The DOI matches its Crossref record; 13 of the 13 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Compassion fatigue: Psychotherapists’ chronic lack of self care.
Abstract
Psychotherapists who work with the chronic illness tend to disregard their own self-care needs when focusing on the needs of clients. The article discusses the concept of compassion fatigue, a form of caregiver burnout among psychotherapists and contrasts it with simple burnout and countertransference. It includes a multi-factor model of compassion fatigue that emphasizes the costs of caring, empathy, and emotional investment in helping the suffering. The model suggests that psychotherapists that limiting compassion stress, dealing with traumatic memories, and more effectively managing case loads are effective ways of avoiding compassion fatigue. The model also suggests that, to limit compassion stress, psychotherapists with chronic illness need to development methods for both enhancing satisfaction and learning to separate from the work emotionally and physically in order to feel renewed. A case study illustrates how to help someone with compassion fatigue.
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“which in turn is associated with a range of adverse outcomes including poor job satisfaction, absenteeism and poor patient care [27, 28].”
From Interventions to address empathy-based stress in mental health workers: A scoping review and research agenda (2024) · cites this paper as [27]
In the citing paper
“Because of the emotional strain involved in caring for others, people in helping professions can often experience counselor burnout, compassion fatigue, and even Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder (STSD) as a result of setting aside their own self-care needs when helping others (Figley 2002; Collins and Long 2003; Linton and O'Halloran 2000; Bruns et al. 2014).”
From Counselor Self-care and Mindfulness (2017) · cites this paper as Figley 2002
In the citing paper
“Therapists suffering from compassion fatigue tend to make more mistakes with their clients (Figley 2002)”
From Counselor Self-care and Mindfulness (2017) · cites this paper as Figley 2002
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Hong, S., & Wang, Z. (2024) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-73666-4 · Cited by 7
“In addition, the significant mediating role of core self-evaluation suggests the need for interventions to improve counselors’ self-perceptions and self-worth to alleviate compassion fatigue 2 .”
BackgroundLipsa, J. M., Rajkumar, E., Gopi, A., & Romate, J. (2024) · Journal of Occupational Health · doi:10.1093/joccuh/uiae061 · Cited by 8
Jia, W., Zhang, Z., Zhang, Q., Chen, X., Fang, J., & Cao, H. (2025) · Journal of Advanced Nursing · doi:10.1111/jan.16725 · Cited by 7
Watson, T., Waters, R., Watts, L., & Hodgson, D. (2025) · Qualitative Health Research · doi:10.1177/10497323251331460 · Cited by 12
“Similarly, Figley (2002) cites research conducted in Australia, where 54.8% of surveyed mental health professionals reported distress, and 35.1% described themselves as “ extremely emotionally drained ” (p. 1435).”
InfluentialKumaresan, A., Sebastian, N., Suganthirababu, P., Srinivasan, V., Vishnuram, S., Kumar, P., Jayaraj, V., Alagesan, J., Prathap, L., & Kandakurti, P. K. (2022) · Work · doi:10.3233/wor-220051 · Cited by 7
“Burnout is often felt as emotional fatigue, deper-sonalization, and a diminished sense of personal achievements [9].”
Exploring Compassion Fatigue and Community Care in Student Affairs
Perez, R. J., & Bettencourt, G. M. (2023) · NASPA Journal · doi:10.1080/19496591.2023.2176774 · Cited by 7
“Emerging from the field of traumatology, compassion fatigue (Figley, 1995, 2002; Gerard, 2017) refers to the secondary stress, fatigue, and/or trauma that those in helping professions may experience after demonstrating care and empathy for others in stressful situations.”
