Burnout in mental health services: a review of the problem and its remediation

Adm Policy Ment Health. 2012 Sep;39(5):341-52. doi: 10.1007/s10488-011-0352-1.

Abstract

Staff burnout is increasingly viewed as a concern in the mental health field. In this article we first examine the extent to which burnout is a problem for mental health services in terms of two critical issues: its prevalence and its association with a range of undesirable outcomes for staff, organizations, and consumers. We subsequently provide a comprehensive review of the limited research attempting to remediate burnout among mental health staff. We conclude with recommendations for the development and rigorous testing of intervention approaches to address this critical area.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Burnout, Professional / epidemiology*
  • Burnout, Professional / prevention & control
  • Burnout, Professional / therapy
  • Health Personnel / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Mental Health Services*