Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Research Portfolio - Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing for Covid-19 Related Psychological Distress in Health Care Professionals: A Systematic Literature Review & Predictors of Vicarious Trauma and Burnout in Assistant Psychologists: Empirical Paper & An Executive Summary

This thesis is comprised of three papers. The first is a systematic literature review exploring the use and effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) for healthcare professionals (HCPs) experiencing Covid-19 related psychological distress. The second is a cross-sectional empirical study on the predictors of vicarious trauma and burnout in Assistant Psychologists (APs). The third paper is an executive summary of the empirical research.

The systematic literature review comprised of 13 studies which evaluated the use of EMDR for HCPs experiencing psychological distress related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Differences in EMDR protocols and delivery methods are noted, alongside methodological issues. Results from the systematic review provide tentative evidence for the effectiveness of EMDR for HCPs in the treatment of Covid-19 related psychological distress and suggest its usefulness as an early intervention in crisis scenarios. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.

The empirical paper investigated the presence and predictors of vicarious trauma and burnout in APs working with traumatised populations. Predictors investigated were psychological flexibility, resilience, personal trauma history, supervision quality and quantity. A quantitative, cross-sectional design using multiple regression analysis was applied. A total of 265 APs completed seven validated questionnaires online; the Vicarious Trauma Scale (VTS; Vrklesvski & Franklin, 2008), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI; Maslach and Jackson, 1981) and measures of psychological flexibility, resilience, personal trauma history, supervision quality and quantity. Four multiple regression analyses were run to identify predictors of vicarious trauma and the three constructs of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment. Psychological flexibility and supervision quality negatively predicted vicarious trauma, emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. Resilience positively predicted personal accomplishment. Results suggest APs who are more psychologically flexible and who receive higher quality supervision, are less likely to experience vicarious trauma, emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation, and APs who are more resilient, are more likely to experience feelings of personal accomplishment. Findings highlight the importance of providing opportunities to increase psychological flexibility and resilience, and providing high quality supportive supervision, to protect against vicarious trauma and burnout in APs. The paper offers recommendations to support these early career psychologists.
The executive summary provides an overview of the empirical research and is written in an accessible manner. It is aimed at APs, those who work alongside or employ APs. It may also be of interest to other psychological healthcare professionals. The method, results, conclusions, and recommendations based on the research, are outlined in the executive summary.