Compassion Fatigue Among Social Workers of the Primary Setting

Abstract

Social workers assist people out of compassion to raise the social functioning of clientele groups regardless of the simplicity or complexity of the realities they are unto.  However, the drive or compassion may also cause resignation, early retirement or shift to another career of a social worker.  It is possible that compassion towards clients might die due to ‘negative stuffs of work’ like lousy administration, uncooperative client, etc.  This descriptive-correlational study measured the ‘negative stuffs of work’ or Compassion Fatigue (CF) and the ‘positive stuffs’ or Compassion Satisfaction (CF) as well as using the Professional Quality of Life’s standardized test of Stamm, 2009.  It was found out that there was an existing average level of CF and low level of CS among primary setting social workers (n = 95) in Pangasinan.  CF is neither connected to social workers’ age; number of children and dependents; and designations.  Moreover, there were no difference of CF and CS results among social workers’ sex and civil status.  Social workers with different monthly income brackets had different results.  This study validates the truth that CS and CF are two (2) work constructs that exist in opposite (CS is in high levels, CF should be in low levels or vice versa).  Moreover, differences monthly income is an important push and pull factor to retain social workers in office.  Social workers should be informed about their CS-CF status in order to lower CF levels and prevent its recurrence in order for social workers to enjoy the profession.