Studiens syfte var att utifrån tidigare forskning (Hallén, 2007, 2008) undersöka konsekvenser av att känna empati. Genom en faktoriell inomgruppsdesign (2x2) besvarade 51 frisörer en enkät om hur de påverkas på kort och lång sikt av att känna empati med sina kunder. Resultaten visade att empati med någon som mår dåligt upplevdes leda till betydligt mer negativa effekter än empati med någon som mår bra, på både kort och lång sikt. Vidare upplevdes effekterna som mer intensiva på kort sikt än på lång, oavsett om individen man empatiserat med mått dåligt eller bra. En tänkbar förklaring till skillnaden över tid är att de emotioner vi specifikt erfar genom andra avtar på samma sätt såsom minnen av egna emotioner gör generellt.

Lors de crises en entreprise, certaines ressources aux caractéristiques particulières émergent pour aider autrui, dans la souffrance. Nous appelons ces ressources : les toxic handlers. Le rôle de cette recherche est de comprendre ce que font les « toxic handlers », pourquoi ils aident autrui dans la souffrance, comment ils le font, comment les organisations peuvent les aider. Les « toxic handlers » sauvent les entreprises par acte de compassion mais payent malheureusement un lourd prix pour cela. Nous avons tenté de répondre au processus de création de la résilience de compassion en entreprise. De quelle manière des individus qui ne laisse rien paraître de particulier au regard de leur entreprise se trouve subitement pris de compassion pour leurs collègues. Nous nous posons la question de ce qui se passe chez le toxic handler, est-il « un porteur de compassion ou de souffrance » ? Comment cette compassion/souffrance va naître chez le « toxic handler » ? Pourquoi les « employés en souffrance » ne parviennent pas à affronter les « émotions toxiques » ? Comment se crée la relation qui va s’effectuer entre le « toxic handler » et « l’employé en souffrance » ? Les toxic handlers sont intermédiaires entre les « toxic boss » et « les employés en souffrance ». Mais les toxic handlers ne peuvent agir seulement et seulement si, il y a crise en entreprise (crise interne) et que le toxic handler soit aussi en crise (nous parlons de double crise). Nous avons réalisé un modèle d’analyse du processus de résilience de compassion et nous l’avons appliqué sur plusieurs entreprises de grandes tailles, subissant des crises. Nos travaux ouvrent un champ de recherches et amènent de nombreuses perspectives au regard de la problématique du processus de résilience de compassion en entreprise. / When a crisis occurs within a company, certain resources with particular characteristics emerge, helping those who suffer. We call these resources: “toxic handlers.”The role of this research is to understand what it is that “toxic handlers” do, why they help others in difficult. How do they do this? What can organizations do to help them? “Toxic handlers” rescue companies through an act compassion, but unfortunately they pay a heavy price for this. We have attempted to answer certain questions surrounding the creation process of compassionate resilience within companies. How do individuals, who don’t appear to be suffering in the eyes of their companies, find themselves full of compassion for their close colleagues? We’re asking ourselves what happens to a toxic handler. Is he or she a “carrier of compassion or of suffering”? How does this compassion or suffering come about with regard to the “toxic handler”? Why can’t employees who suffer manage to front up to toxic emotions? How is the relation between the “toxic handler” and the “employees in pain” created? Toxic handlers act as intermediaries between “toxic boss” and “employees in pain.” The actions of “toxic handlers” are nonexistent within a company unless there is an internal crisis and only if the “toxic handler” is also facing a crisis (what we call a double crisis). We have created an analysis model for compassionate resilience and have applied it to several large companies suffering from a crisis. Our work opens a field of research and brings together numerous perspectives concerning the problematic of compassionate resilience within a company.

