Transcendent Characteristics as Predictors of Counselor Professional Quality of Life

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon R. Browning ◽  
Ryon C. McDermott ◽  
Marjorie E. Scaffa

Although counselors do meaningful work, they can also experience compassion fatigue as a result of counseling clients. Relatively few studies have focused on how counselors' positive characteristics might contribute to their professional quality of life. This study combined the transcendent constructs of gratitude, hope, and daily spiritual experiences as predictors of counselor burnout and compassion satisfaction. Counselors (N = 98) completed a survey assessing professional quality of life and constructs of gratitude, hope, and daily spiritual experiences. After controlling for demographic variables, simultaneous regression analysis revealed that gratitude and daily spiritual experiences were significant negative predictors for burnout. Older counselors were also less likely to have burnout, highlighting questions about what strengths are developed with age. Hope was the only significant predictor of compassion satisfaction. Results suggest that these predictors are differentially related to aspects of professional quality of life and may hold promise as potential protective factors.

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sedigheh Salimi ◽  
Vahid Pakpour ◽  
Azad Rahmani ◽  
Marian Wilson ◽  
Hossein Feizollahzadeh

Introduction: This study investigated the relationship between compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among Iranian nurses working in critical care units. Method: A cross-sectional, descriptive survey using the Professional Quality of Life instrument was administered to 400 nurses working in the intensive care units of Iranian hospitals. Results: High risk levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress existed among 42% and 96% of participants, respectively. Significant positive relationships were detected between burnout and secondary traumatic stress. An inverse relationship was detected between measures of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction. Discussion: To ensure culturally congruent care, it is important to evaluate professional quality of life within the context of specific cultures and societies. Iranian critical care nurses are at risk for burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Personal self-care and organizational wellness approaches that consider cultural norms should be designed to boost compassion satisfaction and reduce negative effects of stressful work environments.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 463-467
Author(s):  
Zehra Mohsin ◽  
Sarah Shahed ◽  
Talat Sohail

To look into the correlation between demographic variables, perceived social support and professional quality of lifeof nurses in public hospitals. A sample of 160 nurses of age (M=33.48, SD=9.18) was selected from public hospitals of Lahore. The nurses completed a demographic information form, MultidimensionalScale of Perceived Social Supportand Professional Quality of Life Scale. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Two demographic variables, age and experience had significant positive correlation with compassion fatigue, r =.252, n=160, p <.01 and r =.256, n=160, p <.01 respectively. Other demographicvariables i.e. working hours and monthly income had no significant relationship with the subscales of Professional Quality of Life (compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout). Perceived Social Support had a significant correlation with compassion satisfaction, r=.222, n=160, p<.01. It was concluded that the relationship between age, experience and compassion fatigue of nurses was significantly positive. The greater the age and experience of the nurses the more likely they are to have compassion fatigue. Perceived Social Support was related with compassion satisfaction which suggests that nurses’ perception of social support can increase their compassion satisfaction.


2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 32-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara L. Sacco ◽  
Susan M. Ciurzynski ◽  
Megan Elizabeth Harvey ◽  
Gail L. Ingersoll

BACKGROUNDAlthough critical care nurses gain satisfaction from providing compassionate care to patients and patients’ families, the nurses are also at risk for fatigue. The balance between satisfaction and fatigue is considered professional quality of life.OBJECTIVESTo establish the prevalence of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in adult, pediatric, and neonatal critical care nurses and to describe potential contributing demographic, unit, and organizational characteristics.METHODSIn a cross-sectional design, nurses were surveyed by using a demographic questionnaire and the Professional Quality of Life Scale to measure levels of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction.RESULTSNurses (n = 221) reported significant differences in compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue on the basis of sex, age, educational level, unit, acuity, change in nursing management, and major systems change.CONCLUSIONSUnderstanding the elements of professional quality of life can have a positive effect on work environment. The relationship between professional quality of life and the standards for a healthy work environment requires further investigation. Once this relationship is fully understood, interventions to improve this balance can be developed and tested.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S634-S635
Author(s):  
Janelle Beadle ◽  
Julie Blaskewicz Boron ◽  
Julie Masters

