Managing the Minefield of Residential Treatment: Protecting Against Burnout and Compassion Fatigue

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to expand on, and attempt to generalize, findings from a previous study (Chadwick & Frey, 2013) by exploring the impact of self-care behaviors, including relationship quality; levels of perceived organizational support; and levels of vicarious resilience on risk of compassion fatigue and risk of burnout in a national sample of professionals working with youth in residential treatment or detention facilities. Participants included 88 professionals between the ages of 18-77 who worked directly with youth in long-term residential treatment or detention facilities. Two multiple regression models were used to analyze the data, with self-care behaviors, relationship quality, perceived organizational support, and vicarious resilience as the predictors for (a) risk of compassion fatigue, and (b) risk of burnout. Findings from the study indicated increased levels of perceived organizational support and self-care behaviors predicted significantly lower risk of compassion fatigue and burnout. These findings can further inform administrators’ understanding of risk and protective factors associated with compassion fatigue and burnout. In addition, this information can be useful in improving staff training and development programs in an effort to further protect against and reduce risk of compassion fatigue and burnout among staff and ultimately lower rates of turnover within agencies.