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Cited by 244Stress and Burnout ResearchOccupational Health and BurnoutHealthcare professionals’ stress and burnout

Job burnout in mental health providers: A meta-analysis of 35 years of intervention research

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Dreison, Kimberly C., Luther, Lauren, Bonfils, Kelsey A., Sliter, Michael T., McGrew, John H., Salyers, Michelle P.·2018·Journal of Occupational Health Psychology
DOI 10.1037/ocp0000047
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Abstract

Burnout is prevalent among mental health providers and is associated with significant employee, consumer, and organizational costs. Over the past 35 years, numerous intervention studies have been conducted but have yet to be reviewed and synthesized using a quantitative approach. To fill this gap, we performed a meta-analysis on the effectiveness of burnout interventions for mental health workers. We completed a systematic literature search of burnout intervention studies that spanned more than 3 decades (1980 to 2015). Each eligible study was independently coded by 2 researchers, and data were analyzed using a random-effects model with effect sizes based on the Hedges' g statistic. We computed an overall intervention effect size and performed moderator analyses. Twenty-seven unique samples were included in the meta-analysis, representing 1,894 mental health workers. Interventions had a small but positive effect on provider burnout (Hedges' g = .13, p = .006). Moderator analyses suggested that person-directed interventions were more effective than organization-directed interventions at reducing emotional exhaustion (Qbetween = 6.70, p = .010) and that job training/education was the most effective organizational intervention subtype (Qbetween = 12.50, p < .001). Lower baseline burnout levels were associated with smaller intervention effects and accounted for a significant proportion of effect size variability. The field has made limited progress in ameliorating mental health provider burnout. Based on our findings, we suggest that researchers implement a wider breadth of interventions that are tailored to address unique organizational and staff needs and that incorporate longer follow-up periods. (PsycINFO Database Record

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  • Worksite stress management interventions, particularly those based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapies (CBT), can be effective for improving the psychological health of staff working in healthcare and other organisational settings.

    “Evidence suggests that worksite stress management interventions, particularly those based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapies (CBT), can be effective for improving the psychological health of staff working in healthcare and other organisational settings [5–8].”

    From A workplace Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for improving healthcare staff psychological distress: A randomised controlled trial (2022) · cites this paper as [5]

    The paper describes person-directed burnout interventions that often use cognitive-behavioral techniques, and its Discussion reports small reductions in burnout among mental health providers. The Comparison of Intervention Types section also finds person-directed interventions more effective than organization-directed ones for emotional exhaustion. It does not establish that CBT-based interventions specifically are more effective, or directly study psychological health across healthcare staff and other organizational settings. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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1 of the 73 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Borenstein, M., Hedges, L. V., Higgins, J. P. T., & Rothstein, H. R. (2009). Introduction to metaanalysis. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.
  2. Carson, J., Butterworth, T., & Burnard, P. (1998). Clinicial supervision, stress management and social support. In T. Butterworth, J. Faugier, & P. Burnard (Eds.), Clinicial supervision and mentorship in nursing (pp. 49-65). Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes.
  3. Rovai, A. P., Baker, J. D., & Ponton, M. K. (2014). Quantitative research. Social science research design and statistics: A practitioner's guide to research methods and IBM SPSS analysis (2nd ed., pp. 33-83). Chesapeake, VA: Watertree Press LLC.
  4. Schaufeli, W. B., & Enzmann, D. (1998). The burnout companion to study & practice. London, UK: Taylor & Francis Ltd.

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Authors
Dreison, K. C., Luther, L., Bonfils, K. A., Sliter, M. T., McGrew, J. H., & Salyers, M. P.
Affiliations
Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Occupational Health Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2018-01
Volume
23
Issue
1
Pages
18-30
ISSN
  • 1076-8998 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1307
DOI
10.1037/ocp0000047
OpenAlex
W2521324286
Cited by
244
References
73
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 43 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1
FWCI
2.05
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Purdue University Indianapolis (Indiana University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Stress and Burnout Research
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Health and Burnout
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout
Keywords
burnout, mental health professionals, burnout intervention, emotional exhaustion, job training, intervention effectiveness, occupational stress
MeSH terms
Occupational Stress, Burnout, Professional, Fatigue, Health Personnel, Humans, Mental Health, Patient Education as Topic, Self Efficacy

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