ABSTRACT The negative impacts of trauma on clients are well known. However, the negative impact of working with traumatized clients on the counselor or helper has received less attention in the literature. Similarly, the contributions of certain work environments to experiences of compassion fatigue and the role of personality characteristics have gone unnoticed, especially in the South African context. The aim of this research is to examine the relationships between compassion fatigue, sense of coherence and work environment variables (job control, workload and collegial support), and to determine whether sense of coherence moderates the relationship between work environment and compassion fatigue on a sample of Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) practitioners in the South African organisational context (both public and private sectors). The current study adopted a non-experimental research design, categorised as cross-sectional and correlational. A non-probability sampling procedure was utilised. A sample of ninety-nine (99) EAP practitioners was obtained. A 10-items Job Control Scale (Wall, Jackson and Mullarkey, 1995), Workload and Collegial Support Scale by Dewe (1987) 11-items each, a 30- items Compassion Fatigue Self-Test Scale (Figley, 1995), and 13-items Orientation to Life Questionnaire (QLQ-13/SOC-13) by Antonovsky (1987; 1993) were administered. Results indicate that the sample in the current study were at higher risk of experiencing compassion fatigue. There was a positive significant relationship between workload, collegial support and compassion fatigue, a negative insignificant correlation between job control and compassion fatigue, and positive insignificant relationship between sense of coherence and compassion fatigue. The results between sense of coherence and the work environment variables were insignificant. Finally, sense of coherence was only found to moderate the relationship between workload and compassion fatigue and the relationship between collegial support and compassion fatigue.

Limited research has investigated the stress-related experiences of South African nursing students. Moreover, there is a scarcity of empirical studies that have reported on the development and evaluation of psycho-educational stress-management programmes that focus on both pathogenic, as well as positive and meaning-related factors among nursing students. The aim of this investigation was to study compassion fatigue, burnout, compassion satisfaction and meaning in life among a sample of nursing students with the aim of developing, and then empirically evaluating, a psycho-educational stress-management programme. The psycho-educational stress-management programme was articulated from a logotherapy-based perspective. A research design, consisting of three interdependent phases, was used to pursue the aim of the study. The aim of phase 1 was to describe the (1) prevalence of, and (2) correlations between, the deleterious and positive and meaningful effects of caring and among a sample of 80 nursing students (Mage = 22.40 years, SD = 11.1, female = 91.25%). The results indicated that participants may benefit from a logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme. The purpose of phase 2 of the study was to develop a logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme for nursing students. The goal of the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme was to assist participants to develop the skills, knowledge and abilities that may be required to address deleterious challenges, and enhance positive and meaning-related opportunities. In phase 3 the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme was presented to a sample of 42 first year nursing students (Mage = 20.21, SD = 1.57, female = 79.31%). A convergent parallel mixed methods research design was used to evaluate the efficacy of the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme. Quantitative results indicated (1) a reduction in compassion fatigue and burnout, and (2) an increase in compassion satisfaction and meaning in life, scores over the course of the programme. Qualitative analysis supported the quantitative results. It was subsequently concluded that the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme was effective in assisting participants to address the deleterious , as well embrace the positive and meaning-related effects of caring. However, ongoing support may be required to fully assist nursing students to address stressful challenges. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Limited research has investigated the stress-related experiences of South African nursing students. Moreover, there is a scarcity of empirical studies that have reported on the development and evaluation of psycho-educational stress-management programmes that focus on both pathogenic, as well as positive and meaning-related factors among nursing students. The aim of this investigation was to study compassion fatigue, burnout, compassion satisfaction and meaning in life among a sample of nursing students with the aim of developing, and then empirically evaluating, a psycho-educational stress-management programme. The psycho-educational stress-management programme was articulated from a logotherapy-based perspective. A research design, consisting of three interdependent phases, was used to pursue the aim of the study. The aim of phase 1 was to describe the (1) prevalence of, and (2) correlations between, the deleterious and positive and meaningful effects of caring and among a sample of 80 nursing students (Mage = 22.40 years, SD = 11.1, female = 91.25%). The results indicated that participants may benefit from a logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme. The purpose of phase 2 of the study was to develop a logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme for nursing students. The goal of the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme was to assist participants to develop the skills, knowledge and abilities that may be required to address deleterious challenges, and enhance positive and meaning-related opportunities. In phase 3 the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme was presented to a sample of 42 first year nursing students (Mage = 20.21, SD = 1.57, female = 79.31%). A convergent parallel mixed methods research design was used to evaluate the efficacy of the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme. Quantitative results indicated (1) a reduction in compassion fatigue and burnout, and (2) an increase in compassion satisfaction and meaning in life, scores over the course of the programme. Qualitative analysis supported the quantitative results. It was subsequently concluded that the logotherapy-based psycho-educational stress-management programme was effective in assisting participants to address the deleterious , as well embrace the positive and meaning-related effects of caring. However, ongoing support may be required to fully assist nursing students to address stressful challenges. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)