Self-Care and Personal Therapy in the Development of Clinical Psychologists’ Self-Efficacy

Abstract Implementing self-care practices has shown to enhance professional confidence among therapists. Research and theoretical frameworks indicate that self-care and professional confidence are critical constructs in psychological therapies. This study examines the impact of self-care on self-efficacy and identifies variables that may influence these constructs. 207 clinical psychologists were invited to complete a self-report questionnaire assessing self-care practices, personal therapy, and professional self-efficacy. The results showed that professional development and cognitive strategies (in self-care) are correlated with psychologists’ self-efficacy. Both professional support and work-life balance showed moderate correlations with self-efficacy. Clinical experience and personal therapy were not significantly correlated with self-efficacy, whereas older age and psychotherapy training were associated with higher self-efficacy. The study highlights the importance of self-care practices in enhancing self-efficacy and the need for further research into the factors that influence self-care among clinical psychologists.