BackgroundInfluentialCordova, S., Altieri, V., McCarthy, J., & Diehl, R. (2023) · Journal of Physical Education Recreation & Dance · doi:10.1080/07303084.2023.2221711 · Cited by 10
Unveiling the burden of compassion fatigue in nurses
Taşdemir, H. İ., Aydın, R., Ergezen, F. D., Taşdemir, D., & Ergezen, Y. (2023) · Nursing Ethics · doi:10.1177/09697330231200571 · Cited by 7
The effect of top-down attention on empathy fatigue
Shao, M., Li, L., Li, X., Wei, Z., Wang, J., Hong, M., Liu, X., & Meng, J. (2023) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bhad441 · Cited by 7
Compassionate Care: A Qualitative Exploration of Nurses’ Inner Resources in the Face of Burnout
Flowers, S.-L. D., Guillén-Solà, M., Sansó, N., & Galiana, L. (2024) · Nursing Reports · doi:10.3390/nursrep14010006 · Cited by 8
“Compassion is considered to be a foundational element of nursing [39–41] and is highly valued by patients [42], yet it is one of the first elements to be whittled away by the heavy burden of work-induced stress [43,44].”
BackgroundSteenekamp, B., & Barker, S. L. (2024) · Community Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1007/s10597-024-01234-1 · Cited by 7
“Moreover, the participants were further affected when they were dealing with their own personal struggles at the same time, supporting the finding by Figley ( 2002) that life disruptions can influence compassion fatigue.”
ResultReactivity and stability in facial expressions as an indicator of therapeutic alliance strength
Tal, S., Sela, T. B.-D., Dolev‐Amit, T., Hel-Or, H. Z., & Zilcha‐Mano, S. (2024) · Psychotherapy Research · doi:10.1080/10503307.2024.2311777 · Cited by 7
“Thera-pist disengagement was suggested in the literature both as a possible result of emotional burnout (Del-gadillo et al., 2018), and as a necessary self-care measure for therapists to prevent a state of emotional burnout (Figley, 2002).”
Burnout and Resiliency Among Advanced Practice Providers in Oncology Care
Baugh, A., Reiser, V. L., Zhao, J., Klein, S. J., & Rosenzweig, M. Q. (2024) · Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology · doi:10.6004/jadpro.2024.15.2.2 · Cited by 9
Constructing a World for Compassion: How Temporal Work Can Preserve Compassion in Extreme Contexts
del Rio, M. D., Fernandez, P. D., Martí, I., & Willi, A. (2024) · Journal of Management Studies · doi:10.1111/joms.13087 · Cited by 9
The Influence of Preschool Teachers’ Social Skills on Job Burnout: A Moderated Mediation Model
He, Y., Yu, X., Xia, Y., & Cao, Y. (2024) · International Journal of Mental Health Promotion · doi:10.32604/ijmhp.2024.051909 · Cited by 10
Compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and coping strategies of mental health professionals
Kumar, K., Ponnuchamy, L., Anand, N., Ganjekar, S., Majhi, G., & Prakash, P. (2024) · Industrial Psychiatry Journal · doi:10.4103/ipj.ipj_63_24 · Cited by 8
“…of STS. [10] STS can negatively impact work performance and family connectivity and high levels of depersonalization with aging among MHPs. [11] Therapists with increased caseloads, lesser professional experience, and increased interaction with child abuse-related clients and youth…”
Harbuzova, V. Y., ULUNOVA, A., & Mynenko, S. V. (2024) · Eastern Ukrainian Medical Journal · doi:10.21272/eumj.2024;12(3):492-504 · Cited by 7
Constructing an empathy education system: Values, principles, and approaches
Jia, K., Kang, R., Wang, Y., Ma, L., & Xiu-li, L. (2024) · Journal of Moral Education · doi:10.1080/03057240.2024.2416686 · Cited by 31
“In particular, when there is a close relationship between the subject and object, experiencing empathy can increase the ‘cost of care’ (Figley, 2002).”
Train, K. J., & Butler, N. (2013) · African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine · doi:10.4102/phcfm.v5i1.497 · Cited by 7
Dursun, O. B., Şener, M. T., Esin, İ. S., Ançı, Y., & Sapmaz, Ş. Y. (2014) · Journal of Trauma & Dissociation · doi:10.1080/15299732.2014.912713 · Cited by 7
“Although helping such people overcome the negative effects of trauma is deeply meaningful and rewarding, it comes at the cost of being exposed to traumatic events as part of a daily routine (Figley, 2002).”
BackgroundUsing art to illuminate social workers’ stress
Huss, E., & Hafford-Letchfield, T. (2018) · Journal of Social Work · doi:10.1177/1468017318792954 · Cited by 5
“Burnout may give rise to a sense of detachment and avoidance behaviours used to protect the person (Figley, 2002).”
