Le partage social des émotions chez 140 psychologues-psychothérapeutes français

Context

Therapists must manage high emotional demands due to the nature of their work. Emotional regulation is crucial not only for their personal well-being but also for the quality of the therapeutic relationship. Ineffective emotional regulation can compromise the therapeutic relationship and increase the risk of burnout. While many studies have explored emotional regulation by therapists during sessions, few have investigated how these emotions are managed outside of sessions, particularly through the social sharing of emotions (SSE) after an interaction with a patient. SSE allows people to express and share emotions with their social environment, which can help regulate negative emotions and strengthen social bonds.

Materials and methods

This study aims to explore the use of SSE among therapists. A sample of 140 French psychologists completed an online questionnaire on the characteristics of emotional sharing outside of therapy following emotions felt during a session. Participants were asked to recall a negative emotional event related to their therapeutic relationship with a patient. Then, they described the intensity and valence of the emotions experienced, and their use of SSE (sharing partner, frequency, and other modalities). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlations.

Results

In total, 98.57% of participants engaged in SSE after emotionally charged events related to their practice, primarily on the same day as the event. The most frequent sharing partners were colleagues (62.3%) and life partners (55.1%), followed by peer therapists and supervisors. On average, SSE was initiated by the participants themselves and occurred shortly after the emotional event. The frequency of sharing was positively correlated with the intensity of the emotions felt (emotional intensity at the time of the event: tau = 0.245; p < 0.001 and emotional intensity at the time of the study: tau = 0.151; p = 0.026). However, there was no significant correlation with the timing of sharing or its exhaustiveness. Higher emotional intensity was associated with more frequent SSE, suggesting an increased need for sharing when facing intense emotions.

Conclusion

The results show that therapists widely use SSE as an emotional regulation strategy, primarily with colleagues and life partners. This highlights the importance of this emotional regulation strategy in their professional practice. Sharing plays a crucial role in providing emotional support, strengthening professional bonds, and facilitating the management of difficult emotions. However, sharing can sometimes become repetitive and unresolved, leading to rumination. Furthermore, excessive sharing with close ones raises ethical and professional concerns, as well as emotional repercussions for the surrounding environment. It is essential to prioritize a professional setting for SSE to maximize its benefits while minimizing the risks of emotional overload and co-rumination. The study thus emphasizes the importance of promoting a professional environment that encourages the social sharing of emotions among colleagues or peers while avoiding excessive involvement of close ones. Future research should explore how to structure this sharing to maximize emotional and professional benefits while minimizing the risks of emotional overload and vicarious impact on close ones. Targeted interventions, such as regular supervision and peer support groups, could strengthen the emotional resilience of therapists, enhance their professional well-being, and, in turn, improve the quality of care offered to patients.