‘There’s a lot on my shoulders’ – occupational therapists’ experience of stress and burnout in mental healthcare settings in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract

Introduction: South African occupational therapists, working in mental healthcare, are exposed to chronic stress; this can lead to their experiencing symptoms of burnout. There has been a call for research to explore the experiences of stress and burnout that occupational therapists encounter whilst working in different contexts, and this article presents findings from a study focused on the field of mental healthcare in Gauteng, South Africa. Methods: Thirteen occupational therapists participated in the study using qualitative and descriptive methods. The study sample was selected using purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected via online focus group discussions and underwent thematic analysis according to open coding. Findings: This article presents the findings of theme one, as part of a greater dissemination of findings, where the participants described their stress and burnout as a personal psychological experience. This involved the experience of emotional burden, strained interpersonal relationships and feelings of failure. The participants perceived their stress as a fluctuating experience and, a portion of the participants, felt that they had experienced burnout. Conclusion: The negative personal psychological impact of stress and burnout on occupational therapists working in South Africa, in the field of mental healthcare, has been well indicated in the study.