Abstract Retaining professional caregivers is an ongoing challenge for home care agencies. Thus, understanding emotional factors associated with caregiver burnout is critical. While professional caregivers are at risk for burnout and loneliness, less is known about how these factors relate to empathy and professional quality of life. Professional caregivers (n=31) currently employed at two U.S. non-skilled home care agencies participated by completing several questionnaires. Surveys included: UCLA Loneliness Scale (loneliness), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (empathy), and the Professional Quality of Life Scale (compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout). Participants were adults (M=56.8, SD=11.5, Range=24-75 years; 90.3% female) who had obtained an Associates degree (education years: M=14.2, SD=1.7). Overall, participants reported average to high levels of loneliness (M=37.5, SD=9.8), and emotional (M=23.2, SD=3.7) and cognitive (M=20.3, SD=4.6) empathy. Caregivers generally reported positive feelings about their work (compassion satisfaction: M=42.8, SD=5.0) and low levels of burnout (M=17.1, SD=4.2). In contrast, they reported relatively high levels of compassion fatigue (M=17.7, SD=4.0). Burnout was positively associated with compassion fatigue (r=.7, p&lt;.001), and loneliness (r=.5, p=.004), whereas a negative association was found between burnout and cognitive empathy (r=-.5, p=.008). Using a linear regression, the associations between compassion fatigue, loneliness, and cognitive empathy were examined in relation to burnout. This model was statistically significant (r2=.72; F change (3,21)=17.8, p&lt;.001), but only compassion fatigue (p=.002) and cognitive empathy (p=.002) were significant predictors of burnout. This study highlights the importance of the contributing role of socioemotional factors to burnout experienced in a professional caregiving setting.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2639
Author(s):  
Olatz Goñi-Balentziaga ◽  
Sergi Vila ◽  
Iván Ortega-Saez ◽  
Oscar Vegas ◽  
Garikoitz Azkona

Many workers contribute to the success of animal welfare and study outcomes in biomedical research. However, the professional quality of life (ProQoL) of those who work with laboratory animals has not been explored in Spain. To this end, we adapted the ProQoL scale to the Spanish population working with laboratory animals. Participants were contacted by email and asked to complete an anonymous on-line questionnaire. The study comprised a total of 498 participants, 12.4% welfare officers/veterinarians, 19.5% caretaker/technicians, 13.9% principal investigators, 20.7% investigators, 13.6% research technicians, and 19.9% PhD students. The adapted scale revealed very good reliability and internal validity, providing information about two different subscales, compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Animal-facility personnel showed higher total ProQoL and compassion-satisfaction scores than researchers; PhD students showed the lowest scores. Thus, our results indicate that job category is a contributing factor in perceived professional quality of life. We observed that compassion satisfaction is negatively associated with the perceived animal stress/pain. Participants reporting poorer compassion satisfaction also reported lower social-support scores. Overall, our ProQoL scale is a useful tool for analyzing the professional quality of life in the Spanish population, and may help to design future interventions to improve workplace wellbeing in Spain and other Spanish-speaking populations.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Astri Eka Wulandari ◽  
F. Sri Susilaningsih ◽  
Irman Somantri

 Nurses need compassion when providing health services. Compassion felt by nurses can be Compassion Satisfaction (positive aspects) and Compassion Fatigue (negative aspects), and may affect nursing care and Nurses’ Professional Quality of Life. The tendency to negative aspects will be felt by the nurses themselves, patients and hospitals. The purpose of this study was to determine the quality of life of professionals (Professional Quality of Life) nurses in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Emergency Room (ER) of the Kota Bandung Hospital. This research was a quantitative descriptive study. Involving 62 nurses from ICU and ER through total sampling technique with a response rate of 97%. Data was collected using Professional Quality of Life (ProQol) version 5 then analyzed with descriptive statistics. The results showed that 20.97% had a positive Professional Quality of Life according to the Stamm combination interpretation while outside of Stamm's interpretation, 32.26% tended to be positive. According to the results of the average score of each sub-variable, Compassion Satisfaction was in the medium category. The highest average score of compassion satisfaction was ICU nurses, the highest secondary traumatic stress was PICU/NICU nurses and the highest average score of burnout was emergency nurses. Hospitals need to conduct regular reviews of nurse Professional Quality of Life and conduct counseling programs for nurses who have ProQol towards negative and risky aspects.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 276-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekah L Scotney ◽  
Deidre McLaughlin ◽  
Helen L Keates

Background: Animal-related occupational stress and compassion fatigue are important issues as they can have a negative impact on employee mental wellbeing, workplace productivity and morale. The impacts of these conditions are notable and have become more recognised by those who are employed in animal-related occupations. Aims: This study aims to investigate the incidence of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue (burnout and secondary traumatic stress) in those working in animal-related occupations using the Professional Quality of Life (ProQoL) Scale. Methods: Data were collected from 229 employees from a range of animal-related occupations using an anonymous self-report survey. Results: Most respondents were employed in veterinary practice (either veterinarians or veterinary nurses/technicians) and 85% of all respondents were female. 42% of participants were between 26 and 35 years of age and, 71% had been working in animal-related occupations between 1 and 10 years. Most participants scored in the mean or top quartile on the compassion satisfaction scale; however, about a quarter reported a score which indicated that they were deriving less satisfaction from their work. Low burnout was reported by 78% of participants; however, 21% of participants had a score which indicated that they were at higher risk of burnout. Low or average symptoms of secondary traumatic stress was reported by 74% of participants; however, 25.8% were at risk of secondary traumatic stress. While most of the surveyed population scored in the mean or top quartile on the compassion satisfaction scale, all of the occupational categories reported experiencing the negative aspects of caring: burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Conclusion: The prevalence of compassion fatigue demonstrated in these results should be a major concern in animal-related occupations and thus, be used as a beneficial, contextualised resource to inform resilience training programmes and preventative strategies specifically targeted towards those working in animal-related occupations.


