Determinants of psychological wellbeing among mental health professionals

• Main Authors: Nalipay, Ma.Jenina N., Moderno, Imelu G., Agcaoili, Ma. Suzette, Untalan, John Hermes C., Decatoria, Johnny B.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2009
• Subjects: Mental and Social Health
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/11684
• Institution: De La Salle University

Several researchers have indicated that mental health professionals who are giving psychological services to traumatized clients are likely to experience negative consequences (i.e., compassion fatigue, burnout) and positive ones (i.e., compassion satisfaction) (e.g., Bride, Radey, & Figley, 2007, Craig & Sprang, 2010). Moreover, a number of studies have tried to identify risk and protective factors associated with the psychological outcome of being compassionate to others (e.g., Alkema, Linton, & Davies, 2008, Sprang, Clark, & Whitt-Woosley, 2007). However, only few studies have tackled on how personal disposition (i.e., wellbeing) influences these psychological consequences; and so far, none have utilized Asian population, particularly Filipino mental health professionals. The current study would like to determine if psychological wellbeing influences compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction. In a sample of 213 mental health professionals, results of hierarchical regression indicated that after controlling for sociodemographic variables, compassion fatigue was predicted by low self-acceptance; burnout was predicted by low socioeconomic status and low self-acceptance, and compassion satisfaction was predicted by positive relations with others. The findings of this study would elucidate how psychological wellbeing influences the psychological condition of helping professionals as they continuously serve traumatized population.