Unraveling the interconnectedness between physician burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress: a network analysis among Chinese psychiatrists

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased the levels of burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among healthcare professionals. However, research on the interrelations between burnout and psychological symptoms is scarce, particularly among psychiatrists. This study add...

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Main Authors: Song Wang, Mengyue Gu, Shujing Zhang, Jingyang Gu, Yudong Shi, Yating Yang, Ling Zhang, Mengdie Li, Lei Xia, Feng Jiang, Huanzhong Liu, Yi-lang Tang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1493424/full
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author Song Wang
Song Wang
Mengyue Gu
Mengyue Gu
Shujing Zhang
Jingyang Gu
Jingyang Gu
Yudong Shi
Yudong Shi
Yating Yang
Yating Yang
Ling Zhang
Ling Zhang
Mengdie Li
Mengdie Li
Lei Xia
Lei Xia
Feng Jiang
Feng Jiang
Feng Jiang
Feng Jiang
Huanzhong Liu
Huanzhong Liu
Huanzhong Liu
Yi-lang Tang
Yi-lang Tang
author_facet Song Wang
Song Wang
Mengyue Gu
Mengyue Gu
Shujing Zhang
Jingyang Gu
Jingyang Gu
Yudong Shi
Yudong Shi
Yating Yang
Yating Yang
Ling Zhang
Ling Zhang
Mengdie Li
Mengdie Li
Lei Xia
Lei Xia
Feng Jiang
Feng Jiang
Feng Jiang
Feng Jiang
Huanzhong Liu
Huanzhong Liu
Huanzhong Liu
Yi-lang Tang
Yi-lang Tang
author_sort Song Wang
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased the levels of burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among healthcare professionals. However, research on the interrelations between burnout and psychological symptoms is scarce, particularly among psychiatrists. This study addresses this gap in a national sample.MethodData was collected via an online survey conducted in Mainland China from January to March 2021 with a sample size of 3,783 participants. Psychological symptoms were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and physician burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey (MBIHSS). Network analysis was used to examine the interconnection between physician burnout and psychological symptoms, with further analysis conducted on multiple levels, including individual symptoms in central positions or acting as bridges between clusters, and identifying core symptom combinations with significant correlations.ResultsStress emerged as the highest Expected Influence (EI) index, with emotional exhaustion in the burnout cluster being the singular bridge symptom. Furthermore, depressive symptoms such as hopelessness and anhedonia showed a strong and the most straightforward association with emotional exhaustion, while stress-related overreaction was closely associated with depersonalization.ConclusionNetwork analysis between burnout and psychological symptoms identified critical symptoms like stress and emotional exhaustion in Chinese psychiatrists. Close monitoring of these symptoms may be crucial for mitigating the risk of common psychological disturbances and preventing their exacerbation in this population.
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spelling doaj-art-83698eeb1e124e6ab7da42e6e206030b2025-01-07T05:23:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-01-011210.3389/fpubh.2024.14934241493424Unraveling the interconnectedness between physician burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress: a network analysis among Chinese psychiatristsSong Wang0Song Wang1Mengyue Gu2Mengyue Gu3Shujing Zhang4Jingyang Gu5Jingyang Gu6Yudong Shi7Yudong Shi8Yating Yang9Yating Yang10Ling Zhang11Ling Zhang12Mengdie Li13Mengdie Li14Lei Xia15Lei Xia16Feng Jiang17Feng Jiang18Feng Jiang19Feng Jiang20Huanzhong Liu21Huanzhong Liu22Huanzhong Liu23Yi-lang Tang24Yi-lang Tang25Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaAnhui Psychiatric Center, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaAnhui Psychiatric Center, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaAnhui Psychiatric Center, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaAnhui Psychiatric Center, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaAnhui Psychiatric Center, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaAnhui Psychiatric Center, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaAnhui Psychiatric Center, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaAnhui Psychiatric Center, Hefei, ChinaSchool of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, ChinaInstitute of Healthy Yangtze River Delta, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, ChinaInstitute of Health Policy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, ChinaInstitute of Grand Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, ChinaAffiliated Psychological Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States0Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, United StatesBackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased the levels of burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among healthcare professionals. However, research on the interrelations between burnout and psychological symptoms is scarce, particularly among psychiatrists. This study addresses this gap in a national sample.MethodData was collected via an online survey conducted in Mainland China from January to March 2021 with a sample size of 3,783 participants. Psychological symptoms were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and physician burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey (MBIHSS). Network analysis was used to examine the interconnection between physician burnout and psychological symptoms, with further analysis conducted on multiple levels, including individual symptoms in central positions or acting as bridges between clusters, and identifying core symptom combinations with significant correlations.ResultsStress emerged as the highest Expected Influence (EI) index, with emotional exhaustion in the burnout cluster being the singular bridge symptom. Furthermore, depressive symptoms such as hopelessness and anhedonia showed a strong and the most straightforward association with emotional exhaustion, while stress-related overreaction was closely associated with depersonalization.ConclusionNetwork analysis between burnout and psychological symptoms identified critical symptoms like stress and emotional exhaustion in Chinese psychiatrists. Close monitoring of these symptoms may be crucial for mitigating the risk of common psychological disturbances and preventing their exacerbation in this population.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1493424/fullphysician burnoutstressdepressionanxietypsychiatristsnetwork analysis
spellingShingle Song Wang
Song Wang
Mengyue Gu
Mengyue Gu
Shujing Zhang
Jingyang Gu
Jingyang Gu
Yudong Shi
Yudong Shi
Yating Yang
Yating Yang
Ling Zhang
Ling Zhang
Mengdie Li
Mengdie Li
Lei Xia
Lei Xia
Feng Jiang
Feng Jiang
Feng Jiang
Feng Jiang
Huanzhong Liu
Huanzhong Liu
Huanzhong Liu
Yi-lang Tang
Yi-lang Tang
Unraveling the interconnectedness between physician burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress: a network analysis among Chinese psychiatrists
Frontiers in Public Health
physician burnout
stress
depression
anxiety
psychiatrists
network analysis
title Unraveling the interconnectedness between physician burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress: a network analysis among Chinese psychiatrists
title_full Unraveling the interconnectedness between physician burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress: a network analysis among Chinese psychiatrists
title_fullStr Unraveling the interconnectedness between physician burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress: a network analysis among Chinese psychiatrists
title_full_unstemmed Unraveling the interconnectedness between physician burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress: a network analysis among Chinese psychiatrists
title_short Unraveling the interconnectedness between physician burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress: a network analysis among Chinese psychiatrists
title_sort unraveling the interconnectedness between physician burnout and symptoms of depression anxiety and stress a network analysis among chinese psychiatrists
topic physician burnout
stress
depression
anxiety
psychiatrists
network analysis
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1493424/full
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