Abstract
BackgroundThis research presents a short version of the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) scale, one of the most frequently used questionnaires in the arena of applied healthcare investigation. It measures burnout (BO), compassion fatigue (CF), and compassion satisfaction (CS).MethodsA 9-item version of the ProQOL was developed. In Study 1, this short version, which used items from version IV of the ProQOL, was administered to 817 palliative care professionals from Spain, Argentina, and Brazil. In Study 2, the same nine items, but this time from version V of the ProQOL, were administered to 296 Spanish palliative care professionals.ResultsStudy 1: The Short ProQOL showed an adequate internal structure, and invariance across the countries studied (χ2(106) = 185.620 (p < 0.001), CFI = .929, RMSEA = 0.058 [0.044, 0.072], SRMR = 0.081). Argentinians showed higher levels of BO (mean difference = 0.172, p = 0.042, Cohen’s d = 0.168), whereas Brazilians showed higher levels of CF (Mean difference = 0.384, p = 0.002, Cohen’s d = 0.352). Study 2: the Short ProQOL again showed adequate internal structure and reliability (χ2(24) = 134.504 (p < 0.001); CFI = 0.953; RMSEA = 0.126 [0.106, 0.147]; SRMR = 0.063), and was related to coping with death, self-compassion, and self-care.ConclusionsThe Short ProQOL could help facilitate the application of harmonizing measurements and its use for cross-cultural comparisons and occupational health monitoring was satisfactory.
Highlights
In some healthcare areas, professionals are vulnerable to the negative effects of the helping relationship such as compassion fatigue (CF) and burnout (BO), which affect their Professional Quality of Life
Study 1 The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the Short Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) tested in the three samples showed an adequate fit, except for the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), which presented values higher than expected
Regarding the invariance, according to the comparative fit index (CFI), RMSEA, and Standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), the configural model fitted the data adequately and so it was retained as the baseline model
Summary
Professionals are vulnerable to the negative effects of the helping relationship such as compassion fatigue (CF) and burnout (BO), which affect their Professional Quality of Life. Combined with the fact that their patients often have no therapeutic options, healthcare workers usually end up experiencing a consequent sense of failure Over extended periods, this situation can lead health personnel to experience acute stress reactions from emotional overload, as well as other affective pathologies or psychosomatic responses. This research presents a short version of the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) scale, one of the most frequently used questionnaires in the arena of applied healthcare investigation It measures burnout (BO), compassion fatigue (CF), and compassion satisfaction (CS). Studies have shown that BO alone does not explain professionals’ emotional problems from working with individuals who are suffering or are in pain [9, 10] In this context, CF, defined as the negative effects of working with traumatized people [11] has received increasing attention in recent years. CS takes place when exposure to traumatic events produces gratification [12] from the joy that comes from helping others [10]
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