Write your message


XML Persian Abstract Print


Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran. , a.tavoli@alzahra.ac.ir
Abstract:   (46 Views)
Background: Mindfulness and resilience play a key role in reducing compassion fatigue in psychotherapists. Compassion fatigue is the result of stress while dealing with traumatic situations or witnessing the distress of others, And it is most commonly experienced by therapists who work with people with distress. A review of previous studies showed that there is a research gap regarding the role of resilience in the relationship between mindfulness and compassion fatigue in psychotherapists.
Aims: The aim of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between mindfulness and compassion fatigue in psychotherapists.
Methods: The method of this research was descriptive-correlational, conducted cross-sectionally, and the structural equation method was also used for path analysis. The statistical population of the study included all psychotherapists and mental health counselors in Iran, and convenience sampling was conducted among psychotherapists and counselors present in virtual groups related to psychotherapy, and 230 people were selected as the statistical sample of the study. Research instruments included the Compassion Fatigue Scale (Figley, 1995), The Brief Resilience Scale (Smith et al., 2008), and Freiburg mindfulness inventory- Short Form (Walach et al., 2001). Regression and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data using SPSS-27 and LISREL-10.2 software.
Results: The results showed that mindfulness has a positive and significant relationship with resilience, and resilience is inversely related to compassion fatigue (P<0.01). Also, resilience fully mediates the relationship between mindfulness and compassion fatigue.
Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that strengthening resilience can help reduce compassion fatigue in psychotherapists, And this can be useful in developing educational and support programs to improve the status of psychotherapists.
Full-Text [PDF 1960 kb]   (46 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2025/04/24 | Accepted: 2025/07/11 | Published: 2026/04/21

