Temperamental traits, defense styles and professional burnout among psychotherapists

Abstract

Objectives: It was decided to examine the relationships that exist between temperamental traits, defense styles and professional burnout in a group of psychotherapists. The overarching goal of this study was to examine how defense styles mediate the relationship between temperamental traits and burnout in psychotherapists. Methods: Eighty-two individuals working in the psychotherapy profession participated in the study. Three psychological tools were used: (1) FCB-TI(R), (2) DSQ-40, (3) OLBI, as well as own questionnaire used to describe the study group. Results: The conducted analyses showed associations between particular variables and allowed to confirm the mediating role of mature and immature defense styles in the relationship between temperamental traits (emotional reactivity, perseverance, endurance, activity) and burnout or at least one of its dimensions. In the case of neurotic defenses, the mediating effect did not occur. Discussion and Conclusions: The results presented here indicate that temperament traits and defense styles are important variables in the study of professional burnout in psychotherapists. They suggest that certain temperament traits and defense styles may increase or decrease the risk of burnout, and that defense styles mediate the relationship between temperament traits and burnout in psychotherapists. Thus, the research hypotheses presented in the paper were mostly confirmed. Both education and self-improvement of psychotherapists should focus on strengthening mature defense mechanisms, which have a protective function in the process of burnout development, and eliminating the use of immature defenses, which intensify the relationship between certain temperament traits and burnout. This information could be useful in recruiting future professionals, their training and professional practice.