TY - JOUR
T1 - The psychic costs of empathic engagement
T2 - Personal and demographic predictors of genetic counselor compassion fatigue
AU - Udipi, Sharanya
AU - Veach, Patricia Mc Carthy
AU - Kao, Juihsien
AU - LeRoy, Bonnie S.
PY - 2008/10
Y1 - 2008/10
N2 - Empathic connection with one's patients is essential to genetic counselor clinical practice. However, repeatedly engaging with distressed patients may cause compassion fatigue, a phenomenon characterized as feeling overwhelmed by experiencing patients' suffering. In order to extend findings of an initial qualitative study, we surveyed 222 genetic counselors about their compassion fatigue and factors that predict its occurrence. Multiple regression analysis identified seven significant predictors accounting for 53.7% of the variance in compassion fatigue. Respondents at higher risk of compassion fatigue were more likely to report being burned out, using self-criticism and giving up to manage stress, experiencing a greater variety of distressing clinical events, having larger patient caseloads, relying on religion as a coping strategy, having no children, and seeking support to manage stress. Respondents also provided critical incidents regarding their compassion fatigue and themes in these incidents are described. Practice and research recommendations are provided.
AB - Empathic connection with one's patients is essential to genetic counselor clinical practice. However, repeatedly engaging with distressed patients may cause compassion fatigue, a phenomenon characterized as feeling overwhelmed by experiencing patients' suffering. In order to extend findings of an initial qualitative study, we surveyed 222 genetic counselors about their compassion fatigue and factors that predict its occurrence. Multiple regression analysis identified seven significant predictors accounting for 53.7% of the variance in compassion fatigue. Respondents at higher risk of compassion fatigue were more likely to report being burned out, using self-criticism and giving up to manage stress, experiencing a greater variety of distressing clinical events, having larger patient caseloads, relying on religion as a coping strategy, having no children, and seeking support to manage stress. Respondents also provided critical incidents regarding their compassion fatigue and themes in these incidents are described. Practice and research recommendations are provided.
KW - Burnout
KW - Coping
KW - Countertransference
KW - Empathy
KW - Genetic counselor compassion fatigue
KW - Self-care
KW - Stress
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U2 - 10.1007/s10897-008-9162-3
DO - 10.1007/s10897-008-9162-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 18704664
AN - SCOPUS:54049118748
SN - 1059-7700
VL - 17
SP - 459
EP - 471
JO - Journal of Genetic Counseling
JF - Journal of Genetic Counseling
IS - 5
ER -