References
1. Abernathy, S., & Martin, R. (2019). Reducing compassion fatigue with self-care and mindfulness. Nursing 2020 Critical Care, 14(5), 38-44.https://doi.org/10.1097/01.CCN.0000578852.69314
2. Aggs, C., & Bambling, M. (2010). Teaching mindfulness to psychotherapists in clinical practice: The mindful therapy programme. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 10(4), 278-286.https://doi.org/10.1080/14733145.2010.485690
3. Banisafar A, Ahi Q, Mansouri A, Bahreynian A. (2024). Investigating the effectiveness of narrative therapy on resilience and emotional regulation of cancer patients with low psychological toughness. Journal of Psychological Science, 23(133), 183-196. [Persian] https://doi.org/10.52547/JPS.23.133.183
4. Bassak, F. , behjati ardakani, F. , Mohammadpanah Ardakan, A. and Abbasi, S. (2024). The Mediating Role of academic optimism in the Relationship between Mindfulness and resiliency and high school female students' academic performance. Journal of Research in Educational Systems, 18(64), 115-131. [Persian] https://doi.org/10.22034/jiera.2024.433648.3102
5. Bishop, S. R., Lau, M., Shapiro, S., Carlson, L., Anderson, N. D., Carmody, J., Segal, Z. V., Abbey, S., Speca, M., Velting, D., & Devins, G. (2004). Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11(3), 230–241. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bph077
6. Bizzarro, M. (2023). Compassion Fatigue and Burnout in Animal Shelter Employees (Master's thesis, The Ohio State University). http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu168321552221009
7. Bouchard, L. (2019). Compassion fatigue in advanced practice registered nurses: why don’t we know more?. Nursing Clinics, 54(4), 625-637.https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.cnur.2019.08.002
8. Bride, B. E., Radey, M., & Figley, C. R. (2007). Measuring compassion fatigue. Clinical social work journal, 35, 155-163.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-007-0091-7
9. Bruce, N. G., Manber, R., Shapiro, S. L., & Constantino, M. J. (2010). Psychotherapist mindfulness and the psychotherapy process. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 47(1), 83.https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018842
10. Burnett Jr, H. J., & Wahl, K. (2015). The compassion fatigue and resilience connection: A survey of resilience, compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction among trauma responders. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilienc, 17 (1), 318-326. https://doi.org/10.4172/1522-4821.1000165
11. Craig, C. D., & Sprang, G. (2010). Compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout in a national sample of trauma treatment therapists. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 23(3), 319-339.https://doi.org/10.1080/10615800903085818
12. David, D. P. (2012). Resilience as a protective factor against compassion fatigue in trauma therapists. Walden University.
13. Decker, J. T., Brown, J. L. C., Ong, J., & Stiney-Ziskind, C. A. (2015). Mindfulness, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction among social work interns. Social Work and Christianity, 42(1), 28.https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-04782-003
14. Emadi, S. Z. , Zare, B. and Emadi, S. M. M. (2025). The Mediating Role of Self-Compassion Between Mindfulness and Compassion Fatigue Among Therapists. Journal of Applied Psychological Research, 16(1), 49-62. [Persian] https://doi.org/10.22059/japr.2024.354167.644518
15. Faghanpour Ganji, M., Kalantari, M. and Abedi, A. (2023). The Effectiveness of Treatment based on Allegorical Schema Modes on Chronic Mood Disorders and Difficulty in Regulating Emotions of Therapists. Islamic lifestyle with a focus on health, 7(4), 168-178. [Persian] https://www.islamiilife.com/article_186038.html?lang=fa
16. Farhadi, A. H. , Manshai, G. and Yousef, Z. (2022). Comparing the Effectiveness of Family Resilience Training, with Cognitive-Spiritual Hope Training, on Compassion Fatigue and Distress Tolerance in Caregivers of Renal Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis. Islamic lifestyle with a focus on health, 6(6), 156-165. [Persian]https://www.islamiilife.com/article_185331.html?lang=fa
17. Figley, C. R., & Figley, K. R. (2017). 28 Compassion Fatigue Resilience. The Oxford handbook of compassion science, 387. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190464684.013.28
18. Figley, C. R., & Stamm, B. H. (1996). Psychometric review of compassion fatigue self test. Measurement of stress, trauma, and adaptation, 127-130.https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=2669891
19. Figley, C. R (1995). Compassion fatigue as secondary traumatic stress disorder-An overview. Compassion Fatigue.https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1572543025251130880
20. Forouzanfar, F (2024). Resilience as one of the vital skills for dealing with life's challenges and crises. 14th International Conference on Psychology of Education Sciences and Lifestyle. [Persian] https://civilica.com/doc/2104694
21. Ghasemi Z, Abbasi Sooreshjani M, Naghsh Z. (2022). Early Experiences of Shame and Saftey and Compassion Fatigue in Psychotherapists: The Mediating Role of Compassion for Others. Rooyesh. 11(5), 79-90. [Persian]http://frooyesh.ir/article-1-3535-fa.html
22. Ghasemi Jobaneh, R., Arab Zadeh, M., Jalili Nikoo, S., Mohammad Alipoor, Z., & Mohsenzadeh, F. (2015). Survey the validity and reliability of the persian version of short form of freiburg mindfulness inventory. Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, 14(2), 137-150. [Persian]http://journal.rums.ac.ir/article-1-2293-en.html
23. Golestani L, Kadivar P, Shariat Bagheri M M, Ghanbari Panah A. (2024). The role of basic psychological needs on academic performance with the mediation of resilience. Journal of Psychological Science, 23(134), 147-162. [Persian]https://doi.org/10.52547/JPS.23.134.397
24. Gonzalez,T. C.,Helm, H.,& Edwards,L.I. (2019).An Examination of Resilience, Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Compassion Satisfaction between Men and Women among Trauma Responders. North American Journal of Psychology,21(1),1-19.https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs/1013
25. Hou, J. M., & Skovholt, T. M. (2020). Characteristics of highly resilient therapists. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 67(3), 386.https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000401
26. Houck, D. (2014). Helping nurses cope with grief and compassion fatigue: An educational intervention. Number 4/August 2014, 18(4), 454-458.https://doi.org/10.1188/14.CJON.454-458
27. Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural equation modeling: a multidisciplinary journal, 6 (1), 1-55.https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118
28. Hunsaker, S., Chen, H. C., Maughan, D., & Heaston, S. (2015). Factors that influence the development of compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in emergency department nurses. Journal of nursing scholarship, 47(2), 186-194.https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12122J
29. Jafari Shalkoohi, A., Asadi Majreh, S., & Akbari, B. (2020). The effectiveness of mindfulness training on resiliency and cognitive emotion regulation strategies in pregnant women. Knowledge & Research in Applied Psychology, 21(2), 43-53. [Persian].https://doi.org/ 10.30486/jsrp.2019.574441.1466
