Being a Therapist in an Age of Bureaucracy and Marketization: Psychologists’ Responses to Moral Stress
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Mental health care professionals have faced increased work pressure and moral stress since the implementation of bureaucratic and NPM policies. We interviewed Dutch psychologists to investigate how they cope, using Hirschman’s Exit , Voice , and Loyalty framework. Reflecting the solitary nature of their work, many psychologists developed individual approaches, creatively alternating between strategies to relieve pressure. Inadvertently, this contributes to a situation where issues are insufficiently problematized to induce change, while professionals themselves grow more cynical. We recommend system changes to protect professionals’ moral engagement and support collective strategies to address problems effectively and achieve necessary improvements.
Source: Administration & Society
Institutions: University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht University
Language: English
Topic: Ethics in medical practice
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,650
OpenAlex ID: W7225637184