Conditions of Employment,Job Satisfaction,and Job Commitment Among Early Intervention Personnel

Abstract

Conditions of employment (characteristics and benefits), job satisfaction, and job commitment were examined for 73 staff members in early intervention (primarily infant-toddler) programs working in one of the following five job categories: teachers and early intervention specialists, social-service and family-service providers, therapists, administrators, and aides. Staff were more likely to receive “professional” benefits, such as paid time for planning and staff meetings, release for conferences and inservice training, and written job descriptions than “personal” benefits, such as full medical insurance, life insurance, and retirement or pension plans. Levels of job satisfaction and job commitment were relatively high for the staff and did not vary with job category. Salary emerged as a primary source of concern for the staff, with promotion and job advancement also desired by many. The most attractive employment alternatives for the staff involved similar jobs, in either similar or different settings, with career advancement

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