Prevalence of Compassion Fatigue among Counsellors in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya
Keywords:
Compassion Fatigue, Counsellors
Abstract
Counsellors absorb the emotional pain and trauma of their clients as they deal with their sufferings. This leads to diminished empathy and compassion fatigue. In light of this concern this study aimed at determining the prevalence of compassion fatigue among counsellors in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The study adopted the embedded mixed method approach where the Ex-post facto and phenomenological designs were used. A census was used to obtain the sample of participants where 97 counsellors practicing in Uasin Gishu County participated in the study. Using critical case criteria 5 counsellors were purposively sampled for qualitative approach. Data was collected using the Professional Quality of Life Version 5 (ProQoL-5) and an in-depth interview guide for qualitative data. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS Version 26.0. All the inferential statistics were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study found that the 52.6% of the respondents had low compassion fatigue. The study concluded that compassion fatigue was prevalent among counsellors in Uasin Gishu county though none of the participants recorded high levels of compassion fatigue and therefore recommended that counsellor should be made aware of the risk of compassion fatigue on their wellbeing and the need to employ professional intervention such as clinical supervision as a management strategy.
References
Alharbi, J., Jackson, D., & Usher, K. (2019). Compassion fatigue in critical care nurses. An integrative review of the literature. Saudi medical journal, 40(11), 1087–1097. https://doi.org/10.15537/smj.2019.11.24569
Bell, S., Hopkin, G., & Forrester, A. (2019). Exposure to Traumatic Events and the Experience of Burnout, Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction among Prison Mental Health Staff: An Exploratory Survey. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 40(4), 304–309. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2018.1534911
Figley, C. R. (Ed.). (2002). Treating compassion fatigue. Routledge.
Franza, F., Basta, R., Pellegrino, F., Solomita, B., & Fasano, V. (2020). The Role of Fatigue of Compassion, Burnout and Hopelessness in Healthcare: Experience in the Time of Covid-19 Outbreak. PsychiatriaDanubina, 32, 5.
Franza, F., Buono, G. D., & Pellegrino, F. (2015). Psychiatric Caregiver Stress: Clinical Implications of Compassion Fatigue. 27, 7.
Giordano, A.L., Gorritz, F.B., Kilpatrick, E.P. scoffone C.M. &Lundeen L.A. (2021). Examining Secondary Trauma as a Result of Clients’ Reports of Discrimination. Int J Adv Counselling 43, 19–30 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-020-09411-zality of Life (ProQoL) Scale in a Sample of Child Protection Workers. Journal of traumatic
stress, 32(4), 566–576. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22410.
Kabunga, A., Adina, J., Desiye. M, Shikanga, E. M., &Amapesa, S. (2015). Therapists’ Past Traumatic Experiences, Compassion Fatigue and the Consequent Work Performance: A Case of Professional Therapists in Eldoret, Kenya. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR), Vol 20, 356–364.
Kabunga, A., Mbugua, S. &Makori, G. (2016). Compassion Fatigue: A Study of Psychotherapists’ Demographics in Northern Uganda. International Journal of Academic Research in Psychology, 3(1), Pages 37-48. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARP/v3-i1/2377
Kamau, C. W. (2018). Risk Factors of Compassion Fatigue among Clergy Care providers: A Study of the Full Gospel Church, in Kasarani Sub-County, Nairobi Kenya[Thesis]. http://dspace.pacuniversity.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/1714
Kenya Medical Association. (2020). Official launch of the Kenya Health Professionals Contact Centre. http://kma.co.ke/component/content/article/79-blog/116-kma-covid
Lambros A (2014). Compassion Fatigue: The cost some workers pay for caring.https://theconversation.com/compassion-fatigue-the-cost-some-workers-pay-for-caring-30865.
Mathieu F. (2007). Running on Empty: Compassion Fatigue in Health Professionals. 2007. [Accessed on July 19, 2023]. Available from: http://www.compassionfatigue.org/pages/RunningOnEmpty.pdf
McClure, C. C.(2022). Exploring Reliability and Validity for the Professional Quality of Life Scale. Journal of Social Science Research,18, 45 - 55.