En tidigare studie har visat att negativa effekter av att känna empati är övervägande på kort sikt medan positiva effekter är övervägande på lång sikt, gällande psykiatripersonal. Med den aktuella studien avsågs att undersöka huruvida liknande tendenser finns hos en generell population. 253 högskolestudenter deltog, och i en mellangruppsdesign besvarade hälften en enkät belysande upplevelser på kort sikt medan den andra hälften besvarade en likadan enkät belysande upplevelser på lång sikt. Resultatet visade att empati har olika effekter beroende på tidsperspektivet även för människor generellt, i form av mer positiva effekter på lång sikt. Denna effekt återfanns bland såväl kvinnor som män, och bland yngre såväl som äldre. En tänkbar förklaring är att intrycket blir ett annat med tidsmässig distans. / Evidence from an earlier study suggests that negative consequences of feeling empathy are predominant in the short-term, while positive consequences are predominant in the long-term, regarding psychiatry staff. This study investigated whether similar tendencies exist among a general population. 253 university students participated, and a between-subjects design was used in which half of the participants answered questionnaires illustrating experiences in the short-term, and the other half questionnaires illustrating experiences in the long-term. Also for people in general, the results showed that empathy has different effects depending on the time perspective through more positive effects in the long-term. This effect was valid, irrespective of gender or age. A possible explanation is that the impression changes with the distance that time brings.

The population of asylum seekers puts new challenges on the Swedish health care since their difficulties are complex; having both atraumatic background and a continuing worry about the asylum process.This study aims at investigating how health care professionals working with asylum seekers are affected emotionally using the theoretical concepts of empathy, compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction. Nine qualitative interviews with health care professionals were conducted and the material was analyse dusing thematic analysis. Results were deductively found in thematerial, using the asylum process itself along with the concepts of empathy, compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction as themes. Previous findings regarding empathy and its relations to compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction were confirmed. This was furhter developed in this study through its focus on health care professionals working with asylum seekers.

Several studies have suggested that compassion satisfaction (CS) promotes counsellor wellness through its mitigating effects on compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious traumatization. CS also contributes to career longevity and to a sense of fulfillment, balance, and wellness that extends from counsellors’ professional to personal lives. Yet, to date, very little research has been done using counsellor wellness or CS as a primary focus. While the literature on CS is relatively new, even less attention appears to have been paid to what experienced counsellors actively do to maintain CS and therefore, their wellness as counsellors. The purpose of this study was to extend the literature on counsellor CS by asking experienced counsellors how they actively maintain CS in their work. Participants (N = 6) were counsellors in the Victoria area who had worked in the field for at least 10 years, had a minimum of a Masters degree, and who were experiencing CS at the time of data collection. A social constructivist perspective was used to frame the study, and narrative interviews were used to collect the counsellors’ stories of how they had maintained CS throughout their careers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and 6 themes are reported. Findings suggest that counsellors can actively increase their likelihood of maintaining CS by: (a) maintaining boundaries; (b) practicing self-care; (c) cultivating self-awareness; (d) developing positive, fulfilling relationships; (e) engaging in ongoing learning; and (f) embracing variety. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for counsellor training programs, the personal and professional lives and retention of counsellors already in the field, directors of counselling agencies, and client care. / Graduate / 0621 / 0622 / 0519 / 0769 / 0569 / alexsterling7@gmail.com

Several studies have suggested that compassion satisfaction (CS) promotes counsellor wellness through its mitigating effects on compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious traumatization. CS also contributes to career longevity and to a sense of fulfillment, balance, and wellness that extends from counsellors’ professional to personal lives. Yet, to date, very little research has been done using counsellor wellness or CS as a primary focus. While the literature on CS is relatively new, even less attention appears to have been paid to what experienced counsellors actively do to maintain CS and therefore, their wellness as counsellors. The purpose of this study was to extend the literature on counsellor CS by asking experienced counsellors how they actively maintain CS in their work. Participants (N = 6) were counsellors in the Victoria area who had worked in the field for at least 10 years, had a minimum of a Masters degree, and who were experiencing CS at the time of data collection. A social constructivist perspective was used to frame the study, and narrative interviews were used to collect the counsellors’ stories of how they had maintained CS throughout their careers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and 6 themes are reported. Findings suggest that counsellors can actively increase their likelihood of maintaining CS by: (a) maintaining boundaries; (b) practicing self-care; (c) cultivating self-awareness; (d) developing positive, fulfilling relationships; (e) engaging in ongoing learning; and (f) embracing variety. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for counsellor training programs, the personal and professional lives and retention of counsellors already in the field, directors of counselling agencies, and client care. / Graduate / 2015-04-23 / 0621 / 0622 / 0519 / 0769 / 0569 / alexsterling7@gmail.com

