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The emotionally exhausted treating the mentally unwell? A systematic review of burnout and stress interventions for psychologists
Journal article   Peer reviewed

The emotionally exhausted treating the mentally unwell? A systematic review of burnout and stress interventions for psychologists

Caitlin Bell, Genevieve Roberts, Prudence Millear, Andrew Allen, Andrew Wood, Lee Kannis-Dymand, Celine Jona and Jonathan Mason
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, Vol.31(1), pp.1-14
2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2909
PMID: 37691443
url
https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2909View
Published Version

Abstract

burnout mental health psychological interventions psychology stress
Healthcare providers are at high risk of occupational burnout, which has negative implications on the individual, their profession, the organisation and their patients. Psychologists are particularly susceptible to the repercussions of burnout due to the emotionally draining nature and content of their work. However, research has failed to outline and evaluate effective interventions for burnout within the profession. This study aimed to investigate the treatment effectiveness of burnout through a systematic literature review. Systematic searches of four databases using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were conducted. A total of 4832 articles were identified, and 15 were included in the final analysis. The search was limited to scholarly and peer-reviewed journals published in the English language, which measured and utilised a form of intervention for the treatment of burnout or stress and included participants within the psychology profession. Interventions identified included mindfulness, training courses, self-care and other therapy-based forms of interventions. Approximately 60% of study participants reported moderate to high levels of stress. Interventions were largely variable in modality, frequency and duration of sessions and follow-up period. Of the 15 studies included within the review, only four measured burnout as an outcome variable, while the others measured stress. Findings of this systematic review indicate that mindfulness-based interventions may be a starting point for reducing stress; however , the most effective intervention for psychologists who have reached burnout is largely unclear. It is recommended that future studies focus on the identification and measurement of burnout, are more rigorously designed and reported and consider peer-based online support approaches.

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200 Record Views
16 Times Cited - Web of Science

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Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas
Psychology, Clinical

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#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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