10.18060/2600 ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 561-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacky T. Thomas

Personal distress is an aspect of the empathy construct which has been negatively associated with a range of psychological and behavioral problems. However, it is unclear whether mindfulness serves to buffer these negative relationships. This study examines direct effects and mediation effects of personal distress and mindfulness among three measures of professional quality of life: compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction. This model was tested using a sample of clinical social workers (n = 171). Results indicated that higher personal distress is significantly associated with higher compassion fatigue and burnout and lower compassion satisfaction, while mindfulness is significantly associated with lower compassion fatigue and burnout and higher compassion satisfaction. Mediation analyses showed significant indirect effects on all three measures of professional quality of life, with effect sizes in the small to moderate range. The indirect effects of mindfulness via the personal distress path accounted for 14-22% of the total effect of mindfulness on the three measures of professional quality of life. Implications for the education and training of social workers are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 315
Author(s):  
Dewa Ayu Inten Purnamasari ◽  
Heryanti Satyadi ◽  
Rostiana Rostiana

Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) is a topic that has been growing for the last 20 years. Stamm is an expert who is developing theoretical concepts and its instrument in 2010. ProQOL explains individual’s perceptions professional quality of life, which consists of two aspects. Compassion Satisfaction (CS) is the positive aspect where someone is able to feel positive feelings such as altruism while working and Compassion Fatigue (CF) is the negative ones, where someone feels uncomfortable which can leads to Burnout and Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) symptoms. Most of study has investigated ProQOL among health caring professional, therefore this study aims to overview ProQOL among special education teachers. Uses quantitative-non experimental design, this study involves 171 special education teachers as participants. Based on the collected data, it shows that individual’s perceptions about the quality of life as a special education teacher tends to be positive. However, this is not necessarily followed by low STS and burnout rates. This study found that around 77% teachers were at moderate to high burnout levels, while 72% also had moderate to high STS levels. Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) merupakan sebuah topik yang sudah berkembang sejak 20 tahun terakhir. Seorang ahli bernama Stamm telah berjasa dalam mengembangkan konsep teoretis ProQOL beserta alat ukurnya pada tahun 2010. ProQOL menjelaskan persepsi individu mengenai kualitas hidup profesionalnya, yang terdiri dari dua aspek. Compassion Satisfaction (CS) merupakan aspek positif dimana individu mampu merasakan perasaan positif, altruisme terkait perkerjaannya dan Compassion Fatigue (CF) yang merupakan aspek negatif, dimana individu merasa tidak nyaman dalam menjalankan pekerjaannya yang berujung pada gejala Burnout dan Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). Oleh karena sebagian besar penelitian mengenai ProQOL telah diteliti pada tenaga profesional kesehatan, penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh gambaran ProQOL pada profesi guru ABK. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kuantitatif non-eksperimental yang melibatkan 171 guru ABK sebagai partisipan. Berdasarkan data yang terkumpul diperoleh bahwa persepsi individu terhadap kualitas hidup profesional sebagai guru ABK cenderung positif. Akan tetapi, hal tersebut tidak serta merta diikuti dengan tingkat burnout dan STS yang rendah. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, sekitar 77% guru ABK berada pada tingkat burnout Sedang-Tinggi dan 72% diantaranya juga memiliki tingkat STS Sedang-Tinggi.


Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Emily Z. Eddy ◽  
Linda Tickle-Degnen ◽  
Mary E. Evenson

BACKGROUND: Occupational therapy practitioners with the simultaneous working role of fieldwork educator support the growth of the profession by supervising students, but little is known about their reported burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction levels, and if specific work characteristics predict those levels. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research was to: 1) assess the current levels of compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout in occupational therapy fieldwork educators through The Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL), and 2) to explore how professional characteristic variables correlate and predict the measured constructs of compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used, and participants were recruited from a convenience sample to complete the ProQOL and a work characteristic questionnaire. RESULTS: On the average, 117 fieldwork educators scored higher on the subscale of compassion satisfaction when compared to those of the normed group. Linear regression analyses revealed that a higher number of roles and greater years working predicted higher compassion satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes to understanding the experiences of fieldwork educators in multiple roles, their reported levels of compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout, and the potential for development of personal, educational and organizational resources to support professional quality of life indicators within the role of fieldwork educator.


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