Distressed and impaired professionals represent a problem to the professions and the consumers of their services. Little data is available on the distressed psychologist. This study, endorsed by the Board of Professional Affairs of the American Psychological Association, was concerned with developing a data base in the following areas: (1) the prevalence and types of mental disorder among psychologists, (2) characteristics of distressed psychologists, (3) ethical and legal violations committed by distressed psychologists, (4) procedures for identifying and handling these psychologists, and (5) treatment resources. A questionnaire was sent to the fifty state licensing boards in psychology, the fifty state psychological associations, and one percent of the total number of licensed psychologists listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers. This one percent was selected by a stratified random sampling by state. Results indicated that distressed psychologists represent a significant problem to the profession due to the ethical/legal violations they commit and the adverse impact of their distress on professional performance. Distressed psychologists were also found to rate the impact of their distress on performance significantly less adversely than did their colleagues. Most frequently occurring problems among distressed psychologists were depression, alcohol abuse/dependence, and personality disorder. Differences were found on the following dimensions between distressed psychologists who committed no known violations and those who committed violations: rated adverse impact of distress on performance, type of problem, the frequency with which colleagues intervened, the frequency with which the distressed psychologists themselves took some action in regard to their problems, types of intervention made, and outcome. State licensing boards and psychological associations were found to have little contact with distressed psychologists who commit no violations and few means of identifying the distressed among those who do commit violations. A few state psychological associations are exploring the issue of distressed psychologists in their states and developing referral and outreach programs. State boards who responded have not made special efforts for distressed psychologists. No special treatment programs were discovered. The profession is considered to be insufficiently prepared for assisting distressed psychologists and client care is endangered. Implications of findings for programming are discussed.

Burnout is considered the final step in the progression of unsuccessful attempts at coping with a number of stressful conditions. The present study aimed to explore the perceived effectiveness of training of educational psychologists at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg to manage and cope with stress and burnout. The study also explored the perceived effectiveness of training to cope with demands of the profession, and the choice of coping mechanisms in stress management. The sample consisted of 8 educational psychologists who had completed their degrees at the University of Natal, Pietermartizburg. The sample comprised five males and three females. The study was qualitative in nature and the data was analyzed employing Kruger's phenomenological approach. A semi-structured interview was conducted consisting of four questions. The data received was thereafter analyzed by the phenomenological steps stipulated by Kruger (1988). Categorization of the data revealed the following themes: (a) incongruencies in practice and training; (b) perceived influence of professional training on the choice of coping skills and stress management techniques; (c) stress management techniques and elements that psychologists thought should be included in the training programme; (d) contributory factors of stress and burnout in psychologists, and society's perception of psychologists. A gap was perceived between the training received and practice. The respondents felt that there was a lack of focus on issues pertaining to educational psychology. The meta-issue that arose was that the professional training received was incongruent with work demands. With regard to the choice of coping skills, the training received was perceived as being unhelpful, but aided in the refinement of existing coping skills. The findings of the study are discussed, limitations of the study considered, and suggestions for further research offered. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary aim of this study was to determine the relationship between stress (as manifested in anxiety and depression), coping strategies and burnout in South African clinical and counselling psychologists. The degrees of anxiety and depression, as well as the levels of burnout and types of coping strategies that psychologists used, were examined firstly. This was followed by an investigation into the coping strategies that correlated with anxiety and depression respectively. