The effects of a resiliency intervention program on indicators of resiliency and burnout in psychiatry residents

Abstract

Studies have documented the stress and burnout related to medical residency and the need to design programs to reduce burnout. This study evaluates the effectiveness of an intervention for psychiatric residents to improve resiliency and reduce burnout. A six-session program was offered that included mindfulness, self-regulation, and coping strategies. The program was approved by the Institutional Review Board. Standardized assessment tools measuring perceived stress, mindfulness, professional quality of life, burnout and resiliency were used pre and post program. Burnout was defined based on any one of the three criteria for burnout: high emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization or low personal accomplishment. Six one-hour sessions were offered to residents during protected time during the academic year. Analysis compared residents who met and did not meet criteria for burnout pre and post program. Twenty-seven residents provided informed consent, and 23 had complete data on the indicators of burnout. Seven of 23 met criteria for burnout and those significantly reduced their perceived stress, emotional exhaustion, burnout and increased their mindfulness scores post program (p < 0.05). The residents who improved their mindfulness scores post program significantly improved resiliency, reduced secondary traumatic stress and perceived stress (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the scores of residents who did not meet criteria for burnout. Residents experiencing burnout significantly improved indicators of burnout, while those not reporting burnout did not worsen. Mindfulness was an important component of this program since residents gaining in mindfulness skills also reduced scores on indicators of burnout post program.