Exploring the Experience of Burnout in Psychologists Working in Forensic Environments

Despite literature showing that high levels of burnout are being experienced by psychologists and those who work in forensic settings, there is little research into the specific experiences of burnout in psychologists working in forensic settings. Furthermore, the existing research was conducted in the United States of America (USA) and suggests that although psychologists in both forensic and non-forensic settings experience some of the same stressors, there are also stressors unique to each setting. This study aims to explore the experience of burnout in psychologists working in forensic environments within the United Kingdom. It will also consider what might be contributing to this and what can be a barrier to, or a facilitator of, managing experiences of burnouts.
Five semi-structured interviews were conducted with qualified psychologists working in forensic settings. The interviews were analysed using grounded theory, and five themes were developed and discussed: the stigma of burnout in psychology, specifics to forensics, workload, importance of people, and vicious cycles. These themes, along with seventeen subthemes are presented.
The findings of this study show that burnout was present among the participants. Contributing, and perpetuating, factors of burnout in psychologists in forensic environments are discussed along with some protective factors that were identified. Some of these were in line with that of other staff in forensic settings or psychologists, however some appear to be unique to psychologists in these settings. Strengths and limitations of this study are discussed, as well as the clinical implications and ideas for future research.