Risk of burnout among early career mental health professionals

Abstract

Burnout is a stress-related syndrome that often affects mental health professionals (MHPs) and may have serious consequences on personal well-being as well as on the quality of provided psychiatric care. Established literature shows a high risk to develop burnout among MHPs. Few data are available on the incidence and on the clinical implications of the burnout syndrome in the early phases of MHP professional career. We confirmed the presence of burnout among early career MHPs: early career psychiatrists showed a lower sense of personal accomplishment, while non-medical MHPs tended to have more depersonalization and suffered from higher levels of depression. Specific programmes to identify the presence of the burnout syndrome and to cope with it should be taught within mental health training curricula. Burnout is a stress-related syndrome that often affects professionals working in emotionally loaded and highly interpersonal environments. Mental health professionals (MHPs) are long known to be at high risk to develop the burnout syndrome, but this has rarely been investigated in professionals in an early phase of career. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of the burnout syndrome and of depressive symptoms among early career psychiatrists and 'non-medical' MHPs. One hundred MHPs (including 50 psychiatrists and 50 non-medical MHPs) were screened for the presence of burnout and depression, with the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory - revised, respectively. The relationships of burnout with socio-demographical and professional characteristics were also explored. We confirmed the presence of burnout among both groups of early career MHPs, but psychiatrists had a significantly higher degree of emotional exhaustion and a lower sense of personal accomplishment, while non-medical MHPs adopted more frequently depersonalization as a coping strategy and had higher scores for depression, which is associated with higher level of burnout. The risk of developing burnout should be properly addressed in training curricula and strategies to overcome it should be systematically taught, in order to promote personal well-being and efficient team work in mental health settings.

Burnout and Stigma of Seeking Help in Lithuanian Mental Health Care Professionals

“…The identified levels of burnout support the idea that mental health specialists are vulnerable occupational group, when compared to the results reported in other samples of employees (Genevičiūtė-Janonienė et al, 2015;Runcan, 2013;Verhaeghe, & Bracke, 2012). But contrary to Runcan (2013), Volpe et al (2014) who found higher levels of burnout among social workers or psychiatrists when compared to other groups of mental health employees, we did not confirmed professional group effect for burnout. Only lack of professional accomplishment was significantly higher expressed among mental health nurses.…”

“…This is explained by special occupational settings in mental health care, like a particular relationship between patients and therapists (Tanrikulu, 2012) or unique stressors in the psychiatric settings (stigma towards mental health problems, aggressive or hostile behavior of patients, etc.) (Volpe et al, 2014). Unique stressors and correlates of mental health specialists' work are underinvestigated, therefore this study can contribute to the gap in the burnout literature of mental health specialists.…”

“…Volpe et al (2014) argue that the risk of burnout is higher among psychiatrists and other mental health professionals (psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, psychology counselors) compared to other physicians. This is explained by special occupational settings in mental health care, like a particular relationship between patients and therapists (Tanrikulu, 2012) or unique stressors in the psychiatric settings (stigma towards mental health problems, aggressive or hostile behavior of patients, etc.)…”

“…Former studies propose that socio-demographic factors have non-significant impact on burnout (Bria et al, 2012), whereas help seeking stigma might be gender, culture or ethnicity biased (Cheng, Kwan, & Sevig, 2013;Shepherd, & Rickard, 2012). Also some researchers found out that psychiatrists and non-medical mental health professionals differ in burnout levels (Volpe et al, 2014). Therefore, taking into account socio-demographic variables and type of work (psychiatrist, mental health nurse, social worker, or psychologist) might add important knowledge to the explanation of the correlation between stigma and burnout.…”

“….07.02.25 eISSN: 2357http://dx.doi.org/10.15405/epsbs. -1330 / Corresponding Author: Kristina Žardeckaitė-Matulaitienė Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of the conference unpleasant working environment due to prolonged and intensive contact with mentally ill patients, they develop negative emotions and attitudes related to mental health and self help (Volpe et al, 2014).…”