Ministry of Health -Kenya. (2020). Interim-Guidance-on-Continuity-of-Mental-Health-Services-During-The-COVID-19-Pandemic_compressed-2.pdf. https://www.health.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Interim-Guidance-on-Continuity-of-Mental-Health-Services-During-The-Covid-19-Pandemic_compressed-2.pdf
Mirera, N. W. (2017). Personal and Contextual Factors That May Influence Compassion Fatigue as Experienced By Counselors Practicing in Nairobi, Kenya [Thesis, United States International University - Africa]. http://erepo.usiu.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/11732/3537
Monk, L. (2019). Pathways for Healing Compassion Fatigue. CTRI Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute.
Omoaregba, J., Adeyemo, S., Aroyewun, B., & Blessing, U. (2016). Compassion Fatigue and Adopted Coping Strategies of Mental Health Service Providers Working in a Regional Psychiatric Hospital in Nigeria. Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Mental Health, 1. https://doi.org/10.14302/issn.2474-9273.jbtm-16-1195
Ondrejková, N., & Halamová, J. (2022). Prevalence of compassion fatigue among helping professions and relationship to compassion for others, self-compassion and self-criticism. Health & Social Care in the Community, 30, 1680– 1694. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13741
Papazoglou K, Marans S, Keesee T. &Chopko, B. (2020) Police compassion fatigue.FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin 1-9.
Roxas, M.M., David, A.P. &Aruta, J.J.B.R. Compassion, Forgiveness and Subjective Well-Being among Filipino Counseling Professionals. Int J Adv Counselling 41, 272–283 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-019-09374-w
Stamm, B. H. (2009). Professional quality of life: Compassion satisfaction and fatigue. Version 5 (ProQOL). Retrieved from www.ProQOL.org.
Stamm, B.H. (2010). The Concise ProQOL Manual, 2ndEd.Pocatello, ID: ProQOL.org.
Wentzel, D.L &Brysiewicz, P. (2018). A survey of compassion satisfaction, burnout and compassion fatigue in nurses practicing in three oncology departments in Durban, South Africa | Elsevier Enhanced Reader. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijans.2018.03.004
Zhang, L., Zhang, T., Ren, Z., & Jiang, G. (2021). Predicting compassion fatigue among psychological hotline counselors using machine learning techniques. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01776-7
Zhang, B., Li, H., Jin, X., Peng, W., Wong, C. L., &Qiu, D. (2021). Prevalence and factors associated with compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue among Chinese oncology healthcare professionals: A cross-sectional survey. Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursing, 9(3), 153–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjon.2021.12.012
Bell, S., Hopkin, G., & Forrester, A. (2019). Exposure to Traumatic Events and the Experience of Burnout, Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction among Prison Mental Health Staff: An Exploratory Survey. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 40(4), 304–309. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2018.1534911
Figley, C. R. (Ed.). (2002). Treating compassion fatigue. Routledge.
Franza, F., Basta, R., Pellegrino, F., Solomita, B., & Fasano, V. (2020). The Role of Fatigue of Compassion, Burnout and Hopelessness in Healthcare: Experience in the Time of Covid-19 Outbreak. PsychiatriaDanubina, 32, 5.
Franza, F., Buono, G. D., & Pellegrino, F. (2015). Psychiatric Caregiver Stress: Clinical Implications of Compassion Fatigue. 27, 7.
Giordano, A.L., Gorritz, F.B., Kilpatrick, E.P. scoffone C.M. &Lundeen L.A. (2021). Examining Secondary Trauma as a Result of Clients’ Reports of Discrimination. Int J Adv Counselling 43, 19–30 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-020-09411-zality of Life (ProQoL) Scale in a Sample of Child Protection Workers. Journal of traumatic
stress, 32(4), 566–576. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22410.
Kabunga, A., Adina, J., Desiye. M, Shikanga, E. M., &Amapesa, S. (2015). Therapists’ Past Traumatic Experiences, Compassion Fatigue and the Consequent Work Performance: A Case of Professional Therapists in Eldoret, Kenya. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR), Vol 20, 356–364.