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to complete this task. The relationship between anxiety and burnout, as well as between depression and burnout, were examined, using linear regression analyses. An investigation into the coping strategies that correlated with burnout was also performed, using stepwise multiple regression analyses. Finally, the influence of various biographical variables on burnout was determined, making use of linear regression analyses, t-tests, one-way analyses of variance and Tukey tests. The study was conducted with the aid of the internet, which involved the mailing of an explanatory letter to a stratified, randomly selected sample of a thousand psychologists, requesting the recipients to visit a web page and complete five questionnaires electronically. The test battery consisted of the following: A biographical questionnaire; the Beck Depression Inventory (BOl), which was used to determine the presence of depression; the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), to examine the levels of burnout; the S-scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAl), which was used to measure anxiety; and the Brief Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced (Brief COPE), for the measurement of fourteen different coping strategies. A total of 238 registered psychologists (representing a response rate of 23.8%) participated in the study. Results indicated that 134 (56.3%) psychologists experienced above-average levels of anxiety, while 129 (54.2%) were at least mildly depressed. Regarding the three components of burnout, 72 (30.25%) and 64 (26.89%) experienced high and moderate levels of emotional exhaustion respectively, 49 (20.59%) and 65 (27.31%) experienced high and moderate levels of depersonalization respectively, while 68 (28.57%) and 84 (35.29%) reported strong and moderate feelings of reduced personal accomplishment respectively. Participants made use of all 14 coping strategies, as measured by the Brief COPE, but the coping strategy of active coping was used mostly, while behavioural disengagement was used the least. A combination of the coping strategies of self-blame, behavioural disengagement, denial, a lack of humour, self-distraction, a lack of acceptance of the reality of the stressful situation, venting and substance use, was a significant predictor of high levels of anxiety. A combination of substance use, self-blame, self-distraction, denial, and a lack of seeking instrumental support, contributed significantly to the prediction of depression. The participants' levels of anxiety and depression, respectively, were both significant predictors of burnout, as measured on all three MBI subscales. Emotional exhaustion was significantly predicted by the combination of behavioural disengagement, venting, a lack of humour, and active coping, while a combination of behavioural disengagement, a lack of positive reframing, venting, a lack of religious involvement, selfdistraction, the absence of emotional support seeking, and the absence of denial, significantly predicted depersonalization. The combination of a lack of the use of positive reinterpretation, selfdistraction, a lack of humour, self-blame, a lack of planning, seeking instrumental support, and behavioural disengagement, significantly predicted feelings of reduced personal accomplishment. Regarding biographical variables, the following results were obtained: Age was a significant predictor of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, but not of feelings of reduced personal accomplishment. Male psychologists experienced significantly more emotional exhaustion and depersonalization than their female counterparts, but no significant difference between the sexes was found for reduced personal accomplishment. The number of hours per week spent in conducting psychotherapy with patients/clients was a significant positive predictor of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and feelings of personal accomplishment. The number of years in practice only contributed significantly to the prediction of emotional exhaustion, but not to the prediction of depersonalization or feelings of reduced personal accomplishment. Participants who followed a psychodynamic therapeutic approach experienced significantly more emotional exhaustion than those who used a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy and personcentered therapy. When comparing the systemic and narrative approaches, the former contributed more significantly to feelings of reduced personal accomplishment in psychologists. No significant differences regarding scores on any of the three MBI subscales were found between participants who were married, divorced, or had never been married. Experiencing difficulties with the settlement of accounts by medical aid schemes was a significant predictor of burnout, with respect to all three MBI subscales. Having difficulties with bad debts, however, contributed significantly to the prediction of a decrease in depersonalization, but not to the prediction of emotional exhaustion or reduced personal accomplishment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die primêre doelstelling van hierdie studie was om ondersoek in te stel na die verband tussen stres (soos gemanifesteer in angs en depressie), streshanteringstrategieë en uitbranding by Suid- Afrikaanse kliniese en voorligtingsielkundiges. Die mate van angs en depressie, asook die vlakke van uitbranding en tipes streshanteringstrategieë wat sielkundiges gebruik het, is eerstens vasgestel. Vervolgens is die streshanteringstrategieë wat verband hou met angs en depressie onderskeidelik, met behulp van stapsgewyse meervoudige regressie-analises bepaal. Die verband tussen angs en uitbranding, asook