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Published Online: 23 October 2019

Workplace Violence and Burnout Among Mental Health Workers

Andrea Aguglia, M.D., Ph.D. [email protected], Martino Belvederi Murri, M.D., Claudia Conigliaro, M.D., Nicolò Cipriani, M.D., Marco Vaggi, M.D., Gabriele Di Salvo, M.D., Giuseppe Maina, M.D., Vito Cavone, M.D., Eugenio Aguglia, M.D., Gianluca Serafini, M.D., Ph.D., and Mario Amore, M.D.Authors Info & Affiliations
Publication: Psychiatric Services
Volume 71, Number 3
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201900161
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Abstract

Objective:

The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey to investigate the association between episodes of patient aggression and burnout among mental health professionals.

Methods:

Scores of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) among 183 participants who completed a questionnaire on violence exposure were used as the outcome. Demographic and work-related variables were examined as potential moderators of the association between aggression and burnout.

Results:

Lifetime exposure to verbal or object aggression was associated with higher MBI scores. In stepwise regression, MBI score was positively associated with having experienced recent verbal aggression and with the number of symptoms experienced immediately after the worst event. MBI score was negatively associated with working in a university psychiatric inpatient unit. The association between verbal aggression and burnout was significant only among women.

Conclusions:

Workplace violence may have a significant negative impact on subjective well-being and patient care and may contribute to burnout among mental health professionals.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric Services
Go to Psychiatric Services
Psychiatric Services
Volume 71 • Number 3 • March 01, 2020
Pages: 284 - 288
PubMed: 31640524

History

Received: 27 March 2019
Revision received: 2 September 2019
Accepted: 5 September 2019
Published online: 23 October 2019
Published in print: March 01, 2020

Keywords

  1. Burnout
  2. Workplace violence
  3. Aggression
  4. Psychiatry
  5. Mental health
  6. Maslach Burnout Inventory

Authors

Details

Andrea Aguglia, M.D., Ph.D. [email protected]
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Belvederi Murri, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy (Belvederi Murri); Department of Mental Health and Drug Addiction, ASL3, Genoa, Italy (Vaggi); Psychiatric Clinic, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital of Orbassano, and Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy (Di Salvo, Maina); Psychiatric Unit, Gaspare Rodolico Hospital and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy (Cavone, E. Aguglia).
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Martino Belvederi Murri, M.D.
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Belvederi Murri, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy (Belvederi Murri); Department of Mental Health and Drug Addiction, ASL3, Genoa, Italy (Vaggi); Psychiatric Clinic, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital of Orbassano, and Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy (Di Salvo, Maina); Psychiatric Unit, Gaspare Rodolico Hospital and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy (Cavone, E. Aguglia).
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Claudia Conigliaro, M.D.
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Belvederi Murri, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy (Belvederi Murri); Department of Mental Health and Drug Addiction, ASL3, Genoa, Italy (Vaggi); Psychiatric Clinic, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital of Orbassano, and Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy (Di Salvo, Maina); Psychiatric Unit, Gaspare Rodolico Hospital and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy (Cavone, E. Aguglia).
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Nicolò Cipriani, M.D.
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Belvederi Murri, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy (Belvederi Murri); Department of Mental Health and Drug Addiction, ASL3, Genoa, Italy (Vaggi); Psychiatric Clinic, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital of Orbassano, and Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy (Di Salvo, Maina); Psychiatric Unit, Gaspare Rodolico Hospital and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy (Cavone, E. Aguglia).
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Marco Vaggi, M.D.
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Belvederi Murri, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy (Belvederi Murri); Department of Mental Health and Drug Addiction, ASL3, Genoa, Italy (Vaggi); Psychiatric Clinic, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital of Orbassano, and Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy (Di Salvo, Maina); Psychiatric Unit, Gaspare Rodolico Hospital and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy (Cavone, E. Aguglia).
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Gabriele Di Salvo, M.D.
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Belvederi Murri, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy (Belvederi Murri); Department of Mental Health and Drug Addiction, ASL3, Genoa, Italy (Vaggi); Psychiatric Clinic, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital of Orbassano, and Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy (Di Salvo, Maina); Psychiatric Unit, Gaspare Rodolico Hospital and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy (Cavone, E. Aguglia).
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Giuseppe Maina, M.D.
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Belvederi Murri, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy (Belvederi Murri); Department of Mental Health and Drug Addiction, ASL3, Genoa, Italy (Vaggi); Psychiatric Clinic, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital of Orbassano, and Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy (Di Salvo, Maina); Psychiatric Unit, Gaspare Rodolico Hospital and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy (Cavone, E. Aguglia).
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Vito Cavone, M.D.
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Belvederi Murri, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy (Belvederi Murri); Department of Mental Health and Drug Addiction, ASL3, Genoa, Italy (Vaggi); Psychiatric Clinic, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital of Orbassano, and Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy (Di Salvo, Maina); Psychiatric Unit, Gaspare Rodolico Hospital and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy (Cavone, E. Aguglia).
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Eugenio Aguglia, M.D.
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Belvederi Murri, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy (Belvederi Murri); Department of Mental Health and Drug Addiction, ASL3, Genoa, Italy (Vaggi); Psychiatric Clinic, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital of Orbassano, and Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy (Di Salvo, Maina); Psychiatric Unit, Gaspare Rodolico Hospital and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy (Cavone, E. Aguglia).
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Gianluca Serafini, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Belvederi Murri, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy (Belvederi Murri); Department of Mental Health and Drug Addiction, ASL3, Genoa, Italy (Vaggi); Psychiatric Clinic, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital of Orbassano, and Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy (Di Salvo, Maina); Psychiatric Unit, Gaspare Rodolico Hospital and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy (Cavone, E. Aguglia).
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Mario Amore, M.D.
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Belvederi Murri, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy (A. Aguglia, Conigliaro, Cipriani, Serafini, Amore); Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy (Belvederi Murri); Department of Mental Health and Drug Addiction, ASL3, Genoa, Italy (Vaggi); Psychiatric Clinic, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital of Orbassano, and Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy (Di Salvo, Maina); Psychiatric Unit, Gaspare Rodolico Hospital and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy (Cavone, E. Aguglia).
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Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. A. Aguglia ([email protected]).

Author Contributions

Dr. A. Aguglia and Dr. Belvederi Murri contributed equally to this work.

Competing Interests

The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

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