Adversity Quotient as Determining Factor of Mental Health and Professional Quality of Life Among Healthcare Professionals: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Adversity quotient (AQ) is an individual’s ability to persist during the phase of constant alteration within one’s context, privation and response is measured by assessing AQ. It is a measure of resilience including four components which are ‘control’, ‘ownership’, ‘reach’ and ‘endurance’. Healthcare professionals face regularly changing adversities and new challenges, yet perform with optimal functioning. This also sometimes results in anxiety, depression, burnout and poor professional quality of life (ProQOL). Summary: The current systematic review’s aim is to explore the existing literature on AQ and the ProQOL of doctors, counsellors, psychologists, nurses, nursing students, psychiatric social workers and other healthcare professionals. Electronic databases of PubMed, NIH and Scopus were searched and authors conducted a systematic review of 23 published, unpublished studies and dissertations on the impact of workplace adversities on AQ and ProQOL of healthcare professionals, medical students and other helping professionals, up to 2024. Key Message: Showed a significant relationship between AQ, ProQOL, anxiety, depression and burnout among healthcare professionals and other helping professions. It was also observed that healthcare professionals with high AQ were able to experience a better ProQOL and improved well-being at the workplace.