Factors that affect quality of care among mental health providers: Focusing on job stress and resources

Abstract

Objective: High-quality, person-centered care is a priority for mental health services. The current study conducted secondary data analysis to examine the impact of job stress (i.e., interaction with high-risk consumer cases, increased caseload, emotional exhaustion) and resources (i.e., increased organizational and supervisory support, autonomy, role clarity) on providers' perceived quality of care. Methods: Data consisted of 145 direct care providers from an urban community mental health center. Structural equation modeling was used for testing the hierarchical regression model, sequentially adding job stress and resource variables in the prediction models for the quality of care (i.e., person-centered care, discordant care [conflict with consumers and tardiness]). Results: Person-centered care was positively associated with increased role clarity, organizational support, and larger caseload size, while a lower level of discordant care was associated with lower emotional exhaustion, smaller caseload size, less interaction with high-risk consumer cases, and with increased role clarity. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: Resources on the job may be particularly important for improved person-centered care, and lowering job stress may help reduce discordant care. The current study suggests the need for the mental health organizations to attend to both job stress and resources for providers to improve the quality of care.