Mental health experiences and self-compassion among veterinary professionals

Veterinary professionals may be at risk for experiencing mental health concerns. Therefore, it is important to understand their mental health experiences and factors that have the potential to improve wellbeing, including self-compassion.

This study assessed mental health symptoms and their correlates and evaluated the relationships between self-compassion and mental health concerns among a cross-sectional sample of 475 veterinary professionals in the United States between May and October 2018.

Approximately 19% of the participants reported clinically significant symptoms of depression, and 22% reported clinically significant symptoms of anxiety. Eleven percent reported a history of engaging in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), 27% reported a history of suicidal ideation, and 6% reported attempting suicide at some point. Women reported higher levels of depression and anxiety, as well as a higher lifetime prevalence of NSSI and suicidality. Early career professionals reported higher levels of anxiety. Importantly, veterinary professionals with greater self-compassion reported lower rates of psychological distress, and these relationships remained after controlling for the effects of gender and years of experience.

The cross-sectional and correlational design used in the study precluded causal inferences about the impacts of self-compassion on mental health concerns or the relationships among them. Non-probability sampling methods and potential self-selection bias may also impact the generalisability of the results.

These findings underscore the complexities of mental health for veterinary professionals and the potential mental health benefits of self-compassion. Practical self-compassion interventions are discussed.