The psychological and psychophysiological issues of professional maladaptation of oncologists

Abstract

There is still a lack of agreement among researchers with regard to the necessary set of diagnostic methods that should be utilized to reveal the early signs of professional maladaptation in medical workers. This gap in the available body of literature inspired the choice of the research topic. The aim of the research was to study the relationships among biological, psychological, and psychophysiological structural components of the basic adaptive resilience of oncologists. The authors determined the structural features of their professional maladaptation by analysing the correlation dependences of the psychological and the psychophysiological indicators. Comparing the psychological indicators of adaptation in the examined doctors according to the level of anxiety and chronic fatigue, the authors discovered that a significant percentage was experiencing some degree of professional maladaptation. Strong correlations between psychophysiological indicators of adaptation were revealed. Based on this data, the authors defined the process of adaptation and its violation as a multi-factor, multidimensional phenomenon that involves the systemic reaction of the body to professional activities. The researchers accordingly justified the necessity for an integrated approach that would aid the diagnosis and prevention of professional maladaptation in doctors.