Burnout, self-efficacy and exposure to violence on life satisfaction of clinical mental health staff

Objectives / Purpose / Background: To investigate factors influencing the psychological wellbeing of clinical staff in a secure mental health hospital; this study investigated the role of exposure to violence, burnout, and self-­efficacy on life satisfaction of clinical staff working in a secure mental health hospital, using the Job Demands-­Resources Theory as a theoretical framework. Design / Background / Key points: To examine the relationships between the studied variables, a cross-­‐sectional questionnaire study was conducted. The exhaustion domain of burnout was investigated as a mediator between exposure to violence and life satisfaction, whilst disengagement domain of burnout was investigated as a mediator between self-­efficacy and life satisfaction. Self-­efficacy was investigated as a moderator between self-­efficacy and life satisfaction. Methods / Conclusions: Using purposive sampling, eighty-six participants were recruited to complete self-­report scales, through online or paper surveys. Mediation effects were analyzed using a bias-corrected bootstrap and a Sobel test. Moderation analysis using ordinal least square path analysis was performed. Results / Conclusions: Exhaustion significantly predicted life satisfaction but exhaustion did not mediate the relationship between exposure to violence and life satisfaction. Self­efficacy significantly predicted life satisfaction. Disengagement did not mediate self­efficacy and life satisfaction. Self-­efficacy did not significantly moderate the relationship between exposure to violence and life satisfaction. Conclusions: Person-­directed burnout interventions should be employed to reduce the adverse effects of burnout on life satisfaction, and self-­efficacy should be promoted, to enhance life satisfaction in clinical staff. The study is limited by an over-representation of nursing staff, and restricted generalizability to other settings. Future Job Demands-Resources Theory research should investigate predictors of life satisfaction in clinical staff.