Features of the psychological response of medical workers in a psychiatric hospital to changes in the conditions of professional activity in a stressful situation of a pandemic

Rationale. In the COVID-19 situation, healthcare workers face a high risk due to the threat of infection as a result of contact with infected people, thermal imbalance due to wearing masks, psychological stress due to overwork and intensification of workload, professional burnout associated with frustration, isolation, discrimination. We assume that the decrease/increase in indicators of anxiety, depression, perfectionism, hopelessness is associated with the type (positive or negative) of reflection in psychiatric service employees. Objective: to identify the features of the psychological response of workers in a psychiatric hospital in a stressful situation of a pandemic. The study is focused on the preservation and development of professionalism, responsibility for decision-making, self-realization and selfcontrol in conditions of work in chronic stress. Research base: State Budgetary Institution of Health “Novosibirsk State Clinical Psychiatric Hospital no. 3”. Research Material. The main group (n=23) consisted only of medical workers (physicians and nurses). The comparison group (n=22) included non-medical specialists. The groups were comparable in terms of age and sex composition. Methods: clinical interview, experimental psychological diagnostics, methods of statistical data processing. To diagnose psychological response, a battery of psychological tests was used: 1) Hewitt-Flett multidimensional scale of perfectionism, which determines 4 indicators of personality perfectionism; 2) hospital anxiety and depression scale; 3) questionnaire by D.A. Leontiev “Differential type of reflection” on the definition of the type of reflection as a stable personality trait; 4) A. Beck's hopelessness scale for assessing the degree of negative attitude towards the future and negative expectations. The statistical significance of differences between the indices in the main group and the comparison group was determined using the MannWhitney U-test. The relationship between the indicators was revealed using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results. A comparative analysis of the characteristics of the psychological response and psycho-emotional state of workers in a psychiatric hospital and non-medical specialists during the COVID-19 pandemic showed a higher psychophysiological and psychological stress nature of the character of the work of medical personnel. It is necessary to use psychological and liaison support programs to discuss and rationally reflect on the stressors of the professional environment based on introspection and self-acceptance.