Association of resilience and psychological flexibility with surgeons’ mental wellbeing

Abstract

Abstract Background Existing research highlights the link between certain personality traits and mental health in surgeons. However, little research has explored the important role of psychological skills and qualities in potentially explaining this link. A cross-sectional survey of UK-based surgeons was used to examine whether two such skills (psychological flexibility and resilience) helped to explain why certain personality traits might be linked to mental health in surgeons. Method An online survey comprising measures of personality (neuroticism, extraversion and conscientiousness), psychological skills/qualities (psychological flexibility and resilience) and mental health (depression, anxiety, stress and burnout) was sent to surgeons practising in the UK. Mediation analyses were used to examine the potential mediating role of psychological flexibility and resilience in explaining the relationship between personality factors and mental health. Results A total of 348 surgeons completed the survey. In all 12 mediation models, psychological flexibility and/or resilience played a significant role in explaining the relationship between personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion and conscientiousness) and mental health (depression, anxiety and burnout). Conclusion Findings suggest that it is not only a surgeon’s personality that is associated with their mental health, but the extent to which a surgeon demonstrates specific psychological qualities and skills (psychological flexibility and resilience). This has important implications for improving surgeons’ mental wellbeing, because psychological flexibility and resilience are malleable, and can be successfully targeted with interventions in a way that personality traits cannot.