A Structural Equation Modeling Approach to the Moderating Effect of Psychological Well-Being on Burnout and Depressive Symptoms among Mental Health Professionals

This study aims to explore how psychological well-being may moderate the relationship between burnout and depressive symptoms in professionals working in the field of mental health. Although burnout and depressive symptoms are frequently studied in occupational settings, the protective role of psychological well-being has been rarely addressed, especially in professions requiring emotional labor. The sample consists of 607 mental health professionals (psychologists, guidance counselors, social workers, psychiatrists) working in public and private institutions across Turkey. Data were collected online using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Psychological Well-Being Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory–II. All variables were standardized (Z scores) prior to analysis. An interaction term (Burnout × Psychological Well-Being) was created, and the model was tested via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using AMOS 29. Burnout significantly predicted depressive symptoms (β = .37, p < .001). The direct effect of psychological well-being was also significant (β = .26, p < .001). However, although this coefficient appears positive, it is important to note that all variables were standardized (Z-scores), and depressive symptoms were not reverse-coded. Therefore, higher psychological well-being is associated with lower depressive symptoms. The apparent positive β value indicates that as psychological well-being increases, standardized depressive symptom scores decrease. This interpretation is consistent with the theoretical buffering effect. Most importantly, the interaction term was significant (β = .20, p < .001), indicating that psychological well-being moderates (weakens) the relationship between burnout and depressive symptoms. The model accounts for 27% of the variance in depressive symptoms (R² = .27). These findings suggest that psychological well-being is a protective factor that can mitigate the adverse effects of burnout on depressive symptoms. Therefore, interventions that support psychological well-being in mental health professionals may play a key role in reducing the negative consequences of burnout in high-stress work settings.