BackgroundRecognizing Compassion Fatigue, Vicarious Trauma, and Burnout
Forrest, L. F., Abdurrahman, M., & Ritsma, A. (2020) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-45627-6_10 · Cited by 8
Changes to the genetic counseling workforce as a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic
MacFarlane, I. M., Johnson, A., & Zierhut, H. A. (2021) · Journal of Genetic Counseling · doi:10.1002/jgc4.1488 · Cited by 7
Dalton, A. (2021) · International Anesthesiology Clinics · doi:10.1097/aia.0000000000000335 · Cited by 7
“Compassion fatigue has even been considered a form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or secondary victim trauma.(35) Hallmarks of compassion fatigue mirror those of PTSD, with symptoms of hypervigilance, hyperarousal, sleep disturbances, and avoidance.”
BackgroundPolice Resilience as a Multilevel Balance: Needs and Resources for Victim Support Officers
Ruiz, I. E. D., Rué, A., & Jubany, O. (2022) · Police Quarterly · doi:10.1177/10986111221111322 · Cited by 7
“As such, a combination of individual, interpersonal, and organizational factors may provide a series of mediating factors such as those identified by Figley (2002), among which we may highlight empathetic ability and response, exposition to other people’s traumas, compassion-led stress, degree of…”
BackgroundOdacı, N., & Kalanlar, B. (2022) · Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Dergisi · doi:10.48071/sbuhemsirelik.1131272 · Cited by 7
Bibliometric Analysis of the Scientific Production on Compassion Fatigue
Sousa, L., Ferreira, B. A. M., Silva, P. A. M. D., Tomás, M. A. R., JOSÉ, H. M. G., Garcia-Navarro, E. B., & Ortega‐Galán, Á. M. (2022) · Journal of Personalized Medicine · doi:10.3390/jpm12101574 · Cited by 7
“Compassion fatigue is defined as a decreased ability or interest in supporting the suffering of others [23].”
BackgroundIs Self-Care Sustainable Without Structural Support? A Systematic Review of Self-Care Interventions
Ka’apu, K., McKinley, C. E., & Barks, L. (2023) · Research on Social Work Practice · doi:10.1177/10497315231208701 · Cited by 11
“Well-established research has demonstrated how role overload, chronically high-stressed workplaces, and burnout drive the need for self-care (Bride, 2007; Figley, 1995, 2002; Pyles, 2020).”
The Influential Factors on Compassion Fatigue in Hospital Nurses
Lee, H. J., & Min, H. S. (2014) · Journal of muscle and joint health · doi:10.5953/jmjh.2014.21.3.236 · Cited by 7
“그러나 소진이 전반적인 업무환경으로 인한 지속적이고 과도한 스트레스에 의해 발생하는 것(Robins, Meltzer, & Zelikovsky, 2009)과 달리 공감피로는 외 상 후 스트레스에 단 한 번의 노출로도 나타날 수 있으며(Figley, 2002), 특정 주요사건에 대한 스트레스가 지속되어 발 생하는 공감피로는 결과적으로 소진에 영향을 미친다고 하였 다(Figley, 1995; Robins et al., 2009).”
ÇOCUK ŞUBE MÜDÜRLÜĞÜNDE ÇALIŞAN POLİS MEMURLARININ İKİNCİL TRAVMATİK STRES DÜZEYLERİNİN İNCELENMESİ
Tansel, B., Tunc, A., & Gündoğdu, M. (2016) · Hitit Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi · doi:10.17218/husbed.87035 · Cited by 5
“Figley, 2002:1435).”
BackgroundInfluentialImpact of Repeated Questioning on Interviewers: Learning From a Forensic Interview Training Project
Duron, J. F., & Cheung, M. (2016) · Journal of Child Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1080/10538712.2016.1161687 · Cited by 7
“Compassion fatigue can be understood as a reaction to STS that includes a “state of tension and preoccupation with the traumatized patients” that reduces the professional’s capacity for or interest in helping patients (Figley, 2002, pp.1434–1435).”
