Personality traits associated with occupational 'burnout' in ABA therapists.

BACKGROUND: Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) therapists typically work one-to-one with children with autism for extended periods of time, which often leads to high levels of job-related stress, lower levels of job satisfaction, increased frequency of occupational 'burnout' and higher than average job turnover (Journal of Autism Development, 39, 2009 and 42). This is particularly unfortunate, in that these vulnerable clients need stability and consistency in care, both of which are empirically related to clinical outcomes (Journal of Autism Development, 39, 2009 and 42). It is reasonable to assume that some individuals, by virtue of their personal characteristics, are better suited to this type of work than are others. METHOD: The purpose of the this study was to investigate associations between personality traits, using the five-factor model of personality, and key job-related variables, including burnout and job satisfaction, in a sample of therapists (n = 113) who work one-to-one with individuals diagnosed with autism. RESULTS: Significant correlations were found between Neuroticism and all three subscales of burnout (Exhaustion, Cynicism and Professional Efficacy). Extraversion and Conscientiousness were significantly negatively correlated with Cynicism and positively correlated with Professional Efficacy. Agreeableness was positively associated with Professional Efficacy. Job satisfaction was correlated positively with Extraversion and negatively with Neuroticism. Level of perceived personal and professional support partially mediated the effect of personality traits on job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: These results may help to identify job applicants who are dispositionally less suited to this type of work, as well as currently employed therapists who are in need of support or intervention.

A novel role of gap junction connexin46 protein to protect breast tumors from hypoxia.

Connexin proteins are the principle structural components of the gap junctions. Colocalization and tissue-specific expression of diverse connexin molecules are reported to occur in a variety of organs. Impairment of gap junctional intercellular communication, caused by mutations, gain of function or loss of function of connexins, is involved in a number of diseases including the development of cancer. Here we show that human breast cancer cells, MCF-7 and breast tumor tissues express a novel gap junction protein, connexin46 (Cx46) and it plays a critical role in hypoxia. Previous studies have shown that connexin46 is predominantly expressed in lens and our studies find that Cx46 protects human lens epithelial cells from hypoxia induced death. Interestingly, we find that Cx46 is upregulated in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and human breast cancer tumors. Downregulation of Cx46 by siRNA promotes 40% MCF-7 cell death at 24 hr under hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, direct injection of anti-Cx46 siRNA into xenograft tumors prevents tumor growth in nude mice. This finding will provide an exciting new direction for drug development for breast cancer treatment and suggests that both normal hypoxic tissue (lens) and adaptive hypoxic tissue (breast tumor) utilize the same protein, Cx46, as a protective strategy from hypoxia.