Empathy and Burnout in Human Service Work

Abstract

Burnout is an often-cited danger of human service work, and emotional communication is one of the most important causes of burnout in such jobs. In this paper, we review theoretical work on emotional communication and burnout, concentrating on the Empathic Communication Model of Burnout (Miller, Stiff, & Ellis, 1988). We then argue that a consideration of job involvement, organizational role, and attitude regarding service recipients could enhance the extent to which this model constitutes a complete understanding of the burnout process. We pose several research questions and one hypothesis regarding the role of these variables in affecting the fit of the Empathic Communication Model and test them with a sample of workers who provide services to the homeless. The results of our research provide support for a modified version of the Empathic Communication Model and suggest that the moderating variables of job involvement, organizational role, and attitude about service recipients influence the impact of various portions of the model in explaining burnout.

Tenderness and Steadiness: Relating Job and Interpersonal Demands and Resources With Burnout and Physical Symptoms of Stress in Canadian Physicians

“…In contrast, respondents who showed a variety of emotions had decreased levels of depersonalization, which would have encouraged favorable patient responses and reciprocity (Miller et al., 1995; Smets et al., 2004). Expressing the appropriate positive (e.g., empathetic concern) and negative (e.g., disappointment) emotions may have also facilitated adherence to treatment plans (Frankel, 1995; Larson & Yao, 2005) and improved patient outcomes (Williams et al., 2007).…”

“…When the effort put into relationships with patients exceeds what is received in return, an imbalance occurs, which leads to emotional exhaustion (Schaufeli et al., 1996; Smets, Visser, Oort, Schaufeli, & De Haes, 2004). Emotional contagion develops when physicians perceive the symptoms of burnout in their colleagues and subconsciously take on these symptoms or when they cognitively “tune in” to the emotions of colleagues and patients, especially while expressing empathetic concern (McKay & Morgan, 1998; Miller, Birkholt, Scott, & Stage, 1995).…”

“…The key is knowing when and how to express and feel certain emotions to facilitate therapeutic relations with patients (Miller et al., 1988, 1995; Silverman et al., 2005). Brotheridge and Lee (2002) found that surface acting was positively associated with depersonalization, whereas deep acting (i.e., the alignment of expressed and felt emotions) was negatively associated with depersonalization and was positively associated with personal accomplishment.…”

Measuring relationships between self‐compassion, compassion fatigue, burnout and well‐being in student counsellors and student cognitive behavioural psychotherapists: a quantitative survey

“…Figley (1995) claims that compassion fatigue is the 'cost of caring' (p. 7) and psychotherapists' prolonged deficiency in self-care strategies puts them at risk of burnout and compassion fatigue (Jackson, Schwab & Schuler, 1986). Burnout and compassion fatigue have been shown to reduce attention and concentration, affect communication, and can lead to heart and/or mental health problems (Miller, Stiff & Ellis, 1988;Spickard, Gabbe & Christensen, 2002). Consequently, it may be important for counsellors and psychotherapists to develop techniques that desensitise and educate them about compassion fatigue (Figley, 2002b).…”

Which Identities Matter? A Mixed-Method Study of Group, Organizational, and Professional Identities and Their Relationship to Burnout

“…The closest relevant research is that of K. I. Miller and colleagues (e.g., K. I. Miller, Birkholt, Scott, & Stage, 1995;K. I. Miller & Koesten, 2008;K.…”