A Comparative Study of Levels of Perceived Stress, Life Satisfaction and Quality of Life among Mental Health Professionals and Non-mental Health Professionals in India

The psychological well-being of mental health professionals (MHPs) remains an important yet unexplored factor in India. The present paper aims to examine the current state of mental health of MHPs and its correlates in terms of perceived stress, life satisfaction, and quality of life (QoL), and compare the level of these correlates with that of non-MHPs. For the purpose of this study, a sample of 120 individuals, comprising 67 MHPs and 53 non-MHPs (aged 25-60 years), were selected. The tools used for the present study included the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen et al., 1983); the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Deiner, 1985); and the World Health Organization's Quality of Life (Brief) Scale (1996). The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and an independent sample t-test for comparison. The current findings indicate that MHPs reported higher levels of perceived stress and lower levels of life satisfaction and quality of life as compared with non-MHPs. These findings emphasize the need for a greater understanding of the mental health conditions of MHPs in India, a factor that inherently contributes to the quality of their services, and also point out the persisting problem of the stigma associated with mental health in India.