The extent that self-compassion and well-being predict burnout in online clinical psychology PhD students

Online clinical psychology doctoral students experience significant stress as they balance demanding academic workloads with personal responsibilities, often leading to burnout (Cornwall et al., 2019). While previous research (Kusurkar et al., 2021) has explored the roles of self-compassion and well-being in addressing burnout, the specific predictors of burnout in this unique population remain underexamined. Our research study investigates the impact of self-compassion and well-being on burnout among online clinical psychology doctoral students. Sixty- five online doctoral students participated in the study. Regression analyses were conducted and findings indicated a significant negative relationship between well-being and burnout, suggesting that students with higher well-being experience lower levels of burnout. Results emphasize the importance of promoting well-being as a key strategy to mitigate burnout in this population. Although self-compassion was not a significant predictor in this study, its potential indirect or contextual effects warrant further investigation. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions to enhance well-being, which could improve mental health, build resilience, and support positive outcomes for online clinical psychology doctoral students.