Date of Conferral

1-21-2026

Date of Award

January 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Sandra Caramela-Miller

Abstract

Burnout rates for mental health workers are impacted due to budget restrictions in treatment programs. Fiscal challenges and their impact on the experiences of mental health providers have yet to be explored within correctional settings. There is a lack of research concerning mental health professional’s self-efficacy beliefs when providing treatment services to inmates. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore mental health professional’s self-efficacy beliefs in correctional systems with context towards diminishing fiscal resources. Self-efficacy theory and prison rehabilitation management theory are the theoretical frameworks used as the foundation for this study. The research question was designed to explore the lived experiences of participants through semi-structured interviews. Eleven participants who currently work directly with inmates were interviewed. Narrative descriptions of experiences mental health professionals have in the prison environment were collected. Data collection tools included databases, public records, questionnaires, and interviews. Data programs were utilized for decoding and transcribing each interview. All participants identified how their self-efficacy beliefs, burnout, lack of responses, and resource availability were impacted by budget reductions. Participants expressed frustration and emotional exhaustion for lack of materials available while awaiting responses from prison management. Social change implicates an urgent need for mental health professionals’ immediate access to materials within their treatment programs. Future research would benefit from focusing on support to mental health professionals and resources needed for treatment programs.

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