tussen depressie en uitbranding, is met behulp van lineêre regressie-analises ondersoek. Verder is die streshanteringstrategieë wat verband hou met uitbranding deur middel van stapsgewyse meervoudige regressie-analises bepaal. Laastens is die invloed van, verskeie biografiese veranderlikes op uitbranding deur middel van lineêre regressieanalises, t-toetse, eenrigting-variansie-analises en Tukey-toetse ondersoek. Die studie is met behulp van die internet uitgevoer, wat behels het dat elke lid van 'n gestratifiseerde, ewekansig-geselekteerde steekproef van 'n duisend geregistreerde kliniese en voorligtingsielkundiges 'n brief per pos ontvang het, met die versoek om 'n webbladsy te besoek en vyf vraelyste daarop te voltooi. Die toetsbattery het bestaan uit die volgende: 'n biografiese vraelys; die Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), wat gebruik is om die teenwoordigheid van depressie by die deelnemers vas te stel; die Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), om die vlakke van uitbranding te ondersoek; die S-skaal van die State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAl), vir die meting van angs; asook die Brief Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced (Brief COPE), wat gebruik is om te bepaal in watter mate deelnemers 14 streshanteringstrategieë gebruik het. 'n Totaal van 238 geregistreerde sielkundiges (wat 'n responskoers van 23.8% verteenwoordig) het aan die studie deelgeneem. Die resultate het aangedui dat 134 (56.3%) sielkundiges bogemiddelde angsvlakke ervaar het, terwyl 129 (54.2%) minstens tot 'n ligte mate depressief was. Wat die drie komponente van uitbranding betref, het 72 (30.25%) hoë en 64 (26.89%) matige vlakke van emosionele uitputting ervaar, 49 (20.59%) en 65 (27.31%) het onderskeidelik hoë en matige vlakke van depersonalisasie ervaar, terwyl 68 (28.57%) en 84 (35.29%) onderskeidelik sterk en matige gevoelens van verminderde persoonlike bekwaamheid gerapporteer het. Die deelnemers het van al 14 Brief COPE-streshanteringstrategieë gebruik gemaak, terwyl die meeste van aktiewe streshantering en die minste van losmakingsgedrag gebruik gemaak het. 'n Kombinasie van die streshanteringstrategieë van selfblamering, losmakingsgedrag, ontkenning, 'n gebrek aan humor, self-afleiding, 'n gebrek aan aanvaarding van die realiteit van die stresvolle situasie, emosionele ontlading en substansgebruik, was 'n beduidende voorspeller van hoë angsvlakke. Die gesamentlike gebruik van substansgebruik, selfblamering, self-afleiding, ontkenning en die afwesigheid van instrumentele ondersteuningsoeke, was 'n beduidende voorspeller van depressiewe simptomatologie. Die deelnemers se angs- en depressievlakke onderskeidelik, was albei beduidende voorspellers van uitbranding ten opsigte van al drie die subskale van die MBI. Die streshanteringstrategieë wat emosionele uitputting beduidend voorspel het, was 'n kombinasie van losmakingsgedrag, emosionele ontlading, 'n gebrek aan humor en die gebruik van aktiewe streshanteringsmetodes. Depersonalisasie is beduidend voorspel deur die gesamentlike voorkoms van losmakingsgedrag, 'n gebrek aan positiewe herformulering, emosionele ontlading, 'n gebrek aan geloofsbeoefening, self-afleiding, die afwesigheid van emosionele ondersteuningsoeke en die afwesigheid van ontkenning. Die gesamentlike voorkoms van 'n gebrek aan positiewe herformulering, self-afleiding, 'n gebrek aan humor, selfblamering, 'n gebrek aan beplanning, instrumentele ondersteuningsoeke en losmakingsgedrag, was beduidende voorspellers van verminderde persoonlike bekwaamheid. Wat die biografiese veranderlikes betref, is die volgende resultate vir die totale steekproef verkry: Ouderdom was 'n beduidende voorspeller van emosionele uitputting en depersonalisasie, maar nie van verminderde persoonlike bekwaamheid nie. Manlike sielkundiges het beduidend meer emosionele uitputting en depersonalisasie ervaar as hulle vroulike kollegas, maar geen beduidende verskil tussen die geslagte is ten opsigte van verminderde persoonlike bekwaamheid bevind nie. Die aantal ure wat per week aan psigoterapeutiese werk met pasiënte/kliënte bestee is, was 'n beduidende positiewe voorspeller van emosionele uitputting, depersonalisasie en gevoelens van persoonlike bekwaamheid. Die aantal jare wat sielkundiges reeds gepraktiseer het, was slegs 'n beduidende voorspeller van emosionele uitputting, maar nie van depersonalisasie en gevoelens van verminderde persoonlike bekwaamheid nie. Sielkundiges wat 'n psigodinamiese terapeutiese benadering toegepas het, het beduidend meer emosionele uitputting ervaar as diegene wat 'n kombinasie van kognitiewe gedragsterapie en persoonsgesentreerde terapie gebruik het. In vergelyking met 'n narratiewe benadering, het die toepassing van 'n sisteembenadering tot beduidend minder gevoelens van persoonlike bekwaamheid by sielkundiges gelei. Geen beduidende verskille ten opsigte van sielkundiges wat getroud, geskei of nooit getroud was, is ten opsigte van enige van die drie MBI-subskaaltellings gevind nie. Die ervaring van probleme met die vereffening van rekeninge deur mediese fondse was 'n beduidende voorspeller van uitbranding ten opsigte van al drie die MBI-subskale. Die ervaring van probleme met oninbare skulde was egter 'n beduidende voorspeller van 'n afname in depersonalisasie, maar nie van emosionele uitputting of verminderde persoonlike bekwaamheid nie.

