title: Testing a Model of Functional Impairment in Telephone Crisis Support Workers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is well known that helping professionals experience functional impairment related to elevated symptoms of psychological distress as a result of frequent empathic engagement with distressed others. Whether telephone crisis support workers are impacted in a similar way is not currently reported in the literature.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to test a hypothesized model of factors contributing to functional impairment in telephone crisis support workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A national sample of 210 telephone crisis support workers completed an online survey including measures of emotion regulation, symptoms of general psychological distress and suicidal ideation, intentions to seek help for symptoms, and functional impairment. Structural equation modeling was used to test the fit of the data to the hypothesized model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Goodness-of-fit indices were adequate and supported the interactive effects of emotion regulation, general psychological distress, suicidal ideation, and intentions to seek help for ideation on functional impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results warrant the deliberate management of telephone crisis support workers' impairment through service selection, training, supervision, and professional development strategies. Future research replicating and extending this model will further inform the modification and/or development of strategies to optimize telephone crisis support workers' well-being and delivery of support to callers.
authors.affiliation: 1 School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.|2 Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Taneile A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Kitchingman
authors.affiliation: 2 Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.|3 School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Coralie J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: 1 School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.|4 Centre for Health Initiatives, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caputi
authors.affiliation: 3 School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: 5 Lifeline Research Foundation, Lifeline Australia, Canberra, Australia.|6 Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Woodward
mesh_terms: D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior; D015277:Hotlines; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011363:Professional Impairment / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D059020:Suicidal Ideation
keywords: crisis intervention; functional impairment; helpline; hotline; model development