BackgroundCare of professional caregivers
Sabo, B., & Vachon, M. L. S. (2011) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-1-4377-1015-1.00056-4 · Cited by 8
Lee, J., Kim, S., Bae, K., Kim, J., Shin, I., & Yoon, J. (2017) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.07.005 · Cited by 7
Russell, M. C., & Cowan, J. G. (2018) · Challenges · doi:10.3390/challe9010007 · Cited by 9
“In exploring the potential etiology of STS, Figley proposed a ten-factor causal model that addressed risk for STS across cognitive and emotional factors including the therapist’s empathetic ability, concern, response, and exposure to explain STS experiences among those in helping professions [37].”
BackgroundWilliamson, D. (2019) · Journal of Addictions Nursing · doi:10.1097/jan.0000000000000263 · Cited by 7
FATIGUE DE COMPASSION, FATIGUE DE DIVERSITÉ: l’œuf ou la poule?
Côté, D., & Dubé, J. (2019) · Periferia · doi:10.12957/periferia.2019.40407 · Cited by 3
“La répétition de certaines situations d’interventions chargées sur le plan émotionnel peut entraîner ou favoriser une fatigue de compassion chez l’intervenant et saturer ou compromettre la relation thérapeutique (Figley, 2002; Sabo, 2006; Mathieu, 2012).”
BackgroundWhiting, R. (2020) · Social Work Education · doi:10.1080/02615479.2020.1771299 · Cited by 7
“A review of the recent literature on compassion in social work and related health care professions shows that it is a concept that has some currency but also that it is usually considered in two particular ways, in terms of self-compassion (Gustin and Wagner, 2013; Germer and Neff, 2013; Raab, 2014) often associated w…”
BackgroundExploring empathy in genetic counseling students and new genetic counselors
Richards, J. L., Petty, E. M., & Zelenski, A. B. (2020) · Journal of Genetic Counseling · doi:10.1002/jgc4.1321 · Cited by 7
“Yes 183 18.3 5.50 .600 20.5 3.66 .752 22 3.69 .788 9.89 4.37 .848 No 98 17.9 5.46 20.7 3.91 22.1 3.37 9.99 4.33 due to repeated exposure to distressed patients (Figley, 2002).”
InfluentialSwezey, S. (2013) · UKnowledge (University of Kentucky) · Cited by 7
Conflicts and con-fusions confounding compassion in acute care: Creating dialogical moral space
Jones, J., Strube, P., Mitchell, M. L., & Henderson, A. J. (2017) · Nursing Ethics · doi:10.1177/0969733017693470 · Cited by 7
Play therapists’ perceptions of wellness and self-care practices.
Meany-Walen, K., Cobie-Nuss, A., Eittreim, E., Teeling, S., Wilson, S., & Xander, C. (2018) · International Journal of Play Therapy · doi:10.1037/pla0000067 · Cited by 7
Working with Providers and Healthcare Systems Experiencing Compassion Fatigue and Burnout
Lamson, A. L. S., Meadors, P. L., & Mendenhall, T. J. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-03482-9_7 · Cited by 6
Wood, R. P., Taylor‐Stokes, G., Smith, F., Chirita, O., & Chaib, C. (2018) · Journal of Clinical Oncology · doi:10.1200/jco.2018.36.7_suppl.149 · Cited by 7
Promoting conscious competence by introducing mindfulness to social work students
Howie, J., Innes, D., & Harvey, P. (2016) · The Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning · doi:10.1921/jpts.v14i1.886 · Cited by 6
Therapist self-compassion and compassion fatigue: the mediating role of resilience
Ruiz-Aranda, D., García-Silva, B., & Fenollar, J. (2024) · Anales de Psicología · doi:10.6018/analesps.561691 · Cited by 6
“As a prior study suggested (Figley, 2002), both self-compassion and secondary traumatic stress could be mediated by other variables such as empathic ability, the therapist's traumatic memories, or disengagement (understood as the ability of psychotherapists to distance themselves between sessions…”
BackgroundChen, F., Ge, Y., Zhang, Y., Song, S., & Xu, W. (2025) · Psychology in the Schools · doi:10.1002/pits.23419 · Cited by 6
“When empathic stress accumulates to a critical level, it exerts a detrimental impact on the perceivers, resulting in compassion fatigue (Figley 2002).”
