The Role of Emotion Regulation as a Potential Mediator between Secondary Traumatic Stress, Burnout, and Compassion Satisfaction in Professionals Working in the Forced Migration Field.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023;
20:2266. [PMID:
36767632 PMCID:
PMC9915968 DOI:
10.3390/ijerph20032266]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Professionals working with refugees are vicariously exposed to complex traumatic experiences lived by forced migrants, which can lead to the risk of developing secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and a poor compassion satisfaction. The current study aimed to explore the effects of secondary traumatic stress on burnout and compassion satisfaction in 264 Italian professionals working with refugees and forced migrants. Moreover, it examined the mediating role of emotion regulation between secondary traumatic stress and both burnout and compassion satisfaction.
METHODS
A structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to test the hypothesis.
RESULTS
The results showed that increased levels of secondary traumatic stress were associated with an increase of burnout both directly and indirectly through the mediation of emotion regulation. Emotion regulation also totally mediated the relationship between secondary traumatic stress and compassion satisfaction.
CONCLUSIONS
The results suggested that prevention or interventions programs targeting emotion regulation might be important to improve the professional quality of life of operators working with refugees and forced migrants.
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