

Zhao, X., Wu, K., Sun, B., & Li, W. (2022). Teacher career calling reduces burnout: The mediation effects of work engagement and psychological capital. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 988467.