Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

Rachel B. Moore

Abstract

Few studies have provided empirical data on the relationship between compassion satisfaction and self-care agency in professionals like the professional social worker, even though compassion satisfaction could be a prime motivator for continued work in the field of social work. To address this gap, this quantitative study addressed the research question asking if there was a statistically significant linear relationship between the exercise of self-care agency and compassion satisfaction. This study centered on theories related to the compassion satisfaction and the compassion satisfaction/compassion fatigue theories of Stamm (2010), and self-care agency and the theories of self-care/self-care deficit of Orem (1980; 1985). Forty-six licensed master’s level professional social workers took part in a quantitative, moderated regression two-part study that used a pretest-posttest/control-group design with linear and multiple regression analyses in Part 1, and repeated measures ANOVAs, and paired samples t-tests in Part 2. Results revealed a moderate, statistically significant positive, linear relationship between the exercise of self-care agency and compassion satisfaction; and secondary traumatic stress and burnout also showed statistically significant negative, linear relationships with the exercise of self-care agency supported by family-wise error rates with significant FDRs at .05. The empirical data verifying a significant relationship between Exercise of Self-Care Agency and compassion satisfaction can promote positive social change through positive psychology. By revealing that as the exercise of self-care agency increases, the social worker’s compassion satisfaction in the workplace also increases, allows for a focus on positivity in the workplace.

Download

Share

 
COinS