The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the well-being of mental healthcare providers working in a specialist clinic for personality disorder

Objective: To investigate the well-being of mental healthcare providers working in a specialist clinic for personality disorder during the first wave of COVID-19 social restrictions. Method: Clinical (n = 31) and nonclinical (n = 11) staff in a public outpatient specialist personality disorder clinic were invited to participate. Data were collected via an online survey which incorporated the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) together with a range of open-ended questions exploring mental health, physical health, sleep quality, management of relationships, alcohol consumption, eating patterns, and use of media. Inductive content analysis was used to review the responses to the open-ended questions. Data from CAS was reported descriptively. Results: In total, 39 surveys were completed (92.8% response rate). According to the CAS, two participants (5.1%) experienced coronaphobia during the initial pandemic restrictions. Participants reported a diversity of experiences affecting their health status during this time. While loss of social interactions with family and friends was reported as the most challenging aspect of lockdown, participants reported that conducting their work using telehealth and the absence of the work commute provided opportunities for more time with family and for self-reflection. Conclusions: The self-reported physical and mental health of participants demonstrated resilience. This suggests that the capacity to conduct therapeutic work via telehealth, and having the option of working from home helped to mitigate many of the adverse aspects of social restrictions due to the global pandemic. This study was conducted during the first wave of social restrictions; subsequent studies will reveal longer-term effects of this policy. Key Points What is already known about this topic: Australian adults reported a slight increase in psychological distress in the general community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) is a validated and reliable mental health questionnaire assessing COVID-19 related fear and anxiety (coronaphobia). CAS measures sleep disturbance, appetite loss, dizziness, tonic immobility, and abdominal distress. Living under lockdown conditions is an unnatural experience. Experience of mental health workers who provide care for people with personality disorder is not yet studied during this condition. What this paper adds: Only two participants (5.1%) experienced coronaphobia during the initial pandemic restrictions. While challenges were endorsed, the self-reported physical and mental health of participants demonstrated resilience. A range of well-being challenges were reported in this study that informs health policy makers for future interventions.