AFRIKAANS: Sedert die eerste demokratiese verkiesing in Suid-Afrika in 1994 het die Suid¬Afrikaanse Polisiediens voortdurende transformasie ondergaan. Misdaad, traumatisering en selfmoord van polisiebeamptes het toegeneem. Die werkslading en eise aan die professionele hulpdienste (sielkundiges, maatskaplike werkers, kapelane) in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens het dienooreenkomstig verhoog. Hierdie studie is ‘n eksploratiewe ondersoek by 'n aantal sielkundiges in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens oor die verskynsel van psigiese uitbranding. Hierdie is die eerste studie oor psigiese uitbranding by sielkundiges in die organisasie. Die meeste outeurs beskou psigiese uitbranding as 'n verskynsel wat met die werksomgewing geassosieer word en spesifiek met die professionele rol van hulpverlening. Die Iiteratuurstudie oor psigiese uitbranding toon egter dat die term vir 'n groot verskeidenheid prosesse, simptome, definisies, oorsake, fases en gevolge gebruik word. Verskeie outeurs wys op die alomvattende en nie-kritiese gebruik van die term, asook die gebrekkige geïntegreerde teoretiese fundering in die veld. Groepanalise dien as 'n integrerende teoretiese raamwerk en die data is verkry deur die k1eingroep as basis vir 'n tweedaagse groepanalitiese werkwinkel te gebruik. Sielkundiges van verskeie geografiese streke in Suid¬Afrika het die werkwinkel vrywillig bygewoon. 'n Ondersoeksituasie is aan die einde van die werkwinkel geskep waar ongestruktureerde vrae gebruik is. 'n Fenomenologiese benadering tot die ondersoeksituasie en data-analise is gebruik. Die navorsingsresultate is beskrywend en toon dat psigiese uitbranding 'n ervaringsrealiteit by sielkundiges in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens is. Die kleingroep as data-genererende konteks, die navorsingsvrae en die vrye gespreksformaat het tot refleksie oor individuele ervarings, kleingroepervarings, asook grootgroep- en sosiale realiteite gelei. Die wederkerigheid tussen die genoemde ervarings en die self in verhouding tot verskeie aspekte dien as 'n beskrywende raamwerk vir die resultate. Die analisering oor die refleksie van die sosiale realiteit in die navorsing toon dat sielkundiges die organisasie en die sosiale konteks as traumaties ervaar en sekondêr getraumatiseer word deur met polisielede te werk. Die organisasiesisteem en die organisasie-as-geheel dra by tot ervarings van traumatisering. Dit maak die fondasie matriks uit waar getraumatiseerde individuele en groepsprosesse manifesteer en geregresseerde en primitiewe funksioneringseienskappe, ongeïntegreerdheid en angs openbaar word. Die studie toon dat die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens as transisionele en getraumatiseerde konteks tot 'n toestand van sosiale immobilisasie en paralise lei wat sosiale ontwikkeling, dialoog en kommunikasie beperk. Die potensiaal van die organisasie as grootgroep om tot integrasie by te dra, word deur hierdie prosesse ingeperk en inhibeer groei en transformasie. ENGLISH: Since the first democratic general election in South Africa in 1994, the South African Police Service, as an organisation, has undergone continual transformation. The level of crime, traumatisation and suicide of police officials have increased since then. The workload and demands on the helping professions (psychologists, social workers and chaplains) have increased accordingly. This study is an explorative investigation into the phenomenon of psychological burnout and the manifestation of this burnout among a number of psychologists employed by the South African Police Service. This is the first study involving psychological burnout that has been undertaken among psychologists in this organisation. Most authors view psychological burnout as a phenomenon that is associated with the work environment and specifically with the professional role of those rendering assistance. The literature dealing with psychological burnout, however, reveals that the term is used for a variety of processes, symptoms, definitions, causes, phases and consequences. Various authors have pointed out both the all-inclusive and non-critical use of the term as well as the lack of an integrated theoretical grounding in the specific field. Group analysis served as an integrating theoretical framework and the data was obtained by using the small group as a basis for a two-day group analytical workshop. Psychologists attended the workshop on a voluntary basis from various geographical regions in South Africa. An investigative situation, using unstructured questions, was created at the conclusion of the workshop. A phenomenological approach to the investigative situation and data-analysis were utilised in the research. The research results are descriptive and reveal that psychological burnout occurs among the psychologists. The small group (as a• data-generating context), the research questions and the format of exploration led to reflection on individual experiences, small and large group experiences as well as social realities. The mutuality between the aforementioned experiences as well as the self in various relations serves as a descriptive framework for results. An analysis of the reflection on social reality in the research firstly reveals that the psychologists experience the organisation and the social context as traumatic and secondly that the psychologists are traumatised by working with police officials. The organisation system and the organisation-as-a-whole, contribute to traumatic experiences. This comprises the foundation matrix in which traumatised individual and group related processes manifest, and primitive and regressed qualities, lack of integration and anxiety are revealed. The study reveals that the transition and traumatising context in the South African Police Service lead to a condition of social immobilisation and paralysis, which limits social development, dialogue and communication. These processes restrict the potential of the organisation as large group to assist in integration and this in turn inhibits growth and transformation. / Thesis (PhD (Psychotherapy))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Psychology / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of