Implementation context and burnout among Department of Veterans Affairs psychotherapists prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
J Affect Disord
; 320: 517-524, 2023 01 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2095548
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The first goal of this study was to assess longitudinal changes in burnout among psychotherapists prior to (T1) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (T2). The second objective was to assess the effects of job demands, job resources (including organizational support for evidence-based psychotherapies, or EBPs) and pandemic-related stress (T2 only) on burnout.METHOD:
Psychotherapists providing EBPs for posttraumatic stress disorder in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities completed surveys assessing burnout, job resources, and job demands prior to (T1; n = 346) and during (T2; n = 193) the COVID-19 pandemic.RESULTS:
Burnout prevalence increased from 40 % at T1 to 56 % at T2 (p < .001). At T1, stronger implementation climate and implementation leadership (p < .001) and provision of only cognitive processing therapy (rather than use of prolonged exposure therapy or both treatments; p < .05) reduced burnout risk. Risk factors for burnout at T2 included T1 burnout, pandemic-related stress, less control over when and how to deliver EBPs, being female, and being a psychologist rather than social worker (p < .02). Implementation leadership did not reduce risk of burnout at T2.LIMITATIONS:
This study involved staff not directly involved in treating COVID-19, in a healthcare system poised to transition to telehealth delivery.CONCLUSION:
Organizational support for using EBPs reduced burnout risk prior to but not during the pandemic. Pandemic related stress rather than increased work demands contributed to elevated burnout during the pandemic. A comprehensive approach to reducing burnout must address the effects of both work demands and personal stressors.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Veterans
/
Burnout, Professional
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal:
J Affect Disord
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
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