University of Twente Student Theses
Compassion Satisfaction in Crisis Line Volunteers : Determinants of Compassion Satisfaction and its Protective Impact on the Experience of Secondary Traumatic Stress and General Well-Being
Aulkemeyer, M. (2020) Compassion Satisfaction in Crisis Line Volunteers : Determinants of Compassion Satisfaction and its Protective Impact on the Experience of Secondary Traumatic Stress and General Well-Being.
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| Abstract: | Background: Crisis line volunteers encounter traumatic stories and other stressors, endangering their mental health. However, by helping callers, they may accumulate compassion satisfaction which may explain why they continue volunteering. Aims: The present study investigated how much compassion satisfaction crisis line volunteers experience and what its determinants are. Moreover, the protective role of compassion satisfaction for crisis line volunteers’ mental health was examined. The outcomes of this study will inform interventions for improving crisis line volunteers’ mental health and their experience as volunteer helpers. Methods: 563 crisis line volunteers completed a cross-sectional survey. The following variables were measured: Demographics, work-related factors, compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress, mental well-being, job resources (relationships with colleagues, autonomy, training, supervision), and intention to stay. Correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to examine associations of compassion satisfaction with its determinants and potential benefits. Results: Crisis line volunteers had moderate levels of compassion satisfaction (M = 40.9), low levels of secondary traumatic stress (M = 16.4), rather high levels of mental well-being (M = 3.7), and strong intentions to stay. Higher levels of compassion satisfaction were predicted by better relationships with colleagues, better training, and a higher quality of supervision (R² = .132). Moreover, higher levels of compassion satisfaction were significantly associated with less secondary traumatic stress (r = -.14), higher mental well-being (r = .44), and stronger intentions to stay (rs = .40). Conclusion: Compassion satisfaction was identified as a central resource for crisis line volunteers. Future interventions may increase crisis line volunteers’ level of compassion satisfaction by targeting job resources. This may eventually lead to mental health benefits. Mediation analyses are needed to elucidate how job resources may increase compassion satisfaction. Moreover, experimental and longitudinal studies are required to examine if experiencing more compassion satisfaction causally leads to improved mental health. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/81598 |
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