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Thesis/Dissertation Information
- Degree Disciplines:
- Education
Notes
- Abstract:
- There is growing clinical and research evidence that psychotherapists who work with traumatized clients have an increased likelihood of experiencing changes in their own psychological functioning. In an effort to describe the psychological injury incurred by the helping professional, Figley (1995) coined the term compassion fatigue. Scientific inquiries regarding compassion fatigue deem it a common outcome in psychotherapy, with clinical and ethical consequences. Yet, within the psychological literature, little has been written about resiliency factors protecting trauma workers from compassion fatigue. The current research study sought to ascertain the protective functions of mindfulness, benevolence, universalism, and compassion satisfaction as a quadratic strategy for mitigating the onset of compassion fatigue. Self-Determination Theory formed the conceptual basis for the present study. The primary research methodologies used in this investigation were correlational analysis and multiple regression. A correlational analysis was used to evaluate whether mindfulness, benevolence, and universalism were associated with the construct of compassion satisfaction among clinicians working with trauma. Additionally, a hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine to what extent special training in trauma, caseload, and years of experience predict compassion satisfaction. The participants were seventy-four clinicians, from various educational backgrounds, who worked with trauma issues. Major findings include a significant relationship between mindfulness and compassion satisfaction; however, the other four correlational analyses found no significant associations between benevolence, universalism, and the constructs of mindfulness and compassion satisfaction. The multiple regression analysis found that special training in trauma and caseload size were significant predictors of compassion satisfaction. Overall, findings supported existing literature linking mindfulness to an increase in well-being, in addition to special trauma training and caseload size as factors predicting compassion satisfaction. In light of this investigation’s outcome, implications for counseling practice and avenues of future research are presented.
- Thesis:
- Thesis (Ph.D.)--Barry University, 2013.
- Bibliography:
- Includes bibliographical references (leaves 134-151).
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- Barry University
- Holding Location:
- Barry University Archives and Special Collections
- Rights Management:
- Copyright Linda D. Freeman. Permission granted to Barry University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
- Resource Identifier:
- RC451.4.P79 F74 2013_FreemanLinda ( BU-Local )
- Classification:
- RC451.4.P79 F74 2013 ( lcc )
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