Bakgrund: I sjuksköterskans arbete ingår det att stödja och vårda patienter i olika skeden i livet. Många sjuksköterskor arbetar med patienter och närstående i svåra situationer. Compassion fatigue är något som drabbar sjuksköterskor och innebär att sjuksköterskan tar på sig sina patienters smärta och lidande. Detta resulterar i att sjuksköterskans förmåga att engagera och känna för sina patienter försvinner.   Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva sjuksköterskors upplevelser av Compassion fatigue.  Metod: Litteraturöversikt i enlighet med Friberg, (2017). Fyra kvalitativa artiklar, fem kvantitativa artiklar och en artikel med mixmetod utgivna mellan 2008–2018 inkluderades och analyserades.  Resultat: I resultatet för litteraturöversikten identifierades tre teman, Vårdrelationens roll i upplevelser av Compassion fatigue, Sjuksköterskans arbetsmiljön och Arbetslivserfarenhet och ålder.   Diskussion: Watsons teori om mänsklig omsorg ligger tillgrund för diskussionen. Sjuksköterskans självkännedom och förmåga att ta hand om sig själv spelar en stor roll i vårdandet av andra. / Background: The nurse's work includes supporting and caring for patients in different stages of life. Many nurses work close with patients and relatives in difficult situations. Compassion fatigue is something that affects nurses and means that the nurse takes on her patients' pain and suffering. This results in the nurse's ability to engage and feel for their patients disappear.  Aim: The aim was to describe nurses experiences of Compassion fatigue.  Method: Literature review in accordance with Friberg, (2017). Four qualitative articles, five quantitative articles and an article with mix method published between 2008-2018 were included and analyzed.  Results: In the results of the literature review three themes was identified, Caring relationships roll in the experiace of Compassion fatigue, Nurses working environment and Worklife experience and age.  Discussion: Watson's theory of human caring is the foundations for the discussion. Nurses own self-knowledge and ability to take care of themselves plays a major part in caring for others.

Lors de crises en entreprise, certaines ressources aux caractéristiques particulières émergent pour aider autrui, dans la souffrance. Nous appelons ces ressources : les toxic handlers. Le rôle de cette recherche est de comprendre ce que font les « toxic handlers », pourquoi ils aident autrui dans la souffrance, comment ils le font, comment les organisations peuvent les aider. Les « toxic handlers » sauvent les entreprises par acte de compassion mais payent malheureusement un lourd prix pour cela. Nous avons tenté de répondre au processus de création de la résilience de compassion en entreprise. De quelle manière des individus qui ne laisse rien paraître de particulier au regard de leur entreprise se trouve subitement pris de compassion pour leurs collègues. Nous nous posons la question de ce qui se passe chez le toxic handler, est-il « un porteur de compassion ou de souffrance » ? Comment cette compassion/souffrance va naître chez le « toxic handler » ? Pourquoi les « employés en souffrance » ne parviennent pas à affronter les « émotions toxiques » ? Comment se crée la relation qui va s’effectuer entre le « toxic handler » et « l’employé en souffrance » ? Les toxic handlers sont intermédiaires entre les « toxic boss » et « les employés en souffrance ». Mais les toxic handlers ne peuvent agir seulement et seulement si, il y a crise en entreprise (crise interne) et que le toxic handler soit aussi en crise (nous parlons de double crise). Nous avons réalisé un modèle d’analyse du processus de résilience de compassion et nous l’avons appliqué sur plusieurs entreprises de grandes tailles, subissant des crises. Nos travaux ouvrent un champ de recherches et amènent de nombreuses perspectives au regard de la problématique du processus de résilience de compassion en entreprise. / When a crisis occurs within a company, certain resources with particular characteristics emerge, helping those who suffer. We call these resources: “toxic handlers.”The role of this research is to understand what it is that “toxic handlers” do, why they help others in difficult. How do they do this? What can organizations do to help them? “Toxic handlers” rescue companies through an act compassion, but unfortunately they pay a heavy price for this. We have attempted to answer certain questions surrounding the creation process of compassionate resilience within companies. How do individuals, who don’t appear to be suffering in the eyes of their companies, find themselves full of compassion for their close colleagues? We’re asking ourselves what happens to a toxic handler. Is he or she a “carrier of compassion or of suffering”? How does this compassion or suffering come about with regard to the “toxic handler”? Why can’t employees who suffer manage to front up to toxic emotions? How is the relation between the “toxic handler” and the “employees in pain” created? Toxic handlers act as intermediaries between “toxic boss” and “employees in pain.” The actions of “toxic handlers” are nonexistent within a company unless there is an internal crisis and only if the “toxic handler” is also facing a crisis (what we call a double crisis). We have created an analysis model for compassionate resilience and have applied it to several large companies suffering from a crisis. Our work opens a field of research and brings together numerous perspectives concerning the problematic of compassionate resilience within a company.