30. Jenkins, S. R., & Baird, S. (2002). Secondary traumatic stress and vicarious trauma: A validational study. Journal of Traumatic Stress: Official Publication of The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, 15(5), 423-432.https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020193526843
31. Kashani, V. O., & Najafi, T. (2016). The brief scale of resilience in disabled and veteran athletes; psychometric properties of the Persian version. Publish System, 8(1), 49-55. [Persian]https://ijwph.ir/article-1-539-en.html
32. Kearney, M., & Weininger, R. (2011). Whole person self-care: Self-care from the inside out. Whole person care: A new paradigm for the 21st century, 109-125.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9440-0_10
33. Khakpour R. (2020). The positive and negative effects of the psychotherapy profession on the life and family and social relationships of clinical psychologists, counselors, and psychiatrists. Thoughts and Behavior in Clinical Psychology, 15(55),77–86 [Persian].https://sanad.iau.ir/Journal/jtbcp/Article/1118378
34. Kline, R. B. (2023). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. Guilford publications.https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-56948-000
35. Kyriazos, T., Galanakis, M., Katsiana, A., Saprikis, V., Tsiamitros, D., & Stalikas, A. (2021). Are Resilient Occupational Therapists at Low Risk of Burnout? A Structural Equation Modeling Approach Combined with Latent Profile Analysis in a Greek Sample. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 9(6), 133-153.https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2021.96012
36. Lalor, J., & Khoshfetrat, A. (2024). An examination of the association between mindfulness and compassion for others in psychotherapists: A mediating role of self‐compassion. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 24(3), 1006-1013. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12735
37. Li, J. N., Jiang, X. M., Zheng, Q. X., Lin, F., Chen, X. Q., Pan, Y. Q., ... & Huang, L. (2023). Mediating effect of resilience between social support and compassion fatigue among intern nursing and midwifery students during COVID-19: a cross-sectional study. BMC nursing, 22(1), 42.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01185-0
38. Loiacono, E, (2016). "Mindfulness and Self-Compassion: Mitigating Compassion Fatigue". Mindfulness Studies Theses. 10.https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/mindfulness_theses/10
39. Mancini, A. D., & Bonanno, G. A. (2009). Predictors and parameters of resilience to loss: Toward an individual differences model. Journal of personality, 77(6), 1805-1832.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2009.00601.x
40. Maslach, C. H. R. I. S. T. I. N. A., & Leiter, M. P. (2010). Burnout. Stress consequences: Mental, neuropsychological and socioeconomic, 726-729. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-800951-2.00044-3
41. Mathieu, F. (2012). The compassion fatigue workbook: Creative tools for transforming compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatization. Routledge.https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203803349
42. Olson, K., Kemper, K. J., & Mahan, J. D. (2015). What factors promote resilience and protect against burnout in first-year pediatric and medicine-pediatric residents?. Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine, 20(3), 192-198. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587214568894
43. Pérez, V., Menéndez-Crispín, E. J., Sarabia-Cobo, C., de Lorena, P., Fernández-Rodríguez, A., & González-Vaca, J. (2022). Mindfulness-based intervention for the reduction of compassion fatigue and burnout in nurse caregivers of institutionalized older persons with dementia: a randomized controlled trial. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(18), 11441.https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811441
44. Rodríguez-Rey, R., Alonso-Tapia, J., & Hernansaiz-Garrido, H. (2016). Reliability and validity of the brief resilience scale (BRS) Spanish version. Psychological assessment, 28(5), e101.https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000191
45. Shaban Elsayed Shehata, H., & Samy Elsaieed Elsheikh, M. (2023). Defense Mechanisms and its relationship to Resilience, Compassion Satisfaction and Fatigue among Nurses Working at El Azazi Mental Health Hospital. Egyptian Journal of Health Care, 14(2), 590-607.https://doi.org/10.21608/ejhc.2023.300785
46. Smith, B. W., Dalen, J., Wiggins, K., Tooley, E., Christopher, P., & Bernard, J. (2008). The brief resilience scale: assessing the ability to bounce back. International journal of behavioral medicine, 15, 194-200.https://doi.org/10.1080/10705500802222972
47. Southwick, S. M., & Charney, D. S. (2018). Resilience: The science of mastering life's greatest challenges. Cambridge University Press.
48. Stoewen, D. L. (2020). Moving from compassion fatigue to compassion resilience Part 4: Signs and consequences of compassion fatigue. The Canadian veterinary journal, 61(11), 1207.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7560777
49. Sucich, J. T., Lehrer, J., Breitbart, V., & Julliard, K. N. (2022). Mindfulness training for community-based psychotherapists: a feasibility study. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 8(1), 250.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-022-01205-x
50. Walach, H., Buchheld, N., Buttenmüller, V., Kleinknecht, N., & Schmidt, S. (2006). Measuring mindfulness—the Freiburg mindfulness inventory
51. (FMI). Personality and individual differences, 40(8), 1543-1555.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2005.11.025
52. Wei, M., Tsai, P. C., Lannin, D. G., Du, Y., & Tucker, J. R. (2015). Mindfulness, psychological flexibility, and counseling self-efficacy: Hindering self-focused attention as a mediator. The Counseling Psychologist, 43(1), 39-63. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000014560173
53. Xie, W., Chen, L., Feng, F., Okoli, C. T., Tang, P., Zeng, L., ... & Wang, J. (2021). The prevalence of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue among nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of nursing studies, 120, 103973.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.103973
54. Yip, S. Y., Mak, W. W., Chio, F. H., & Law, R. W. (2017). The mediating role of self-compassion between mindfulness and compassion fatigue among therapists in Hong Kong. Mindfulness, 8, 460-470. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-016-0618-5
55. Zhang, L., Ren, Z., Jiang, G., Hazer-Rau, D., Zhao, C., Shi, C., ... & Yan, Y. (2021). Self-oriented empathy and compassion fatigue: The serial mediation of dispositional mindfulness and counselor’s self-efficacy. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 613908.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.613908

Add your comments about this article : Your username or Email:
CAPTCHA

Send email to the article author


Rights and permissions
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License.

© 2026 CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 | Journal of Psychological Science

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)