48.3 Addressing Well-Being, Burnout, and Professional Fulfillment in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Trainees During the COVID-19 Pandemic Through Implementation of a Virtual Balint-Like Group: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objectives: Physicians, including psychiatrists and psychiatry trainees, are at higher risk of burnout compared to the average working population. The COVID-19 pandemic heightens this risk. This pilot aims to enhance professional fulfillment and support while decreasing the risk and prevalence of burnout in child and adolescent psychiatry trainees through virtual delivery of a Balint-like group incorporating a brief emotional awareness curriculum. Methods: Six child and adolescent psychiatry trainees participated. Eight 60-minute sessions held every 2 weeks were co-facilitated by a psychologist and psychiatrist who developed the curricular content. Each semistructured session combined a brief emotional awareness–enhancing module with a Balint-based approach to case review. The authors assessed trainee well-being, professional fulfillment, and sense of professional support pre- and postintervention with the Well-Being Index (WBI), Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI), and the authors’ own supplemental survey. Descriptive statistics were reported. Results: Trainees found the curriculum feasible and useful. Pre- and postintervention surveys showed a 23.3% reduction in burnout (p = 0.03) as well as significant improvements in happiness at work, enthusiasm toward work, sensitivity to others, and connectedness with colleagues. There were positive trends in additional aspects of professional fulfillment and sense of professional support. Conclusions: A novel well-being curriculum focused on combining brief emotional awareness–enhancing modules with a Balint-like approach enhances professional fulfillment and a sense of professional support and decreases the risk and prevalence of burnout, even when delivered virtually to a group of child and adolescent psychiatry fellows. Results support the planned expansion of this low-cost, high-value intervention for trainee well-being. WL, AC, REST