InfluentialAdwi, M., Abdellatif, N., Sadek, I., & Elsheikh, M. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1522092 · Cited by 6
“These shared symptoms include hyperarousal, re-experiencing the traumatic events, social withdrawal, depression, and anxiety (Akinsulure-Smith et al., 2018; Connorton et al., 2012; Figley, 2002).”
Rozmiarek, D., & Crepeau‐Hobson, F. (2022) · Contemporary School Psychology · doi:10.1007/s40688-022-00440-6 · Cited by 6
“An integral part of the definition of compassion fatigue is the presence of secondary traumatic stress (STS; Devilly et al., 2009; Figley, 2002), as well as burnout (Devilly et al., 2009).”
InfluentialWallace, W. C., & County, K. (2023) · Journal of Aggression Maltreatment & Trauma · doi:10.1080/10926771.2023.2228236 · Cited by 10
“McCann and Pearlman (1990), Figley (2002) and Bober et al. (2006) also submitted that engagement with non-research related activities is an important coping strategy to manage VT.”
BackgroundUnknown Aspect of Compassion Fatigue in Family Caregivers of Elderly: A Phenomenological Study
Ceylantekin, Y., Kaya, Ş. D., & Cingil, D. (2023) · OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying · doi:10.1177/00302228231184752 · Cited by 6
“According to Figley, compassion fatigue emerges due to change of caregiver ’ s ability to empathize with the stress encountered during caregiving.”
Clergy and Compassionate Leadership: A Tightrope of Fatigue and Satisfaction During COVID-19
Sedivy-Benton, A. L., & Girdley, A. P. (2023) · Journal of Psychology and Theology · doi:10.1177/00916471231182735 · Cited by 9
“Figley (2002b) and Stamm (2002) admonished the importance of SC in combating CF and promoting CS.”
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Combatting Compassion Fatigue With Mindfulness
Maley, M. (2018) · Journal of Doctoral Nursing Practice · doi:10.1891/2380-9418.11.1.52 · Cited by 6
Grebe, A. M. (2018) · Advances in medical technologies and clinical practice book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-5981-8.ch003 · Cited by 5
What Does Self-Care Look like for Online Graduate Mental Health Counseling Students?
Sanders, N. M. A., Vincenzes, K. A., & Forziat‐Pytel, K. (2019) · Journal of Creativity in Mental Health · doi:10.1080/15401383.2019.1639236 · Cited by 6
Social Workers’ Encounters with Elder Abuse and Neglect: Giving Meaning to Their Experiences
Band‐Winterstein, T., Goldblatt, H., & Alon, S. (2020) · The British Journal of Social Work · doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcaa165 · Cited by 6
Tolonen, I., Saarinen, A. I. L., Keltikangas‐Järvinen, L., Siira, V., Kähönen, M. A. P., & Hintsanen, M. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.730188 · Cited by 8
“For some time now, there has been discussion about the “cost of caring” for those in the helping professions (e.g., nurses, firefighters, police, and therapists) and a call for stress management and self-soothing techniques (Figley, 2002).”
BackgroundBuzdağının Görünmeyen Yüzü: Hemşirelerde Merhamet Yorgunluğu
KIRÇI, T., & Kızıler, E. (2021) · Türkiye Sağlık Bilimleri ve Araştırmaları Dergisi · doi:10.51536/tusbad.902971 · Cited by 7
Secondary traumatic stress among police officers – the relationship with personality and ruminations
Ogińska-Bulik, N. J., Bąk, G., & Michalska, P. (2022) · Current Issues in Personality Psychology · doi:10.5114/cipp.2021.112335 · Cited by 10
“Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is described as the emotional and behavioural consequences experienced by person after gaining knowledge about the individual’s stressful situation (Figley, 1995, 2002).”
BackgroundPost-traumatic Stress Disorder
Maercker, A. R. A., & Augsburger, M. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-64057-9_2 · Cited by 6
Compassion Fatigue in Informal Caregivers of Children with Cancer; a Section from Turkey
Orbay, İ., Baydur, H., & Uçan, G. (2022) · Social Work in Public Health · doi:10.1080/19371918.2022.2085837 · Cited by 6
“Empathic behavior emerges when the caregiver experiences emotional energy due to his or her direct exposure to the patient and the patient’s suffering (Figley, 2002).”
