Psychological Preparedness of Psychologists during the COVID-19 Emergency: Are There Any Individual Differences?
The COVID-19 outbreak has posed an unprecedented global challenge. However, despite the large amount of evidence on the psychological consequences of the pandemic, very few studies have focused on psychologists themselves. (1) Background: The present study aimed to characterise the professional and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/3/168 |
| _version_ | 1797242097779081216 |
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| author | Sara Veggi Marialaura Di Tella Lorys Castelli Georgia Zara |
| author_facet | Sara Veggi Marialaura Di Tella Lorys Castelli Georgia Zara |
| author_sort | Sara Veggi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 outbreak has posed an unprecedented global challenge. However, despite the large amount of evidence on the psychological consequences of the pandemic, very few studies have focused on psychologists themselves. (1) Background: The present study aimed to characterise the professional and clinical profile of psychologists facing the COVID-19 outbreak and to investigate the relationship between psychological preparedness and a series of potential predictors (e.g., sociodemographic and professional variables and psychological distress). (2) Methods: A total of 1115 psychologists fully completed an online survey. The data collection period started with the first wave of the pandemic. Participants were asked to provide sociodemographic and professional data and to complete three questionnaires assessing psychological preparedness, worry, and anxiety symptoms. (3) Results: Descriptive results showed that the COVID-19 outbreak did not cause an interruption to the psychological practice of professionals (both in the public and in private sectors) and that psychologists accepted the introduction of technological devices within their regime of work in order to guarantee their service to clients. Only a minority of participants reported clinically significant levels of symptoms of anxiety and worry. Regression analyses revealed that being older, having taken part in training courses on the COVID-19 emergency, and experiencing lower levels of worry and anxiety were all significant predictors of both cognitive and affective psychological preparedness. (4) Conclusions: Taken together, these findings seem to highlight that specific factors can enhance psychological preparedness among psychologists. Therefore, it is vital to inform authorities about the importance of providing emergency programmes to train healthcare workers, especially psychologists, on how to develop psychological preparedness when facing the negative consequences of critical incidents at a universal level, given their crucial role in promoting mental health. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:33:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d794662ec20c4aeda9d565e4c7f14a70 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:33:48Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-d794662ec20c4aeda9d565e4c7f14a702024-03-27T13:21:23ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2024-02-0114316810.3390/bs14030168Psychological Preparedness of Psychologists during the COVID-19 Emergency: Are There Any Individual Differences?Sara Veggi0Marialaura Di Tella1Lorys Castelli2Georgia Zara3Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Law, University of Turin, 10153 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Law, University of Turin, 10153 Turin, ItalyThe COVID-19 outbreak has posed an unprecedented global challenge. However, despite the large amount of evidence on the psychological consequences of the pandemic, very few studies have focused on psychologists themselves. (1) Background: The present study aimed to characterise the professional and clinical profile of psychologists facing the COVID-19 outbreak and to investigate the relationship between psychological preparedness and a series of potential predictors (e.g., sociodemographic and professional variables and psychological distress). (2) Methods: A total of 1115 psychologists fully completed an online survey. The data collection period started with the first wave of the pandemic. Participants were asked to provide sociodemographic and professional data and to complete three questionnaires assessing psychological preparedness, worry, and anxiety symptoms. (3) Results: Descriptive results showed that the COVID-19 outbreak did not cause an interruption to the psychological practice of professionals (both in the public and in private sectors) and that psychologists accepted the introduction of technological devices within their regime of work in order to guarantee their service to clients. Only a minority of participants reported clinically significant levels of symptoms of anxiety and worry. Regression analyses revealed that being older, having taken part in training courses on the COVID-19 emergency, and experiencing lower levels of worry and anxiety were all significant predictors of both cognitive and affective psychological preparedness. (4) Conclusions: Taken together, these findings seem to highlight that specific factors can enhance psychological preparedness among psychologists. Therefore, it is vital to inform authorities about the importance of providing emergency programmes to train healthcare workers, especially psychologists, on how to develop psychological preparedness when facing the negative consequences of critical incidents at a universal level, given their crucial role in promoting mental health.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/3/168psychologistsCOVID-19mental healthpsychological preparednessanxietyworry |
| spellingShingle | Sara Veggi Marialaura Di Tella Lorys Castelli Georgia Zara Psychological Preparedness of Psychologists during the COVID-19 Emergency: Are There Any Individual Differences? Behavioral Sciences psychologists COVID-19 mental health psychological preparedness anxiety worry |
| title | Psychological Preparedness of Psychologists during the COVID-19 Emergency: Are There Any Individual Differences? |
| title_full | Psychological Preparedness of Psychologists during the COVID-19 Emergency: Are There Any Individual Differences? |
| title_fullStr | Psychological Preparedness of Psychologists during the COVID-19 Emergency: Are There Any Individual Differences? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychological Preparedness of Psychologists during the COVID-19 Emergency: Are There Any Individual Differences? |
| title_short | Psychological Preparedness of Psychologists during the COVID-19 Emergency: Are There Any Individual Differences? |
| title_sort | psychological preparedness of psychologists during the covid 19 emergency are there any individual differences |
| topic | psychologists COVID-19 mental health psychological preparedness anxiety worry |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/3/168 |
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