Compassion Fatigue In Combat Trauma-Related Work Settings: Does It Matter?

Abstract

Abstract: This study investigated the levels of compassion fatigue among psychotherapists working in a war zone region in northern Uganda. A cross sectional design was used. Psychotherapists (n = 207) from northern Uganda participated in the study. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics. The results of this study revealed that up to 60.4% of the respondents were experiencing high level of compassion fatigue, 23.7% were experiencing average level of fatigue and 15% had low level of fatigue. The results suggest that working with victims of war has profound impact on psychotherapists. The high levels of compassion fatigue evident among psychotherapists indicate that intervention should be considered a matter of priority. Collaborative organizational efforts to minimize compassion fatigue among all areas of psychotherapy is essential in creating awareness and building resiliency.