BackgroundSantos, L., Ferreira, A., da Silva, D. R., Pinheiro, M. D. R., & Rijo, D. (2022) · Residential Treatment for Children & Youth · doi:10.1080/0886571x.2022.2073940 · Cited by 6
“In addition, professionals who care for children and youth with the same age of their own child, may become overinvolved, due to identification and countertransference processes, which may serve as a source of occupational stress (Figley, 2002; Gibbons et al., 2011).”
BackgroundSlovinsky, T., & Brubaker, S. J. (2022) · Violence and Victims · doi:10.1891/vv-2021-0060 · Cited by 6
Kranke, D. A., Mudoh, Y., Gioia, D., Solorzano, E., & Dobalian, A. (2023) · Journal of Social Service Research · doi:10.1080/01488376.2023.2167899 · Cited by 6
“clients (Figley, 2002). Beder et al. (2012) explored compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout in a survey of 535 VA social workers with 80% reporting that their work was in outpatient settings.”
BackgroundFerns, A., Roebuck, B. S., McGlinchey, D., Sattler, P., Scott, H., Killian, K. D., Bedard, T., Boileau, A., Tague, C., & Thompson, K. (2023) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0283474 · Cited by 8
Cartee, J. L. (2023) · Communication Education · doi:10.1080/03634523.2023.2207029 · Cited by 6
“University faculty and administrators may experience self-satisfaction when assisting students with circumstances that necessitate action to relieve stress on behalf of students; however, in these extra acts of servitude, these same leadership figures and instructors potentially encounter compassion fatigue (Figley, 2…”
BackgroundTrauma-Informed Legal Education: Rejecting the Stigma in Caring for Self, Client and Workplace
James, C. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-27654-5_12 · Cited by 6
Ferro, L., Cariello, M., Colombesi, A., Adduci, C., Centonze, E., Baccini, G., & Cristofanelli, S. (2023) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph21010051 · Cited by 6
“…caused by constant contact with the pain of others, a state of tension and worry characterized by symptomatology reminiscent of post-traumatic stress disorder, which can manifest itself in those who are frequently exposed to the suffering and narrative of the traumatic experiences of others [22].”
BackgroundMalik, L. (2024) · Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies · doi:10.4103/jacs.jacs_139_23 · Cited by 7
Contextualizing Not-Knowing: Terminology and the Role of Professional Identity
Anderson-Nathe, B. (2008) · Child & Youth Services · doi:10.1080/01459350802156532 · Cited by 6
“In his discussion of managing compassion fatigue to prevent burnout, for instance, Figley (2002) has suggested that helpers must routinely seek support in their work and in managing the experienced trauma accompanying it from peers and other intimate relationships.”
BackgroundMethodAn Exploration of Spirituality and the Traumatizing Experiences of Combat
Gubkin, R. (2014) · Journal of Humanistic Psychology · doi:10.1177/0022167814563142 · Cited by 6
“Clinicians working under these conditions, having a preexisting history of traumatizing experiences and limited coping resources, are at higher risk of emotional exhaustion and compassion fatigue (Figley, 2002b).”
BackgroundPsychometric Properties of the Korean Version of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale(K-STSS)
Park, J. (2011) · Korean Journal of Social Welfare · doi:10.20970/kasw.2011.63.4.002 · Cited by 7
Chatterjee, K., & Kozar, P. (2019) · Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10410236.2019.1582136 · Cited by 6
“PCF is the cost of caring, having empathy, and emotional investment in helping the suffering (Figley, 2002).”
