Citation

Thomsen S, Soares J, Nolan P, Dallender J, Arnetz B. Psychother. Psychosom. 1999; 68(3): 157-164.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Karger Publishers)

DOI

10.1159/000012325

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Mental health personnel are at high risk for mental illness, burnout and suicide. Previous studies of this group of professionals have indicated the importance of organisational factors in explaining burnout, or exhaustion, and work satisfaction. This study looks more systematically at the contribution of organisational and individual factors to work-related exhaustion and to professional fulfilment, an expanded version of job satisfaction.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 1051 psychiatrists and mental health nurses in the city of Stockholm was carried out by postal questionnaire with a previously validated instrument. Multiple and logistic regressions were used to identify predictors of exhaustion and professional fulfilment.

RESULTS: Organisational characteristics were found to be more important than individual characteristics in predicting exhaustion and professional fulfilment in mental health professionals.

CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the psychosocial work environment and well-being of mental health professionals can be improved by concentrating on organisational factors such as efficiency, personal development and goal quality.

Language: en

Keywords

article; burnout; Burnout; exhaustion; human; job satisfaction; mental disease; mental health; Mental health; normal human; nurse; occupational health; Organisation; organization; prediction; psychiatrist; psychosocial environment; questionnaire; regression analysis; Satisfaction; Self-esteem; statistical model; Stress; suicide; Sweden; work schedule