Compassion Fatigue and Intimate Partner Relationship among Mental Health Practitioners

Mental Health professionals are extensively engaged in the therapeutic treatment of individuals with stress and trauma. The psychological sequelae of the stress of these prolonged interactions are both emotional and cognitive. Compassion fatigue are the psychological symptoms that caregivers experience as a result of providing care to those experiencing trauma. This may have implications on the inter and intrapersonal relationships for these mental health providers. The study aimed to assess compassion fatigue and identify its relationship with intimate partner relationship among mental health practitioners. A total of 75 mental health professionals including psychiatrists, therapists and psychiatric nurses were recruited for the study with snowball sampling method. Maslach Burnout Inventory- Human Services Survey Medical Personnel) version and the Intimacy Scale of the Emotional Dimension were used to gauge levels of compassion fatigue and emotional intimacy respectively. Compassion fatigue and overall burnout were identified in 38% of the participants, who also exhibited moderate to high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, as well as diminished sense of personal accomplishment. Analyzing data through correlation revealed significant associations between domains of compassion fatigue and emotional intimacy. Mental health professionals helping individuals with their emotional burdens might also experience emotional exhaustion themselves resulting in a reduced capacity to engage in meaningful interactions in non-work life setting. Exploring this association might lend itself to alleviate compassion fatigue's impact, identify at-risk professionals, and recognize protective factors, thereby aiding the wellbeing of mental health practitioners and enhancing the quality of their intimate partner relationships.