The impact of Covid-19 on self-employed female psychologists in the UK

This scoping study reports on the experiences of 41 female self-employed psychologists (or psychologists in private practice) during the first Covid-19 lockdown in the UK. Psychologists are more likely to be female, and unlike employed people, self-employed female psychologists were more likely to be working in lone contexts, and they were unlikely to have had broader organisational and government support available to them. Yet, self-employed female psychologists still made a significant contribution to the UK's response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition to supporting children and adults, they have played an important role in shaping government policy, and in the delivery of mass media campaigns and public health messaging. In view of this, the current scoping study focused on how self-employed female psychologists were fairing during the unprecedented circumstances. How were their needs being met? Responses to open-ended survey questions were qualitatively examined using a thematic analysis approach. Overall, the findings suggest that lockdown has afforded some positive opportunities for self-employed female psychologists in the UK. However, for many, it has also had a detrimental impact on their family relationships, and on their own mental health and wellbeing. The findings indicate that self-employed female psychologists may need a more nuanced approach to mitigate against any long-term negative effects of Covid-19.