Balint in the time of COVID-19: Participant and facilitator experience of virtual Balint groups compared with in-person.

Background: Current literature highlights peer and psychological support as important for staff well-being, to cope in pandemic conditions.

Aims: Our organisation increased Balint group provision during unfamiliar challenges of COVID-19. This unique context allowed comparison of multiple new virtual and face-to-face (F2F) Balint experiences.

Method: Following March 2020 lockdown, four existing Balint groups for doctors in psychiatry moved to online, with two new groups established virtually in specific response to the pandemic. All participants and facilitators of these virtual Balint groups were sent a questionnaire to anonymously rate their experience and provide qualitative feedback.

Results: The response rate was 89% for participants (51 respondents) and 100% for facilitators (5 respondents). Participants found both formats supportive; providing a space to talk, feel heard and validated, helping work feel less stressful. Participant ratings slightly favoured F2F, but some prefer to continue virtually. Facilitators felt virtual attendance was easier, but adherence to conventional Balint group structure and format more difficult.

Conclusions: Participant and facilitator responses demonstrate Balint groups, when both F2F and virtual, were experienced as a source of support and connectivity, being valued across different psychiatry grades. Notable virtual benefits seem to be limited to more practical aspects, that is, time, flexibility, logistics and accessibility. There are expressed challenges of virtual Balint; however, some participants still favour this format going forward. Our findings endorse virtual Balint as a welcomed means of emotional well-being, peer support and developing psychotherapeutic competencies during pandemic-related restrictions, with potential to extend beyond COVID-19.