job stress and other selected variables on self-reported levels of professional burnout among psychologists practicing in Virginia public schools. The study was also designed to analyze burnout not just as a series of changes resulting from job stressors, but explained by interactions of occupational stress with select demographic characteristics and coping variables. A survey packet containing rating scales and a demographic sheet were mailed to 504 school psychologists, of which 180 responded with usable data. Data analysis primarily involved hierarchical multiple regression, testing the model that interactions of job stress with demographic/coping variables would significantly affect burnout outcomes. Results indicated that burnout, specifically emotional exhaustion partially explained by an unclear or interpersonally conflictual role and having little control over one's work, was significantly mediated by the coping strategy of cognitive problem solving. This exhaustion aspect of burnout was also substantially affected by membership in professional affiliations. However, job stress related to role overload significantly predicted burnout, but was not significantly mediated by any hypothesized demographic or coping variables. It can be concluded that Virginia psychologists experience particular job stressors, such as role overload, that may lead to emotional exhaustion. Membership in collegial, professional organizations, along with inservice in specific problem-solving skills, may help alleviate this occupational stress. Future research is needed to determine how demographic and coping variables mediate specific aspects of work overload for these professionals. / Ed. D.

Considering the high incidence of suicide in the South African context, the fact that suicide is considered an occupational hazard for psychologists, with more than half experiencing the suicide of a patient in their career and the dearth of post-suicide qualitative research among psychologists, the purpose of this study is to explore and describe the experience of psychologists after the suicide of their patient, and to develop guidelines as a framework of reference to assist psychologists in dealing with the suicide of their patient. In keeping with a social constructionist ontological and ecosystemic epistemological theoretical framework, data was collected by means of meaning-making conversations with six purposively selected psychologists, with a minimum of five years‟ experience and at least one year having passed after the suicide of their patient. The data was analysed independently by the researcher and an independent coder using Tesch‟s open and descriptive method. The present study found that, following the suicide of their patient, the participants were propelled into a myriad of acutely distressing emotions. They often described a suffocating sense of responsibility for the suicide and the lingering presence of their patient. The participants experienced feelings of guilt and self-doubt, often questioning their own professional competence. The post-suicide process was described as being both a personally and professionally isolating event, due to the sense of having to carry the burden of the suicide alone for ethical reasons and fear of social stigmatisation. The participants appeared to grapple with the paradoxical dance between their personal emotional realities and what they perceived to be “clinically” or “professionally” acceptable. Having gone through the traumatic experience of losing a patient to suicide, most of the participants eventually found new wisdom, which helped them become wounded healers. Based on these findings, post-vention guidelines with practical actions were developed to assist psychologists in dealing with the suicide of their patient. Recommendations are made with regard to suicidology research, suicide education and psychologists‟ practice. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Considering the high incidence of suicide in the South African context, the fact that suicide is considered an occupational hazard for psychologists, with more than half experiencing the suicide of a patient in their career and the dearth of post-suicide qualitative research among psychologists, the purpose of this study is to explore and describe the experience of psychologists after the suicide of their patient, and to develop guidelines as a framework of reference to assist psychologists in dealing with the suicide of their patient. In keeping with a social constructionist ontological and ecosystemic epistemological theoretical framework, data was collected by means of meaning-making conversations with six purposively selected psychologists, with a minimum of five years‟ experience and at least one year having passed after the suicide of their patient. The data was analysed independently by the researcher and an independent coder using Tesch‟s open and descriptive method. The present study found that, following the suicide of their patient, the participants were propelled into a myriad of acutely distressing emotions. They often described a suffocating sense of responsibility for the suicide and the lingering presence of their patient. The participants experienced feelings of guilt and self-doubt, often questioning their own professional competence. The post-suicide process was described as being both a personally and professionally isolating event, due to the sense of having to carry the burden of the suicide alone for ethical reasons and fear of social stigmatisation. The participants appeared to grapple with the paradoxical dance between their personal emotional realities and what they perceived to be “clinically” or “professionally” acceptable. Having gone through the traumatic experience of losing a patient to suicide, most of the participants eventually found new wisdom, which helped them become wounded healers. Based on these findings, post-vention guidelines with practical actions were developed to assist psychologists in dealing with the suicide of their patient. Recommendations are made with regard to suicidology research, suicide education and psychologists‟ practice. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)