Disaster Responder Self-Care, Self-Compassion, and Protective Factors

Author(s):  
Gargi Roysircar ◽  
Allyssa M. Lanza ◽  
Marie F. Macedonia

The study examined the relationships among resilience, self-care, self-compassion of first responders. In addition, the study assessed the contributions of protective and risk factors to responders' resilience and disaster response competencies. Five research hypotheses and three research questions were examined with Pearson r correlations, multiple regressions, one t-test, one MANOVA, and post hoc tests, showing significant and meaningful results. In addition, the internal consistency reliabilities of the DRCQ scales were investigated which were strong to very strong. It was hypothesized and shown that there were significant positive relationships among self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. A second hypothesis was retained that the two dimensions of self-care (i.e., self-care practices and physical safety) were predictors of self-compassion. Responders who consciously observed self-care practices fostered and strengthened self-compassion and vice versa.

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hemavathi Dasappa ◽  
Shankar Prasad ◽  
M Sirisha ◽  
SV. N Ratna Prasanna ◽  
Shruthi Naik

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia H. Fiebig ◽  
Evelyn R. Gould ◽  
Siri Ming ◽  
Rebecca A. Watson

The emergence of COVID-19 resulted in a sudden, unprecedented change in context that impacted the way behavior analysts live and work worldwide. Any rapidly shifting context requires behavioral flexibility, in addition to the acquisition of new skills and access to resources that foster resilience in the face of practical challenges and uncertainty about the future. Behavior analysts (particularly novice practitioners) may already be vulnerable to burn-out (Plantiveau et al., 2018), and in need of greater support to adopt protective self-care practices. Such practices will enable them to continue providing effective services to distressed families, while navigating their own challenges. This paper seeks to offer behavior analysts some tools and practices drawn from the work of contextual behavior scientists that can promote well-being and resilience. This includes strategies for clarifying and committing to an overarching value of self-care, acting congruently with personal and professional values across many domains of living, and practicing self-compassion in the process.


Author(s):  
Jason T. Hotchkiss ◽  
Ruth Lesher

This study predicted Burnout from the self-care practices, compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress, and organizational factors among chaplains who participated from all 50 states (N = 534). A hierarchical regression model indicated that the combined effect of compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress, mindful self-care, demographic, and organizational factors explained 83.2% of the variance in Burnout. Chaplains serving in a hospital were slightly more at risk for Burnout than those in hospice or other settings. Organizational factors that most predicted Burnout were feeling bogged down by the “system” (25.7%) and an overwhelming caseload (19.9%). Each self-care category was a statistically significant protective factor against Burnout risk. The strongest protective factors against Burnout in order of strength were self-compassion and purpose, supportive structure, mindful self-awareness, mindful relaxation, supportive relationships, and physical care. For secondary traumatic stress, supportive structure, mindful self-awareness, and self-compassion and purpose were the strongest protective factors. Chaplains who engaged in multiple and frequent self-care strategies experienced higher professional quality of life and low Burnout risk. In the chaplain’s journey toward wellness, a reflective practice of feeling good about doing good and mindful self-care are vital. The significance, implications, and limitations of the study were discussed.


Crisis ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maila Upanne

This study monitored the evolution of psychologists' (n = 31) conceptions of suicide prevention over the 9-year course of the National Suicide Prevention Project in Finland and assessed the feasibility of the theoretical model for analyzing suicide prevention developed in earlier studies [ Upanne, 1999a , b ]. The study was formulated as a retrospective self-assessment where participants compared their earlier descriptions of suicide prevention with their current views. The changes in conceptions were analyzed and interpreted using both the model and the explanations given by the subjects themselves. The analysis proved the model to be a useful framework for revealing the essential features of prevention. The results showed that the freely-formulated ideas on prevention were more comprehensive than those evolved in practical work. Compared to the earlier findings, the conceptions among the group had shifted toward emphasizing a curative approach and the significance of individual risk factors. In particular, greater priority was focused on the acute suicide risk phase as a preventive target. Nonetheless, the overall structure of prevention ideology remained comprehensive and multifactorial, stressing multistage influencing. Promotive aims (protective factors) also remained part of the prevention paradigm. Practical working experiences enhanced the psychologists' sense of the difficulties of suicide prevention as well as their criticism and feeling of powerlessness.


Crisis ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sami Hamdan ◽  
Nadine Melhem ◽  
Israel Orbach ◽  
Ilana Farbstein ◽  
Mohammad El-Haib ◽  
...  

Background: Relatively little is known about the role of protective factors in an Arab population in the presence of suicidal risk factors. Aims: To examine the role of protective factors in a subsample of in large Arab Kindred participants in the presence of suicidal risk factors. Methods: We assessed protective and risk factors in a sample of 64 participants (16 suicidal and 48 nonsuicidal) between 15 and 55 years of age, using a comprehensive structured psychiatric interview, the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), self-reported depression, anxiety, hopelessness, impulsivity, hostility, and suicidal behavior in first-degree and second-relatives. We also used the Religiosity Questionnaire and suicide attitude (SUIATT) and multidimensional perceived support scale. Results: Suicidal as opposed to nonsuicidal participants were more likely to have a lifetime history of major depressive disorder (MDD) (68.8% vs. 22.9% χ2 = 11.17, p = .001), an anxiety disorder (87.5% vs. 22.9, χ2 = 21.02, p < .001), or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (25% vs. 0.0%, Fisher’s, p = .003). Individuals who are otherwise at high risk for suicidality have a much lower risk when they experience higher perceived social support (3.31 ± 1.36 vs. 4.96 ± 1.40, t = 4.10, df = 62, p < .001), and they have the view that suicide is somehow unacceptable (1.83 ± .10 vs. 1.89 ± .07, t = 2.76, df = 60, p = .008). Conclusions: Taken together with other studies, these data suggest that the augmentation of protective factors could play a very important role in the prevention of incidental and recurrent suicidal behavior in Arab populations, where suicidal behavior in increasing rapidly.


2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gargi Roysircar-Sodowsky ◽  
Michael D. Brodeur ◽  
Josefina Irigoyen
Keyword(s):  

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