BackgroundMendenhall, A. N., Grube, W. A., & Jung, E. (2019) · Children and Youth Services Review · doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.04.020 · Cited by 6
Baldschun, A. (2019) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-25759-0_6 · Cited by 6
Shin, J., & 이동훈 (2016) · Korea Journal of Counseling · doi:10.15703/kjc.17.2.201604.373 · Cited by 6
Impact of Traumatic Events and Resilience on the Professional Quality of Life among Clinical Nurses
Yoo, D.-B., Park, H., & Kim, P. J. (2019) · The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing · doi:10.7587/kjrehn.2019.27 · Cited by 6
Autocuidado y cuidado de equipos que trabajan con niños vulnerados
Arredondo, V., Díaz, T., Calavacero, N., & Guerra, C. (2020) · Revista de psicología · doi:10.5354/0719-0581.2020.58174 · Cited by 6
Miller, M. L., Gerhart, J. I., Maffett, A. J., Lorbeck, A., England, A. E., & O’Mahony, S. (2020) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/0886260520976225 · Cited by 6
“Mental health clinicians who work with child survivors of abuse frequently grapple with their own direct and indirect exposure to psychological trauma (Elwood et al., 2011; Figley, 2002), and are at risk of PTSD-like symptoms (Ludick & Figley, 2017).”
BackgroundBourassa, D. B., & Clements, J. A. (2010) · Groupwork · doi:10.1921/095182410x551702 · Cited by 7
“The more empathy for their clients a social worker has, the more vulnerable they are to the effects of compassion fatigue (Bride, 2007; Figley, 2002).”
BackgroundResilience as a Protective Factor Against Compassion Fatigue in Trauma Therapists
David, D. P. (2012) · ScholarWorks (Walden University) · Cited by 6
Countertransference in the Treatment of Maltreated Children and Families
Zeanah, C. H., & Kelley, A. (2021) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2021.10.019 · Cited by 6
The Empathy‐Altruism Hypothesis
Batson, C. D. (2022) · doi:10.1002/9781119771418.ch2 · Cited by 6
May, H., Millar, J., Griffith, E., Gillmore, C., Kristoffersen, M., Robinson, R., & West, M. (2024) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0306757 · Cited by 5
“…to explicitly ask clients about potential traumatic experiences [26] Greater exposure to client trauma/distress is associated with higher CF in MHWs [10]which in turn is associated with a range of adverse outcomes including poor job satisfaction, absenteeism and poor patient care [27, 28].”
Holas, P., Gambin, M., Wojtkowiak, N., Kmita, G., & Łojek, E. (2024) · Health Psychology Report · doi:10.5114/hpr/188097 · Cited by 5
“…may be for some individuals and in specific contexts overwhelming and accompanied by maladaptive states such as feelings of exaggerated responsibility for others’ suffering, maladaptive forms of guilt and shame, and high levels of anxiety (Ferri et al., 2015; Figley, 2002; Tone & Tully, 2014).”
BackgroundÇAĞATAY, A., & YILMAZ, H. (2024) · Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi · doi:10.32709/akusosbil.1197928 · Cited by 6
Karimollahi, M., Mazaheri, E., Khanghah, H. A., & Pourhamzeh, S. (2024) · Journal of Education and Health Promotion · doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_1088_23 · Cited by 7
“[19,38] Figley] e gathered using a questionnaire.”
Coping in the classroom: A study of Professional Quality of Life (ProQoL) in Australian teachers
Patrick, P., & Bensley, E. (2024) · Australian Journal of Education · doi:10.1177/00049441241297714 · Cited by 5
“Compassion fatigue can manifest in a variety of ways, but reduced empathic capacity or interest in helping others is a hallmark of this condition (Figley, 2002; Stamm, 2010).”
Beyond meaning: hope and secondary trauma in Israeli therapists after the October 7th massacre
George‐Levi, S., Faverman, L., Loncich, Y. G., Dahan, A. B.-G., & Frei-Landau, R. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1594885 · Cited by 5
“Constant exposure to clients’ traumatic experiences can lead to greater stress, as therapists are highly engaged in the emotional distress of those they treat (Figley, 2002; Leung et al., 2023).”
Different empathy types show opposing associations with burnout: systematic review and meta-analyses
Martingano, A. J., Stosic, M. D., & Konrath, S. (2025) · Psychology Health & Medicine · doi:10.1080/13548506.2025.2591859 · Cited by 5
“It is possible, and even likely, that some of the effects we observed could also reflect indirect pathways through related but unmeasured constructs, such as compassion fatigue or secondary traumatic stress (Figley, 1995, 2002; Rauvola et al., 2019).”
