title: Friends, alcohol, and a higher power: an analysis of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies among gastroenterologists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  No study to date has evaluated the relationship between coping style, burnout, and psychological functioning among gastroenterologists (GEs). This study aims to explore this relationship.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Physician stress and burnout are widely studied and associated with notably poorer outcomes for both physicians and their patients. Coping is a multidimensional construct that individuals use to adapt to stressful situations. To mitigate stress, physicians may use problem-focused or emotion-focused coping strategies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred ten GE fellows and attending physicians provided information about their practice, coping styles, level of burnout, psychological distress, job-related self-efficacy, and demographic background. Participants recruited from the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy membership through email completed a series of online questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no significant relationships between workload and reported burnout. GEs with greater psychological distress were more likely to have an endoscopic complication in the past year. GEs that use problem-focused coping strategies were less likely to report an event in the past year, although we did not identify a significant predictive relationship between these variables. Significant differences in coping styles existed for sex and having a physician parent. Female GEs were more likely to use problem-focused coping strategies, and GEs with a physician parent were more likely to use emotion-focused strategies. Using problem-focused coping predicted decreased levels of burnout and psychological distress, and increased job-related self-efficacy. Emotion-focused coping showed opposite predictive results. Coping strategies accounted for 3% to 19% of the variance in these outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GEs use both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies. Sex and having a physician parent are likely predictors of coping and psychological well-being. Problem-focused coping is a potentially more adaptive coping strategy in gastroenterology practice and may explain lower levels of reported burnout, distress, and increased job-related self-efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA. ttaft@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Tiffany H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Taft
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Keefer
authors.forename: Rajesh N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Keswani
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000523:psychology; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D005762:Gastroenterology; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012737:Sex Factors; D012955:Societies, Medical; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D016526:Workload