A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Single-Session Intervention to Reduce Training Psychologists’ Burnout

Abstract

Professional psychology trainees often experience burnout during their clinical training. In a pilot randomized controlled trial, we tested the feasibility, acceptability, utility, and preliminary efficacy of a 10-minute, online single-session intervention (SSI), designed to address burnout, hopelessness, and perceived agency in psychology trainees. In March 2023, 151 doctoral students with symptoms of stress or burnout in accredited, U.S.-based professional psychology programs were randomized to either the SSI (n = 74) or an active control condition (n = 77). Immediately post-SSI, 98.5% of participants endorsed the SSI as likely helpful for their patients and 92.5% wanted more information on how to deliver it; at 2-week follow-up, 48.4% had used the SSI in their own life, and 16.1%, with a patient. On average, participants rated the SSI as somewhat helpful; feeling somewhat hopeful and somewhat motivated to use their SSI-driven action plan; and that they would mostly recommend the SSI to others. No significant cross-condition differences emerged in participants’ reported burnout, hopelessness, or perceived agency at post-intervention or at follow-up, though effect sizes for these primary outcomes were generally in expected directions (ds = 0.01–0.36). In response to secondary outcome measures, SSI participants (versus control participants) reported perceiving significantly larger immediate improvements in hopelessness (d = 0.87), their problem-solving ability (d = 0.85), and their ability to help patients solve problems (d = 0.71). Overall, findings were inconclusive regarding the SSI’s effects on overall burnout, hopelessness, and agency; however, the SSI appeared to support trainees’ interest in SSI delivery and real-world use, both with themselves and with their patients. Participant feedback provided helpful guidance to inform SSI refinement, and potential best-uses, before larger-scale evaluation.