Empathy and Humanistic Care Ability in Oncology Nurses: The Mediating Role of Emotional Intelligence
Wei, J., Dai, D., Sun, Y., Zheng, W., Gao, M., & Liu, Y. (2025) · Journal of Advanced Nursing · doi:10.1111/jan.70463 · Cited by 5
Ross, A. M., Rahman, R., Huang, D., & Kirkbride, G. (2023) · Maternal and Child Health Journal · doi:10.1007/s10995-023-03727-z · Cited by 8
Exploring the psychological impact of contact tracing work on staff during the COVID-19 pandemic
Fulham-McQuillan, H., O’Donovan, R., Buckley, C. M., Crowley, P., Gilmore, B., Martin, J., McAuliffe, É., Martin, G., Moore, G., Morrissey, M., et al. (2023) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-023-09566-6 · Cited by 5
“Secondary trauma differs from post-traumatic stress in that the trauma develops from providing empathy and compassion to traumatised individuals [14, 15].”
BackgroundThe Emotional Impact of Patient Loss on Brazilian Veterinarians
Bergamini, S. M., Uccheddu, S., Riggio, G., Vilela, M. R. D. J., & Mariti, C. (2023) · Veterinary Sciences · doi:10.3390/vetsci11010003 · Cited by 5
“According to Figley [30], professionals who frequently work with animals or people who are in danger of dying may become influenced by other people’s grief and suffering and have health issues including burnout and secondary traumatic stress.”
BackgroundImpacto de la atención a las víctimas de violencia de género en los y las profesionales de la salud
Alonso, M. D. C. F., Usaola, C. P., & Rodríguez, P. C. (2024) · Atención Primaria · doi:10.1016/j.aprim.2023.102856 · Cited by 5
Ardenghi, S., Luciani, M., Russo, S., Rampoldi, G., Bani, M., Ausili, D., Mauro, S. D., & Strepparava, M. G. (2024) · Applied Nursing Research · doi:10.1016/j.apnr.2024.151863 · Cited by 5
Risk factors and protection in teachers
Iacolino, C., Ferracane, G., Lombardo, E. M. C., Isgrò, R., Micieli, S., & Cervellione, B. (2019) · International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology Revista INFAD de psicología · doi:10.17060/ijodaep.2019.n2.v1.1687 · Cited by 5
“Self-report emotional intelligence test (SREIT; Schutte et al., 1998; Italian Validation: Craparo, Magnano & Faraci, 2014).”
BackgroundGómez, C., Lama, X., & Capella, C. (2021) · Psykhe (Santiago) · doi:10.7764/psykhe.2019.22385 · Cited by 5
“…el trabajo en temáticas de trauma, en los que los terapeutas pueden experimentar síntomas similares a los vividos por las víctimas directas, en un fenómeno que se conoce como traumatización vicaria (McCann & Pearlman, 1990, citado en Guerra & Pereda, 2015) o fatiga por compasión (Figley, 2002).”
BackgroundBatson, C. D. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197610923.003.0010 · Cited by 5
Compassion Catalysts: Unveiling Proactive Pathways to Job Performance
Choi, Y., & Ko, S.-H. (2024) · Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.3390/bs14010057 · Cited by 6
Metadata
- Authors
- Figley, C. R.
- Affiliations
- Florida State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Figley, Charles R.
- ORCID
- Figley, Charles R.
- Venue
- Journal of Clinical Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2002-10-29
- Volume
- 58
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1433-1441
- ISSN
- 0021-9762 (ISSN-L)
- 1097-4679
- OpenAlex
- W2093609854
- Cited by
- 1,614
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 155 · 2025: 138 · 2024: 108 · 2023: 157 · 2022: 115 · 2021: 153 · 2020: 112 · 2019: 94 · 2018: 76 · 2017: 82 · 2016: 74 · 2015: 53 · 2014: 63 · 2013: 62 · 2012: 42
- FWCI
- 5.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Clinical Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Stress and Burnout Research
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Occupational Health and Burnout
- Keywords
- compassion fatigue, psychotherapists, self-care, caregiver burnout, countertransference, chronic disease, traumatic memory, empathy, burnout
- MeSH terms
- Burnout, Professional, Chronic Disease, Countertransference, Empathy, Fatigue, Humans, Models, Psychological, Psychotherapy, Self Care
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