Bakgrund: I sjuksköterskeprofessionen är empati en viktig del av kompetensbeskrivningen. Compassion fatigue (CF) är ett begrepp som myntades på 1990-talet och beskriver erfarenheter av otillräcklighet och hjälplöshet inom vårdande yrken, däribland hos sjuksköterskor. Problem: Arbetsförhållanden med akuta och kritiska vårdsituationer innebär en ständig exponering av lidande, stress och död. Sjuksköterskor kan vid tillfälle ha hög arbetsbelastning och tidsbrist vilket kan utgöra en risk att sjuksköterskan inte får tid för reflektion och bearbetning. Med ökad kunskap och förståelse kan förhoppningsvis ett förebyggande och hälsofrämjande arbete ske. Syfte: Syftet var att göra en litteraturöversikt över sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av compassion fatigue. Metod: Allmän litteraturöversikt med fem kvantitativa artiklar, tre med kvalitativ ansats och två artiklar med mixed-methods. Resultat: Sjuksköterskor som vårdar kritiskt sjuka patienter riskerade att utveckla CF. Tidsbrist och bristfälligt stöd från ledningen på arbetsplatsen hade också en inverkan i utvecklandet av CF. Hanteringsstrategier som mindfulness och reflektion ansågs vara verktyg för att hantera CF och förebyggande åtgärder kunde vara goda mat-och sömnvanor samt förmågan att skilja arbete från privatliv. Slutsatser: CF är förekommande hos sjuksköterskor inom vårdande yrken men det är ett obekant begrepp. Kunskap om CF kan leda till tidigare upptäckt eller förebyggande av CF hos sjuksköterskor. / -

Paper One: An opportunity sample from three primary schools participated, split between two age categories with 37 children from year groups three and four (mean age of 8 years) and 48 from year groups five and six (mean age of 9 years 11 months). Children’s perspectives of self-talk were explored through focus groups that were transcribed and then studied through thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Additional quantitative data was generated from the children’s self-reported experiences of self-talk, which they also rated along constructs relating to positivity. A sample of the children’s self-talk statements that were judged to be self-evaluative, were additionally rated by an opportunity sample of four adult participants to allow a comparison between adult and child perspectives. In line with previous research, themes arose concerning children’s perspectives of the role of self-talk in enabling them to negotiate cognitive and social situations. New themes arose including the children’s concerns about the privacy of their thoughts and the prominence of self-evaluative forms of self-talk. More similarities than differences were found between the two age ranges and there was considerable overlap between adult and child ratings of the evaluative self-talk statements. The implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed, including links to Paper Two of this study. Paper Two: This is a feasibility study. An opportunity sample of 79 children, aged between seven and eleven years old (mean age of 9 years 7 months), took part in a series of six group intervention sessions run by the researcher. These aimed to encourage self-talk that is self-compassionate, using elements of compassion focused approaches (Gilbert, 2009). A mixed methods design led to analysis of qualitative data from post-intervention group interviews using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Quantitative data comprised the children’s pre-intervention and post-intervention responses to three questionnaires seeking to explore wellbeing, behaviour and self-compassion. Several key themes were identified, including the children’s ability to engage with the concepts of self-talk, self-kindness and the three system model of emotions (Gilbert, 2009). The concept of self-compassion itself was found to have some aspects that were harder for the children to comprehend. There were no significant differences between the children’s responses on the pre-intervention and post-intervention questionnaires, however, there were interesting qualitative responses concerning the use of these. The implications of these findings will be discussed with consideration to current educational psychologist practice and the need for future research.