Report of the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP) Burnout Task Force: Workload, Burnout, and Emotional Health in Clinical Psychological Trainees

Clinical psychology trainees have been struggling with significant burnout, anxiety, and depressive symptoms since well before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the problem has escalated in recent years. This study reports on a broad survey of trainees in clinical psychology doctoral programs across the United States and Canada (N = 984; M = 27.5 years, SD = 3.39). We found that trainees feel enormous time pressure despite working long hours (50–60 hr a week) and are suffering from high rates of burnout, especially emotional exhaustion. Most students do not feel they have adequate time for self-care and report that faculty in their programs talk about the importance of work–life balance but do not actually prioritize it. These problems are even more acute for trainees who identify as non-White. Self-care is often framed as an individual competency that trainees are responsible for learning and achieving on their own. However, the demands on trainees may make self-care almost impossible. These are institutional and field-specific problems that require systemic solutions. As a field, we must generate ways of reducing the burdens on all trainees, enhancing their well-being, and ensuring the future of our workforce.