Wohlbefinden, Burnout und Ressourcen bei Psychotherapeuten

Reis D, Schröder A, Schlarb A. Wohlbefinden, Burnout und Ressourcen bei Psychotherapeuten. Psychotherapeut. 2014;59(1):46-51.Background. Well-being and its correlates have rarely been investigated in psychotherapists. Results from research on other occupational groups have shown that subjective and work-related well-being are both associated with performance and motivation as well as with mental and physical health. Therefore, personal and job-related resources of practicing psychotherapists were investigated in this study in order to assess their associations with well-being.Method. A total of 771 psychotherapists filled in an online questionnaire including questions concerning well-being (WHO-Five Well-being Index, WBI-5), burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory, MBI), and personal (Psychological Capital Questionnaire, PCQ) as well as job-related (Dutch Questionnaire on Work Experience, VBBA) resources.Outcomes. Of the participants 45% reported that they were suffering from high emotional exhaustion. Over 30% reported a reduced subjective well-being, while more extensive professional experience was associated with better well-being. Psychotherapists reported optimism and hope to be the most important personal resources, whereas opportunities for personal and professional development were the most important job-related resources.Conclusions. The study identified personal and job-related resources which may be relevant for different aspects of well-being in psychotherapists