Date of Conferral

1-8-2026

Date of Award

January 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Mildred Dukic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic substantially increased occupational demands on mental health counselors, intensifying burnout and threatening clinician well-being, workforce sustainability, and quality of care. Guided by Resiliency Theory, this quantitative cross-sectional study examined burnout among rural and urban mental health counselors during the COVID-19 pandemic, with geographic location serving as the independent variable. Participants included 108 licensed master’s- and doctoral-level counselors in the United States who provided direct clinical services in rural or urban settings between March 1, 2020, and March 1, 2021. Data were collected using an online survey that included a demographic questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), which measures Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (DP), and Personal Accomplishment (PA). Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Results indicated that geographic location significantly predicted PA, F(1, 106) = 4.741, p = .032, R² = .007; however, geographic location did not significantly predict EE (p = .085) or DP (p = .937). These findings suggest that while emotional exhaustion and depersonalization may be experienced similarly across practice settings, professional fulfillment is more context-dependent and influenced by structural supports and professional opportunities. From a social change perspective, addressing contextual disparities in counselor support systems may reduce burnout, strengthen resilience, and promote equitable access to quality mental health care during and following a global pandemic.

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