Angela Liddie, Teresa A. Wilkins, Ph.D.

Influence of Spirituality and Religiosity on the Job Satisfaction of Mental Health Workers

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Compassion fatigue and burnout have been widely accepted as occupational hazardous for mental health practitioners.  Thus, the protective factors that mitigate the impact of compassion fatigue and burnout have been broadly explored via quantitative and qualitive research.  These protective factors include self-care, specialized training, and clinical supervision (Collins& Long, 2003; Figley, 2002; Maslach et al., 2001; Sprang et al.,2007).  Spirituality and religiosity, although linked with multiple positive health and psychological outcomes, are often overlooked as potential protective factors for compassion fatigue and burnout.   The present study examined the influence of spirituality and religion on compassion fatigue and burnout within a sample of 37 mental health practitioners.  Utilizing a web-based questionnaire, levels of spirituality and religiosity were obtained via the ASPIRES (Piedmont, 2010) scale; levels of compassion fatigue and burnout were obtained via the ProQOL (Stamm, 2010) instrument; and personality measurements were obtained via the IPIP-50 (Goldberg, 1999) scale.    The data will be analyzed using both correlational and hierarchal regression analyses to determine possible incremental validity of spirituality and religiosity over personality.   The results of the data analysis will be presented with an emphasis on how they will be helpful for pastoral counselors.  Limitations of the present study and implications for further research will be explored as well.

Keywords: Spirituality, religion, compassion fatigue, burnout, mental health practitioners