Initial screening of compassion fatigue in a hospice palliative care team: validation of the silencing response scale

Abstract

Aims and Objectives This study aimed to validate a silencing response scale (SRS) for the initial screening of compassion fatigue in hospice palliative care teams (HPCT) members. Background The silencing response is a defense mechanism that diverts caregivers’ attention from painful and difficult situations. This is an early stage of compassion fatigue. During the silencing response stage, the ability of HPCTs to listen to patients’ requests for assistance decreases, and their professional performance related to tasks and care provision weakens. Design This study with psychometric evaluation was designed to validate the SRS for the initial screening of compassion fatigue among HPCTs. Methods After translation-back translation and content validity indexing, 236 HPCT members working in hospice agencies designated by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare participated in this survey. The data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software. Results The SRS developed in this study is a self-evaluation tool that employs a five-point Likert scale with 16 items: eight for disinterest, four for situation avoidance, and four for fear. The SRS met the criteria for construct, convergent, and criterion validity. The Cronbach's α for the full SRS was .87. Conclusions To ensure HPCT well-being, prevention rather than burnout recovery should be prioritized. The SRS developed in this study can be used to screen for compassion fatigue at an early stage to prevent burnout and severe compassion fatigue among HPCT members.