The Impact of Compassion Fatigue on Job Performance among Orphanage Staff

Abstract

Staff in orphanages is a highly neglected area of investigation in compassion fatigue, despite being in one of the most emotionally charged settings in human services. The qualitative research investigated how compassion fatigue shows up among Indian orphanage staff and how it affects job performance. Care was also looked at through political and social frameworks. Purposive and snowball: 15 staff members, consisting of caregivers, wardens and founders of 6 child care institutions in India were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, and Braun and Clarke (2006) reflexive thematic analysis framework was used to analyse them. Five key themes were found. To begin with, there was constant stress and shortage of staff due to financial reasons. Second, support, community support as well as formal institutions, was lacking. Third, caregivers were emotionally distressed, such as secondary trauma and inability to leave work at work. Fourth, it was the pressures of government and institutions that, in some cases, resulted in further damage instead of assistance. Lastly, another theme was significance, Meaning, Motivation & Emotional Strain. Caregivers were also strongly emotionally attached to the children and this enabled them to persevere despite the adversities they experienced. But compassion fatigue was at times manifested as frustration towards the same children. This implies that although the caregivers continued to care a lot, they had their emotional regulation compromised. Comprehensively, the results show the notion that compassion fatigue is the cause of diminished care. Rather they demonstrate that its impacts are more multi-faceted, particularly in less-resourceful, non-western contexts. The research paper explains that there is a need to ensure that both caregivers and children are protected by providing them with better organisational support, more resources and culturally relevant interventions.