A Qualitative Exploration of Reflective Practices and Burnout Experiences Amongst Psychologists and Higher Education Psychology Students

Description

Psychologists who experience burnout are at risk of delivering psychological services to clients ineffectively. Reflective Practice (RP) may help increase psychologists' self-awareness about their cognitive and emotional states that can lead to incompetent clinical decision-making. Moreover, psychologists who engage in regular RP may be better able to identify their professional development and mental health needs. Therefore, RP may help assist psychologists to identify and manage factors that contribute to burnout. However, it is currently unclear how psychologists and psychology students who are training to become psychologists experience RP and burnout. This project investigated 204 psychologists’ and psychology students’ perceptions of, and experiences with, using RP and burnout. Participants answers to open-ended survey questions were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and content analysis. The findings of this study suggested the need for specific training on RP and greater support for burnout within all stages of the profession.

Period	2021