Perceived stress and coping strategies among medical staff in psychiatric wards – a cross-sectional study

Aim. The aim of the study was to assess the overall level of perceived stress and coping strategies among medical personnel working in psychiatric wards, as well as to determine the relationships between these variables and sociodemographic factors and work time. Material and methods. The study was conducted in December 2025 among 121 employees of hospital psychiatric wards in the Łódź Voivodeship. Standardised research tools were used: the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Mini-COPE Inventory for Coping with Stress, and an authorial questionnaire. During the data analysis the significance level was set at α = 0.05. Results. More than half of the respondents (54.6%) experienced a high level of stress, particularly younger individuals, those with higher education, and physicians. The most frequently identified stressors in the context of workplace stress were verbal aggression, the need for rapid responses to emerging circumstances, and the risk of iatrogenic error. Conclusions. Medical staff working in psychiatric wards experience high levels of stress, influenced by demographic and occupational characteristics. Increased stress levels are associated with more frequent use of less adaptive coping strategies. The implementation of training and systemic psychological support is indicated.