Psychological Distress, Burnout, and Coping Mechanisms among Mental Health Providers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences | Vol. 10, No. 12, December 2020 | pp. 91–98

DOI: 10.46882/2020/IJMMS/100091

Original Research Article

Psychological Distress, Burnout, and Coping Mechanisms among Mental Health Providers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Grace E. Akpan¹, David O. Mensah², Sarah W. Ndlovu¹*

¹Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Medicine, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya.

²Department of Psychiatry, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana.

Abstract:

The unprecedented scale of the COVID-19 pandemic placed severe emotional and structural strain on mental health infrastructure and clinical staff. This cross-sectional online-based psychometric survey evaluated the prevalence of psychological distress, workplace burnout, and personal coping mechanisms among frontline mental health professionals (psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and psychiatric nurses). A total of 220 practicing mental health clinicians responded to a comprehensive study tool incorporating the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Brief-COPE inventory. The psychometric outcomes revealed a high burden of psychological distress, with 54.5% (120/220) scoring above the threshold on the GHQ-12. High levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (burnout dimensions) were recorded in 48.2% and 36.4% of the participants, respectively. Psychiatric nurses reported significantly higher emotional exhaustion scores compared to psychiatrists (p < 0.05). Risk factors strongly associated with severe distress included female gender (OR = 2.1, p < 0.05), personal history of chronic health conditions (OR = 2.4, p < 0.05), and prolonged weekly working hours > 50 hours (OR = 3.1, p < 0.01). The most frequent positive coping mechanisms were active coping, religious coping, and positive reframing, while substance use and behavioral disengagement were linked to higher distress scores. The high prevalence of burnout and distress highlights the heavy psychological toll of the pandemic on mental health workers. Hospital leadership should implement institutional support programs, workload modifications, and formal psychological counseling systems to preserve the health workforce.

Keywords: COVID-19, Psychological Distress, Burnout, Mental Health Providers, Coping Mechanisms, MBI

Manuscript Timeline: Received: August 24, 2020; Revised: October 02, 2020; Accepted: November 04, 2020; Published: December 16, 2020.

Citation: Akpan GE, Mensah DO, Ndlovu SW. Psychological Distress, Burnout, and Coping Mechanisms among Mental Health Providers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 2020, 10(12): 91–98. DOI: 10.46882/2020/IJMMS/100091

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