Abstract
Background: Compassion fatigue, or the physical, mental, and emotional state experienced by professionals that assist others in distress, has been well documented in several caring professions such as nurses, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians. Until the current study, it has only rarely been examined in police samples despite their high rates of stress and suicide which is a likely result of a depletion of compassion satisfaction, or the pleasure an officer gets from relating to and helping others.Aim: This study documents findings from an ongoing study of compassion fatigue amongst a sample of US urban police officers which suggests the possibility of a future risk for high burnout.Conclusion: Very low levels of compassion fatigue were found in the sampled police officers in comparison to what would be expected from the general population. Where compassion fatigue was found in the sampled police, it was significantly correlated to the level of compassion satisfaction. A potential cause for concern is that the incidence of levels of reported compassion satisfaction were also low in the sample (in the bottom quartile compared to the general population). This suggests a possibility of higher numbers of burnout in the future given the role of compassion satisfaction as a buffer against compassion fatigue in policing.
Highlights
Compassion fatigue for professionals in care-giving careers has long been recognized
Compassion fatigue is a potential compelling consequence for anyone who deals persistently with individuals suffering from depression, addiction, poverty or any combination of circumstances that creates hardship or feelings of despair and helplessness (Turgoose et al, 2017)
This current exploratory study fills the void in understanding of the incidence of compassion fatigue amongst the much under-studied police profession
Summary
Compassion fatigue for professionals in care-giving careers has long been recognized. According to Figley (2002), compassion fatigue is “the cost-of-caring” for those in professions that regularly see and care for others in pain and trauma. Compassion fatigue is a potential compelling consequence for anyone who deals persistently with individuals suffering from depression, addiction, poverty or any combination of circumstances that creates hardship or feelings of despair and helplessness (Turgoose et al, 2017). This current exploratory study fills the void in understanding of the incidence of compassion fatigue amongst the much under-studied police profession. It has only rarely been examined in police samples despite their high rates of stress and suicide which is a likely result of a depletion of compassion satisfaction, or the pleasure an officer gets from relating to and helping others
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