Labrecque, L., Larouche, A., Gauthier-Boudreau, J., & Lalande, D. (2024). Risk and protective factors for burnout among psychologists and neuropsychologists: A scoping review.Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 55(4), 299–312.https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000573
Key Takeaways
Rationale
This scoping review aimed to better understand the determinants of burnout among psychologists and neuropsychologists, as well as identify factors that allow these professionals to adapt and thrive at work despite occupational challenges. The rationale for conducting this review stems from several key factors:
Given these factors, a comprehensive review of recent literature on burnout, job satisfaction, and related factors among psychologists and neuropsychologists was warranted to synthesize current knowledge and identify areas for future research and intervention.
Method
The researchers also utilized theJoanna Briggs Institute’s methodological guidesfor scoping reviews (Peters et al., 2015, 2020) and adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Checklist (Tricco et al., 2018).
Two main databases were searched: PubMed and APA PsycInfo. The searches were conducted up to June 2022, with the final searches performed on June 1, 2022.
Search strategies were adapted for each database using thesauri and synonyms to ensure comprehensive results without adding irrelevant articles.
Additional methods to identify relevant articles included examining reference lists of included studies and searching for documents citing initially found articles.
The initial search identified 232 articles for screening. After title/abstract screening and full-text review, 27 articles were retained for final analysis.
Results
The researchers extracted and synthesized data from the included studies, focusing on qualitative analysis of themes and patterns across studies.
Burnout Prevalence and Determinants:
Job Satisfaction and Career Success:
Self-Care and Work Environment:
Insight
This scoping review provides several key insights into burnout and job satisfaction among psychologists and neuropsychologists:
The review also highlights the complex interplay between individual, organizational, and professional factors in shaping these outcomes.
Future research directions could include:
Strengths
The study had many methodological strengths including:
Limitations
These limitations suggest that findings should be interpreted with caution and highlight the need for further research addressing these gaps.
Implications
The results of this scoping review have several significant implications for clinical psychology practice and organizational policy:
These implications underscore the need for a multifaceted approach to promoting well-being and job satisfaction among psychologists and neuropsychologists, involving both individual-level strategies and organizational policies.
References
Primary reference
Other references
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Peters, M. D. J., Godfrey, C., McInerney, P., Soares, C. B., Khalil, H., & Parker, D. (2015). Methodology for JBI scoping reviews. In E. Aromataris (Ed.),The Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers manual 2015(pp. 3-24). Joanna Briggs Institute.
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Tricco, A. C., Lillie, E., Zarin, W., O’Brien, K. K., Colquhoun, H., Levac, D., … & Straus, S. E. (2018). PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and explanation.Annals of Internal Medicine, 169(7), 467-473.
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Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education
Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.
Saul McLeod, PhD
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester
Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.
