Psychiatrists Under Pressure: Exploring Occupational Risks and Protective Strategies

Rezvan  Salehi; Zahra  Ardeshiri; Mohammad Reza  Mohammadi

doi:10.18502/ijps.v21i2.21219

Rezvan Salehi Department of Counseling, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran.
Zahra Ardeshiri Department of Counseling, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran.
Mohammad Reza Mohammadi Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijps.v21i2.21219

Keywords: Burnout; Occupational Health; Psychiatrists; Qualitative Research; Protective Factors

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the occupational hazards faced by psychiatrists and their protective strategies against these challenges.

Method: The research adopted a qualitative approach with a thematic analysis strategy. The study included 15 psychiatrists selected through purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed with MAXQDA 2024 software. The analysis was conducted based on Attride-Stirling’s thematic network framework and involved systematic coding of meaning units and progressive abstraction into basic, organizing, and global themes.

Results: Based on the analysis of interview transcripts, 73 basic themes, 11 organizing themes, and 3 global themes were identified for occupational hazards, along with 8 organizing themes for protective strategies. The global and organizing themes for hazards included: intrapersonal hazards (psychological stress, burnout, and clients’ social and cultural issues), interpersonal hazards (distress from patient interactions, domestic erosion, and lack of collegial cooperation), and Transpersonal hazards (organizational constraints, lost professional status, repetitive exhaustion under outdated infrastructure, and financial discrimination). The organizing themes for protective strategies encompassed psychological flexibility, passion for service, spiritual coping, professional growth, professional collaboration, restorative activities, therapeutic communication, and optimization of the treatment environment.

Conclusion: This qualitative study identified psychiatrists’ occupational hazards across three dimensions -intrapersonal, interpersonal, and supra-personalwhile also highlighting critical protective strategies such as psychological flexibility and professional growth. The findings underscore the necessity for comprehensive support for psychiatrists’ mental health and the development of supportive resources. These results can serve as a foundation for future policy-making in the field of mental health. However, the findings should be interpreted in light of the study’s limited sample size and regional scope.