The Effectiveness of Guided Imagery in Treating Compassion Fatigue and Anxiety of Mental Health Workers

Kiley, Kimberly; Sehgal, Ashwini R.; Neth, S.; Dolata, Jacqueline; Pike, Earl C.; Spilsbury, James C.; Albert, Jeffrey M.

doi:10.1093/swr/svx026

Cited by 22 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…In addition, an RCT of mainly mental health social workers ( n = 63), in USA, demonstrated that guided imagery versus taking a break, reduced compassion fatigue through increased sleep quality and decreased anxiety (Kiley et al , 2018).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Compassion in mental health: a literature review

Rooney

2020

MHSI

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Purpose This paper aims to systematically review the current literature on compassion in mental health from a historical, service user and carer (SUAC)/academic researcher perspective with respect to the current paradigm/biomedical model. Design/methodology/approach Searches were conducted in CIANHL Complete, Academic Search Complete, British Education Index, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycArticles, Scorpus, Proquest Central using a simplified PRISM approach. Findings In the UK, the SUAC-movement facilitated the adoption of more compassionate mental health in statutory services. Across the world, compassion-based approaches may be viewed as beneficial, especially to those experiencing a biomedical model “treatment”. Health-care workers, suffering burnout and fatigue during neoliberal economics, benefit from compassion training, both in their practice and personally. Randomised control trials (RCTs) demonstrate compassion-type interventions are effective, given sufficient intervention timing, duration and design methodology. Psychology creates outcome measures of adequacies and deficiencies in compassion, demonstrating their importance statistically, with reservations. The effective protection of mental health by self-compassion in both SUACs and health care professionals is evident. It is clear from qualitative research that SUACs prefer compassionate mental health. It also makes a large difference to mental health in general populations. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are given, including a necessity to fund RCTs comparing compassionate mental health interventions with the biomedical model. Unless statutory mental health services adopt this emerging evidence base, medics and their SUACs will continue to rely on pharmaceuticals. Originality/value This is the first integrated literature review of compassion in mental health from a historical, SUAC/academic researcher viewpoint using all research methodologies.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Compassion in mental health: a literature review

Rooney

2020

MHSI

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“…Compassion fatigue is sometimes referred to in the empathy literature as secondary traumatic stress disorder and is linked to the ability to empathise with the heard stories of trauma (Cuartero & Campos-Vidal, 2019). Like vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue is referred to as a 'consequence of stress' (Kapoulitsas & Corcoran, 2015), or 'stress resulting' (Kiley et al, 2018), and as a predictable and treatable consequence of everyday exposure (Ashley-Binge & Cousins, 2020). Burn-out, however, is defined as "emotional exhaustion, interpersonal disengagement, and a low sense of personal accomplishment", an end point to which vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue may lead (Bohman et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although developed for medical physicians, this framework highlights the reciprocal nature of each domain's effect on the others, as well as identifying where organisational responsibility and individual responsibility intersect. This builds on other holistic models of self-care which include physical and mental strategies, such as getting enough sleep, exercising and eating well (Kanter, 2007), guided imagery (Kiley et al, 2018), practising self-forgiveness (Espeland, 2006) and lifestyle approaches balancing the mind, body and spirit (Stebnicki, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hospital social workers and their understanding of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma

Fox¹,

Hopkins²,

Graves³

et al. 2021

Asian J. Interdiscip. Res.

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Compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma can be a consequence of social work practice in all contexts, including the fast-paced, crisis driven hospital environment. Four metropolitan hospitals collaborated with an academic partner to explore the understanding and awareness that hospital-based social workers have in this area, and to investigate both individual and organisational responsibility. The research utilised a Participatory Action Research methodology with Stage One being a collaboratively developed survey. The results of the survey showed that social workers’ understanding is impacted by their knowledge of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma, the nature of everyday hospital practice, and the identification, provision of, and engagement in personal self-care and workplace support strategies. The findings highlighted the dual responsibility that employing hospitals and individuals have to care for themselves and each other, including the capacity for social workers to use supervision and collegial relationships to support their coping and resilience.

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“…To increase self-care behaviors, Flarity et al (2013) and Weidlich and Ugarriza (2015) used employee education programs to prevent and treat compassion fatigue with demonstrated positive outcomes. Expressive writing, guided imagery, yoga, mindfulness, and music therapy have been shown to reduce compassion fatigue and to increase or sustain compassion satisfaction (Gregory, 2015; Henry, 2014; Hilliard, 2006; Kiley et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Employee Wellness Pilot Program

Kirk

2020

Workplace Health Saf

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Background Mental health professionals caring for the veteran population are at increased risk for compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress based on the nature of their work. While mental health professionals may experience positive outcomes from providing compassionate care to veterans, compassion fatigue can lead to instability of the workforce. Methods A pilot employee wellness program was implemented over a 9-week period, offering a different wellness module weekly during the employee lunch hour. Demographic data were collected pre-program, and mental health employees were surveyed pre- and post-program using an intent to stay scale and the Professional Quality of Life Scale version 5 (ProQOL-5) to measure compassion satisfaction, burn out, and secondary traumatic stress. Findings Pre-program participants ( N = 42) reported significant differences in intent to stay in their current position for the next year compared to the post-program group ( N = 15). Pre-program participants reported no intent to leave their current position, apply for internal or external positions, or retire in the following year. However, post-program participants reported intent to leave their current positions, apply to internal or external positions, or retire. Pre- and post-program compassion satisfaction scores increased and burnout and secondary traumatic stress scores decreased; these scores were not significantly different between groups. Conclusions/Application to Practice While no significant differences were found between ProQOL-5 subscale scores, the change in participants’ scores may indicate some change, potentially as a result of the intervention. This pilot program offered a creative solution to organizations with limited resources to combat occupation-related compassion fatigue.

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The Effectiveness of Guided Imagery in Treating Compassion Fatigue and Anxiety of Mental Health Workers

Cited by 22 publications

References 33 publications

Compassion in mental health: a literature review

Compassion in mental health: a literature review

Hospital social workers and their understanding of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma

Employee Wellness Pilot Program

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