Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Among Clinical Psychologists and Counsellors in Lagos State Public Health Facilities

Clinical psychologists and counsellors working in Nigeria's underfunded and understaffed public health system face elevated risk of burnout and compassion fatigue, with significant consequences for professional competence and client care quality. In Lagos State, where the ratio of mental health professionals to population is critically low, the occupational well-being of practicing psychologists and counsellors has not been assessed. This study examines burnout and compassion fatigue among clinical psychologists and counsellors in Lagos State public health facilities. A census survey design is applied to 140 practicing clinical psychologists and counsellors across General Hospitals and Neuropsychiatric institutions in Lagos State. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and the Professional Quality of Life Scale-5 are administered alongside a questionnaire capturing caseload size, supervisory access, years of experience, and personal coping strategies. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression are computed in SPSS. Literature from West African clinical psychology identifies high caseloads, inadequate supervision, and limited self-care culture as the dominant burnout risk factors among Nigerian mental health professionals, with compassion satisfaction as a significant protective factor. The Job Demands-Resources Model and the Compassion Satisfaction and Fatigue Model by Figley provide the theoretical framework. Findings will inform the Lagos State Ministry of Health on professional well-being policy. Keywords: burnout, compassion fatigue, clinical psychologists, counsellors, Lagos State.