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Friday, October 11, 2024

Burnout, racial trauma, and protective experiences of Black psychologists and counselors

Brown, E. M., et al. (2024).
Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice
and policy, 10.1037/tra0001726.
Advance online publication.

Abstract

Objective: The present study explored rates of burnout and racial trauma among 182 Black mental health professionals (BMHPs) and utilized racial-cultural theory to explore potential protective factors against burnout and racial trauma.

Method: We collected data from 182 Black psychologists and counselors who were active mental health professionals during 2020. Descriptive statistics, multivariate analyses of variance, follow-up univariate analyses of variance, bivariate correlations, and multiple regression analyses were used.

Results: Both burnout and racial trauma were considerably higher among BMHPs than has been reported across general samples of helping professionals and across a sample of Black participants across the United States. Differences among rates of burnout and racial trauma existed across genders and specialties (i.e., counseling and psychology). Higher levels of social support and an external locus of control significantly predicted lower levels of burnout and racial trauma. In addition, higher levels of resilient coping predicted lower levels of burnout. Last, more frequent meetings with a mentor significantly predicted lower levels of racial trauma.

Conclusions: Results from this study suggest that BMHPs may be more susceptible to burnout and race-based traumatic stress as a result of their work.

Clinical Impact Statement

The purpose of this study was to examine the rates of burnout and racial trauma of Black mental health
professionals in the wake of COVID and the racial unrest of 2020. It was found that Black mental health
professionals had significantly high rates of burnout and racial trauma. Previous studies have shown that
high levels of burnout and race-based traumatic stress can be detrimental to one’s mental and physical
health. Therefore, results show that greater attention needs to be given to the well-being of Black mental
health professionals to support them in their work.

The article is paywalled.

Here are some thoughts:

Black mental health professionals (BMHPs) face significant challenges, including high rates of burnout and racial trauma, particularly in the wake of recent racial and political unrest. This study found that BMHPs, especially those with master's degrees, experience higher levels of burnout and racial trauma compared to other helping professionals. However, social support, mentoring, and a strong sense of calling to the Black community can serve as protective factors against these negative impacts. The study underscores the importance of providing greater support to BMHPs, particularly during times of heightened racial tension, to help them cope with the immense stress and trauma they encounter in their work.