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Occupational stress in clinical and non-clinical staff in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS): a cross-sectional study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 April 2022

F. McNicholas Open the ORCID record for F. McNicholas [Opens in a new window] ,
D. Adamis Open the ORCID record for D. Adamis [Opens in a new window] ,
E. Minihan Open the ORCID record for E. Minihan [Opens in a new window] ,
N. Doody  and
B. Gavin Open the ORCID record for B. Gavin [Opens in a new window]
F. McNicholas*
Affiliation:
School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Lucena Clinic, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, St John of God, Dublin, Ireland Department of Pediatric Liaison Psychiatry, Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland
D. Adamis
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Sligo Mental Health Services, Sligo, Ireland
E. Minihan
Affiliation:
School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Lucena Clinic, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, St John of God, Dublin, Ireland
N. Doody
Affiliation:
School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Lucena Clinic, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, St John of God, Dublin, Ireland Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
B. Gavin
Affiliation:
School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
*
Address for correspondence: F. McNicholas, Lucena Clinic, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, St John of God, Dublin, Ireland. Email: Fiona.mcnicholas@sjog.ie
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Abstract

Background:

Previous literature has highlighted high rates of burnout among doctors and nurses in healthcare settings. Non-clinical and support staff such as administrative, housekeeping and managerial staff are also exposed to the stressors of a health care setting, but fewer studies report on their experiences. Therefore, the aim of this research is to examine occupational stress in all staff working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Ireland and identify risk and protective factors.

Method:

Fifty-nine clinical and non-clinical staff (44% response rate) were surveyed. Participants completed the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) and the Effort Reward Imbalance scale, as well as survey-specific questions.

Results:

Both clinical and non-clinical staff were found to experience moderate or high rates of work-related, personal and patient-related burnout (57.6%, 52.2% and 50.8%, respectively). Univariate general linear modelling showed an association between total CBI scores and effort reward index (B = 64 306, t = 3.430, p = 0.001); overcommitment (B = 1.963, t = 3.061, p = 0.003); and an unwillingness to work in CAMHS (B = 28.429, t = 3.247, p = 0.002).

Conclusion:

Pre-pandemic levels of stress were high among clinical and non-clinical staff surveyed. Given the anticipated increased demand on CAMHS post COVID-19, urgent action is needed to protect all staff from intolerable levels of occupational stress and burnout.

Keywords

burnoutCAMHSinterventionsmental healthoccupational stress
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 41 , Issue 1 , March 2024 , pp. 54 - 60
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

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