Self-Oriented Empathy and Compassion Fatigue: The Serial Mediation of Dispositional Mindfulness and Counselor’s Self-Efficacy

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the association between self-oriented empathy and compassion fatigue, and examine the potential mediating roles of dispositional mindfulness and the counselor’s self-efficacy. A total of 712 hotline psychological counselors were recruited from the Mental Health Service Platform at Central China Normal University, Ministry of Education during the outbreak of Corona Virus Disease 2019, then were asked to complete the questionnaires measuring self-oriented empathy, compassion fatigue, dispositional mindfulness, and counselor’s self-efficacy. Structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze the possible associations and explore potential mediations. In addition to reporting confidence intervals (CI), we employed a new method named model-based constrained optimization procedure to test hypotheses of indirect effects. Results showed that self-oriented empathy was positively associated with compassion fatigue. Dispositional mindfulness and counselor’s self-efficacy independently and serially mediated the associations between self-oriented empathy and compassion fatigue. The findings of this study confirmed and complemented the etiological and the multi-factor model of compassion fatigue. Moreover, the results indicate that it is useful and necessary to add some training for increasing counselor’s self-efficacy in mindfulness-based interventions in order to decrease compassion fatigue.

Commentary: Self-Oriented Empathy and Compassion Fatigue: The Serial Mediation of Dispositional Mindfulness and Counselor's Self-Efficacy

“…This is apparently different to being overwhelmed to the point of coping badly as implied by the nature of the IRI items. Zhang et al (2021) also found that, "Self-oriented empathy was positively associated with compassion fatigue" (p. 1). This makes absolute sense; personal distress, as measured by the IRI, not self-oriented empathy, is associated with compassion fatigue.…”

“…In summary, the use of the term "self-oriented empathy" in this paper (Zhang et al, 2021) is confusing and the paper would be enhanced if it were re-written to reflect the fact that it is personal distress that is associated with compassion fatigue.…”

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Zhang et al (2021), in their recent article exploring "the association between self-oriented empathy and compassion fatigue" (p. 1) stated that "Compassion fatigue (CF) is an empathetic reaction resulting from frequently witnessing the emotional or physical suffering of others or repeatedly listening to a person suffering from mental or physical dysfunction" (p. 1).If one returns to Davis' original Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) scale development (Davis, 1983), the following is stated about the subscales under consideration, "The Empathic Concern (EC) scale assesses "other-oriented" feelings of sympathy and concern for unfortunate others, and the Personal Distress (PD) scale measures "self-oriented" feelings of personal anxiety and unease in tense interpersonal settings" (p. 114) (emphasis added).

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Predicting compassion fatigue among psychological hotline counselors using machine learning techniques

“…They need to deal with diverse and significant psychological problems of an increasing number of people each day. The heightened level of work pressure may affect their mental health and wellbeing (Zhang et al, 2021). In China, the pandemic also leads to physical and psychological consequences significantly with more than 90-thousand infections and more than 20% Chinese public suffering from mental distress by end of April 2020 (Ren et al, 2020).…”

Assessment of Counseling Self-Efficacy: Validation of the German Counselor Activity Self-Efficacy Scales-Revised

“…Negative relations to physiological stress ( Lannin et al, 2019 ) and positive relations with cognitive flexibility and emotional literacy ( Asude and Zeynep, 2020 ) were also discussed. Additionally, several studies indicated positive relations of CSE with therapeutic and supervisory experience (e.g., Larson et al, 1992 ; Zhang et al, 2020 ). Nevertheless, there have been mixed results concerning counselor performance (e.g., Johnson et al, 1989 ; Larson et al, 1992 ).…”