Kabunga, A., Mbugua, S. &Makori, G. (2016). Compassion Fatigue: A Study of Psychotherapists’ Demographics in Northern Uganda. International Journal of Academic Research in Psychology, 3(1), Pages 37-48. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARP/v3-i1/2377
Kamau, C. W. (2018). Risk Factors of Compassion Fatigue among Clergy Care providers: A Study of the Full Gospel Church, in Kasarani Sub-County, Nairobi Kenya[Thesis]. http://dspace.pacuniversity.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/1714
Kenya Medical Association. (2020). Official launch of the Kenya Health Professionals Contact Centre. http://kma.co.ke/component/content/article/79-blog/116-kma-covid
Lambros A (2014). Compassion Fatigue: The cost some workers pay for caring.https://theconversation.com/compassion-fatigue-the-cost-some-workers-pay-for-caring-30865.
Mathieu F. (2007). Running on Empty: Compassion Fatigue in Health Professionals. 2007. [Accessed on July 19, 2023]. Available from: http://www.compassionfatigue.org/pages/RunningOnEmpty.pdf
McClure, C. C.(2022). Exploring Reliability and Validity for the Professional Quality of Life Scale. Journal of Social Science Research,18, 45 - 55.
Ministry of Health -Kenya. (2020). Interim-Guidance-on-Continuity-of-Mental-Health-Services-During-The-COVID-19-Pandemic_compressed-2.pdf. https://www.health.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Interim-Guidance-on-Continuity-of-Mental-Health-Services-During-The-Covid-19-Pandemic_compressed-2.pdf
Mirera, N. W. (2017). Personal and Contextual Factors That May Influence Compassion Fatigue as Experienced By Counselors Practicing in Nairobi, Kenya [Thesis, United States International University - Africa]. http://erepo.usiu.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/11732/3537
Monk, L. (2019). Pathways for Healing Compassion Fatigue. CTRI Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute.
Omoaregba, J., Adeyemo, S., Aroyewun, B., & Blessing, U. (2016). Compassion Fatigue and Adopted Coping Strategies of Mental Health Service Providers Working in a Regional Psychiatric Hospital in Nigeria. Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Mental Health, 1. https://doi.org/10.14302/issn.2474-9273.jbtm-16-1195
Ondrejková, N., & Halamová, J. (2022). Prevalence of compassion fatigue among helping professions and relationship to compassion for others, self-compassion and self-criticism. Health & Social Care in the Community, 30, 1680– 1694. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13741
Papazoglou K, Marans S, Keesee T. &Chopko, B. (2020) Police compassion fatigue.FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin 1-9.
Roxas, M.M., David, A.P. &Aruta, J.J.B.R. Compassion, Forgiveness and Subjective Well-Being among Filipino Counseling Professionals. Int J Adv Counselling 41, 272–283 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-019-09374-w
Stamm, B. H. (2009). Professional quality of life: Compassion satisfaction and fatigue. Version 5 (ProQOL). Retrieved from www.ProQOL.org.
Stamm, B.H. (2010). The Concise ProQOL Manual, 2ndEd.Pocatello, ID: ProQOL.org.
Wentzel, D.L &Brysiewicz, P. (2018). A survey of compassion satisfaction, burnout and compassion fatigue in nurses practicing in three oncology departments in Durban, South Africa | Elsevier Enhanced Reader. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijans.2018.03.004
Zhang, L., Zhang, T., Ren, Z., & Jiang, G. (2021). Predicting compassion fatigue among psychological hotline counselors using machine learning techniques. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01776-7
Zhang, B., Li, H., Jin, X., Peng, W., Wong, C. L., &Qiu, D. (2021). Prevalence and factors associated with compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue among Chinese oncology healthcare professionals: A cross-sectional survey. Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursing, 9(3), 153–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjon.2021.12.012
Published
2023-05-18
How to Cite
Kariuki, J. N., Munyua, J. K., & Ogula, P. (2023, May 18). Prevalence of Compassion Fatigue among Counsellors in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. African Journal of Education,Science and Technology, 7(3), Pg 821-825. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.2022/ajest.v7i3.916
Issue
Section
Articles
