Mindfulness as a Moderator of Clinician History of Trauma on Compassion Satisfaction. (July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martin-Cuellar, Ashley; Atencio, David J.; Kelly, Ryan J.; Lardier, David T.
• Is Part Of: Family journal. Volume 26:Number 3(2018:Jul.)
• Page Start: 358
• Page End: 368
• Publication Date: 2018-07
• Subjects: mindfulness -- therapist trauma -- compassion satisfaction; Family psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Marital psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Family counseling -- Periodicals; Marriage counseling -- Periodicals; 616.8915605
• DOI: 10.1177/1066480718795123
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1066-4807

Abstract

Compassion satisfaction is an understudied phenomenon in the counseling literature. The impact of a clinician's history of trauma on compassion satisfaction and potential protective factors that may enhance feelings of compassion satisfaction is equally understudied. This study aimed to address models of mindfulness as a protective factor for the associations between a clinician's history of trauma and their experience with compassion satisfaction. The sample consisted of licensed clinicians ( N = 113) reporting on their past history of trauma, dispositional mindfulness, and compassion satisfaction. Results indicated that mindfulness moderated the association between a clinician's history of trauma and compassion satisfaction. Findings also show mindfulness to be significant in supporting a clinician's experience with compassion satisfaction, overall. Therefore, mindfulness should be further considered as an important safeguard for clinicians to consider in order to continue to enjoy their work. Implications are considered for clinicians, counseling training programs, and agency employers.