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Behavioral Sciences
Special Issues
Burnout and Psychological Well-Being of Healthcare Workers
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Burnout and Psychological Well-Being of Healthcare Workers

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Social Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 1658

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Lauren A. Fowler

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Wake Forest School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
Interests: fatigue; shift work; circadian desynchronization; burnout; healthcare worker cognition and empathy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the multifaceted topic of burnout and psychological well-being among healthcare workers, addressing an urgent need to understand and mitigate the mental health challenges faced by this vital workforce. Healthcare professionals, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, have experienced elevated stress, burnout, and emotional fatigue, which impacts both their personal well-being and the quality of patient care. This Special Issue aims to explore the underlying causes, including high workloads, emotional demands, and systemic constraints, while also highlighting resilience strategies, organizational interventions, and policies that support mental health. By fostering a holistic understanding, this Special Issue intends to inspire actionable solutions and promote a sustainable work environment for healthcare providers.

Dr. Lauren A. Fowler
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Behavioral Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • burnout
  • psychological well-being
  • healthcare workers
  • resilience
  • stress management
  • occupational health
  • emotional fatigue
  • healthcare workforce sustainability

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 516 KiB  
Article
The COVID-19 Pandemic and Associated Depression Among Emergency Medicine Interns: Results from a National Longitudinal Cohort Study
by Carrie Bissell, Lauren Fowler, Destiny Folk and Cortlyn Brown
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(6), 821; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15060821 - 15 Jun 2025
Viewed by 341
Abstract
To explore the prevalence of depression among emergency medicine (EM) interns before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Intern Health Study is a national longitudinal cohort study examining mental health among interns across various specialties. In this secondary analysis, we focused specifically on [...] Read more.
To explore the prevalence of depression among emergency medicine (EM) interns before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Intern Health Study is a national longitudinal cohort study examining mental health among interns across various specialties. In this secondary analysis, we focused specifically on EM interns from 2008 to 2022. Participants completed a baseline survey before their intern year and quarterly surveys throughout their intern year. Depression severity was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9), with scores of 10 or higher indicating moderate-to-severe depression. In total, 1956 EM interns from 160 programs completed all PHQ9 surveys. PHQ9 scores at baseline (start of the intern year) were significantly lower prior to the COVID-19 pandemic compared to during it (p < 0.001). PHQ9 scores at month 9 were significantly higher during the COVID-19 pandemic (p < 0.05) compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic interns at month 9. One-way ANOVA comparing pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19 differences in PHQ9 from baseline to the end of intern year revealed a significant difference, with during COVID-19 differences being significantly less than pre-COVID-19. There was no significant difference in the proportion of interns with PHQ9 scores greater than 10 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant effect on the mental health of EM interns, with higher baseline depression scores observed during the pandemic. However, the smaller change in depression severity over the intern year during the pandemic suggests a complex interplay of factors that warrants further investigation. Our study is the first to examine depression among EM interns during the COVID-19 pandemic using a large, multi-year sample, providing a unique and comprehensive analysis of how the pandemic impacted mental health in this high-risk group. Unlike previous studies with smaller sample sizes, our research offers robust, generalizable insights into the trends and severity of depression in EM interns, highlighting the critical need for ongoing mental health support in medical training. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Burnout and Psychological Well-Being of Healthcare Workers)
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12 pages, 550 KiB  
Article
Psychosocial Predictors of Job Satisfaction in Nursing: Insights from a Spanish Hospital Setting
by Alejandra Trillo, Alberto Ortega-Maldonado, Beatriz Lopez-Pena and Francisco D. Bretones
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(3), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15030274 - 26 Feb 2025
Viewed by 845
Abstract
Nurses play a key role in healthcare systems, yet their job satisfaction is often challenged by factors such as emotional exhaustion and organisational dynamics. This study examines the relationship between psychological empowerment, affective commitment, and emotional exhaustion as predictors of job satisfaction in [...] Read more.
Nurses play a key role in healthcare systems, yet their job satisfaction is often challenged by factors such as emotional exhaustion and organisational dynamics. This study examines the relationship between psychological empowerment, affective commitment, and emotional exhaustion as predictors of job satisfaction in a sample of 150 Spanish nurses. Data were collected using validated questionnaires measuring these constructs, and mediation analyses were conducted using the PROCESS macro. Results indicated that psychological empowerment positively influenced job satisfaction both directly and indirectly through affective commitment. However, emotional exhaustion did not significantly mediate this relationship, suggesting that contextual factors such as workload may override its effects. This research contributes to the understanding of job satisfaction among healthcare professionals and highlights the importance of empowerment and affective engagement. Practical implications for hospital management include fostering psychological empowerment through organisational strategies that promote autonomy, competence, and meaningful involvement, which could improve nurses’ well-being and organisational performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Burnout and Psychological Well-Being of Healthcare Workers)
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