The factors that predict mental health concerns, risky drinking, leaving the profession
Patrick
Krill, J.D., and Justin Anker, M.D., with the Department of Psychiatry
and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Minnesota recently released
the results of a survey taken after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They examined workplace factors for and predictors of mental health
distress, risky drinking, and anxiety. They randomly sampled members of
the California Lawyers Association and the DC Bar. A total of 3,343
people completed the survey, yielding a final sample size of 2,864
employed, practicing lawyers. Here are some key findings.
Factors raising stress levels
Over-commitment
at work, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and being a newer lawyer
was associated with higher stress levels. Women lawyers who reported
over-commitment at work were more likely to report moderate or severe
stress. Lawyers who reported a rise in stress due to the pandemic were
four times more likely to rate their stress level as moderate or severe.
Younger lawyers were two to four times more likely to report moderate
or high stress.
Depression
A
little over 20% of women and 17% of men reported depression. The survey
found that 12% of male lawyers and 14% of female lawyers reported mild
levels of depression while 4% of male lawyers and 5% of female lawyers
reported moderate depression. In addition, 1.5% of both male and female
lawyers reported severe depression.
Anxiety
Women
lawyers reported slightly higher levels of anxiety than their male
counterparts. In total, 34% of women and 30% of men reported mild
anxiety while 14% of women and 12% of male lawyers reported moderate
anxiety, and 8% of women and 6.5% of men reported severe anxiety.
Alcohol Use
Participants
completed the AUDIT-C, which measures frequency and volume of alcohol
use. Of those surveyed, 80% identified themselves as current drinkers,
10% as lifetime abstainers, and 7% former drinkers. The 80% of lawyers
identifying themselves as current drinkers was greater than the general
U.S. population, where 55% reported drinking in the past month and 70%
in the past year. Female lawyers were more likely to be lifetime
abstainers from substances other than alcohol at 81% compared to male
attorneys at 73%.
A
significantly higher proportion of women lawyers engaged in risky
drinking. In total, 56% of women reported risky drinking compared to 46%
of men. In addition, 34% of women reported hazardous drinking versus
25% of men.
Factors
that seem to impact substance use included workplace permissiveness
toward alcohol and the impact of the pandemic. Women with high work
permissiveness toward alcohol were 1.3 times more likely to report risky
drinking. Male lawyers who reported increased drinking due to the
pandemic were four times more likely to be drinking at hazardous levels;
women who reported doing so were seven times more likely. The authors
noted that increased drinking during COVID might be an early warning
sign. Drinking to cope with negative emotions and anxiety can increase
the risk of alcohol dependence.
Considering leaving the profession
When
it comes to leaving the profession, 25% of woman lawyers and 17% of
male lawyers reported they were currently considering it due to mental
health, burnout, or stress. Top predictors of leaving the profession
were over commitment for men and work-family conflict for women. Women
scored higher on scales measuring work over-commitment, effort-reward
imbalance, and work-family conflict than their male colleagues. Women
with high work-family conflict were 4.5 times more likely to consider
leaving the profession, and women with increased anxiety during the
pandemic were 1.6 times more likely.
Chances for promotion
Lawyers
who saw their prospects of promotion as good were less likely to leave
or think about leaving their profession. Men perceived a greater
likelihood of promotion than women. For women, perceived likelihood of
promotion buffered stress levels. Female lawyers with perceived
likelihood of promotion were two times less likely to have moderate or
severe stress.
Need
extra support? The Missouri Lawyers’ Assistance Program is a free,
confidential counseling program that serves Missouri Bar members, law
students and their families. Contact us at 1-800-688-7859. We’re here to
help.
Bibliography
- Anker,
Justin, MD and Krill, Patrick, JD. “Stress, Drink, Leave: An
Examination of Gender-Specific Factors for Mental Health Problems and
Attrition among Licensed Attorneys,” PLOS ONE,16(5), May 12, 2021.