# Self-Dehumanization Is Related to Worse Mental Health in Veterinarians

## TL;DR

Veterinarians who feel less human tend to have worse mental health, including higher depression and anxiety.

## Contribution

The study identifies self-dehumanization as a novel factor linked to poor mental health in veterinarians.

## Key findings

- About 10% of surveyed veterinarians reported self-dehumanization.
- Self-dehumanization was positively linked to depression and anxiety through burnout and secondary traumatic stress.
- Most veterinarians showed clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Veterinarians often experience poor mental health, including higher than typical rates of depression and anxiety. Self-dehumanization, which refers to the feeling of being less than human, may reflect an important yet neglected factor in poor veterinarian mental health. Methods: 201 veterinarians completed an online survey consisting of demographic questions, questions regarding their practice settings, and measures of self-dehumanization, depression, anxiety, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. Results: About 10% of veterinarians reported self-dehumanization. Most veterinarians had clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as moderate levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Burnout and secondary traumatic stress positively predicted anxiety, while burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and self-dehumanization positively predicted depression. Cross-sectional mediation analyses indicated that burnout and secondary traumatic stress both significantly mediated the links between self-dehumanization and anxiety, and self-dehumanization and depression. Conclusions: This study provides new insight into the role of self-dehumanization in the poor mental health of veterinarians, which has implications for the development of preventative measures.