Breaking the taboo: eight Swedish clinical psychologists’ experiences of compassion fatigue

ABSTRACT

Purpose

The aim of the study was to investigate the participating psychologists’ experiences with compassion fatigue, and to identify individual, interpersonal, and organizational factors and strategies perceived as contributing or protecting in relation to compassion fatigue.

Methods

Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with eight psychologists (three men and five women) with more than five years of experience in clinical practice. The interviews were analyzed with thematic analysis, generating five themes.

Results

These were organizational and task specific factors which the participants felt contributed to their compassion fatigue (“mission impossible” and “emotional strain”), experiences of compassion fatigue (“consequences”), interpersonal factors that were perceived as contributing or protecting (“interpersonal factors”), and individual factors that were perceived as protecting (“shielding and strengthening factors”).

Conclusions

It was found that all of the participants had experienced negative impact of compassion fatigue on their personal lives. A large quantity of patients, and complex patient cases, as well as high expectations on the psychologists were experienced as contributing factors. Collegial support, an empathetic boss, a high degree of agency at work, and fulfiling activities outside of work were experienced as protecting against compassion fatigue.

KEYWORDS:

• Clinical psychologists
• compassion fatigue
• organizational factors
• personal strategies
• semi structured interviews
• Sweden
• thematic analysis

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the participating psychologists.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Malin Norrman Harling

Malin Norrman Harling received her MS in Psychology from Lund University. She is currently working as a clinical psychologist within the Swedish public sector. Her main patient groups include parents that suffer from postpartum and prepartum mental illness, or who require support and counselling regarding parenthood. Her work also includes developmental assessments of preschool children.

Elisabeth Högman

Elisabeth Högman recently received her MS in Psychology from Lund University. She is currently employed as an educational psychologist, and is also self-employed as a consulting organizational psychologist. In her work as an educational psychologist, she works with students who struggle with social, psychological, and other difficulties. Her work also includes supervision and support for the educators surrounding the students.

Elinor Schad

Elinor Schad received her PhD from the Department of Psychology at Lund University. She is a licensed Psychologist and a specialist in Educational Psychology. Dr. Schad’s research centers on the well-being of individuals in the social context of school or work with a focus especially on the way demands and resources interact to shape the individual's life situation. She also serves on the steering board of the advisory committee of science in the Swedish Psychological Association.