International Journal of Research in Social Sciences
  • Year: 2019
  • Volume: 9
  • Issue: 8

Personality and psychological distress amonggeneral physicians and clinical psychologists

  • Author:
  • Garima Singh1, S. Z. H. Zaidi2, Anshuma Dubey3
  • Total Page Count: 21
  • Page Number: 229 to 249

1M. Phil. Clinical Psychology, Dept. of Clinical Psychology, Amity Institute of Behavioural and Allied Sciences, Amity University, Lucknow

2Head, Dept. of Clinical Psychology, Director, Amity Institute of Behavioural and Allied Sciences, Amity University, Lucknow

3Assistant Professor, Dept. of Clinical Psychology, Amity Institute of Behavioural and Allied Sciences, Amity University, Lucknow

Online published on 7 October, 2019.

Abstract

In the professional field, the individual characteristics of the medical and mental health professionalsplay an important role in dealing with their patie1nts and overall functioning of their life. Stressful working situations may precipitate psychological distress which may impact the psychological functioning of the health and mental health professionals. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between Personality and Psychological Distress among General Physicians and Clinical Psychologists.

A sample of 30 practitioners were taken for both groups i.e., General Physicians and Clinical Psychologists from different government, private hospitals and clinics of Lucknow, following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The sample was selected by using purposive and snowball sampling technique and ex-post facto research design was used. The tools used were Sociodemographic datasheet, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised by Hans J. Eysenck and Sybil B. G. Eysenck (1991) and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale by Ronald C. Kessler and Mroczek (1994). The results were analysed using Spearman's Rank Order Method for correlation and Kruskal-Wallis to assess significant difference among all variables.

The results showed that there was a significant difference in Neuroticism among General Physicians and Clinical Psychologists at 0.05 level. The results also showed that there was a significant positive relationship between Psychoticism and Psychological Distress among General Physicians and Clinical Psychologists (P < 0.01) and a significant positive relationship between Neuroticism and Psychological Distress among General Physicians and Clinical Psychologists (P < 0.05).

Clinical Psychologists scored high in Psychoticism and Extraversion. General Physicians scored high in Neuroticism. Lie Scale (Social Desirability) and Psychological Distress was found to be high among General Physicians.

Keywords

Personality, Psychological Distress, General Physicians, Clinical Psychologists