title: Burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction among staff in community-based mental health services.
abstract: Providing care to individuals with complex mental health needs can be stressful. However, little research has focused on the emotional, cognitive, and physical consequences of providing mental health care. The aim of this study is to assess burnout (BO), compassion fatigue (CF) and compassion satisfaction (CS) among staff at the four community-based mental health services (CMHS) of Verona, Italy. All staff were asked to complete anonymously the Professional Quality of Life Scale, the General Health Questionnaire, and a socio-demographic questionnaire. In total 260 staff participated (a response rate of 84%). Psychiatrists and social workers were the professionals with the highest levels of BO and CF. Workers with psychological distress reported both higher BO and CF scores, and lower levels of CS. A significant increase in the BO and CF scores was also detected for each extra year spent working in a CMHS. A higher level of CF was associated with female and having been experienced one negative life event in the previous year. These findings are useful for health managers and team leaders to identify factors affecting the professional quality of life of mental healthcare staff, and can provide a rationale for detecting staff at risk for developing negative work-related outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy. alberto.rossi@univr.it
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Gaia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cetrano
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pertile
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rabbi
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Donisi
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grigoletti
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Curtolo
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tansella
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thornicroft
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amaddeo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires