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An Exploration of the Relationship between Work Climate, the Utilization of Support Resources, and Compassion Fatigue Level in Child Protective Investigators

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Date Issued:
2019
Abstract/Description:
The impact of child maltreatment is far reaching, affecting the abused child, the family system, and the professionals tasked with providing support during the moments of crisis. As child protective investigators (CPIs) provide care and support to others, they are at high risk of experiencing secondary traumatic stress and/or burnout, both aspects of compassion fatigue. Researchers suggest that work climate, utilization of resources, and worker characteristics can impact CPI compassion-fatigue level. Drawing on extant literature, this study examined three research questions and seven hypotheses aiming to explore the relationship between work climate, resource utilization, CPI characteristics, and CPI compassion-fatigue level. This dissertation research used a cross-sectional study design that included collecting data from 165 CPIs using three instruments: (a) CPI demographic form, (b) Professional Quality of Life-5, and (c) Safety Attitudes Questionnaire. Descriptive, nonparametric, and regression analyses were conducted on the returned surveys of 165 Florida-based CPIs. Results of data analyses indicated that statistically significant inverse relationships exist between the independent variable, compassion fatigue, and the dependent variables of teamwork climate, CPI supervision utilization, CPI age, and CPI trauma history (verbal abuse). The study presents implications for addressing compassion fatigue in CPIs from a public-affairs, a practice, and a research perspective.
Title: An Exploration of the Relationship between Work Climate, the Utilization of Support Resources, and Compassion Fatigue Level in Child Protective Investigators.
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Name(s): Holliker, Shannon, Author
Leon, Ana, Committee Chair
Yegidis, Bonnie, Committee Member
Dziegielewski, Sophia, Committee Member
Rosa-Lugo, Linda, Committee Member
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2019
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: The impact of child maltreatment is far reaching, affecting the abused child, the family system, and the professionals tasked with providing support during the moments of crisis. As child protective investigators (CPIs) provide care and support to others, they are at high risk of experiencing secondary traumatic stress and/or burnout, both aspects of compassion fatigue. Researchers suggest that work climate, utilization of resources, and worker characteristics can impact CPI compassion-fatigue level. Drawing on extant literature, this study examined three research questions and seven hypotheses aiming to explore the relationship between work climate, resource utilization, CPI characteristics, and CPI compassion-fatigue level. This dissertation research used a cross-sectional study design that included collecting data from 165 CPIs using three instruments: (a) CPI demographic form, (b) Professional Quality of Life-5, and (c) Safety Attitudes Questionnaire. Descriptive, nonparametric, and regression analyses were conducted on the returned surveys of 165 Florida-based CPIs. Results of data analyses indicated that statistically significant inverse relationships exist between the independent variable, compassion fatigue, and the dependent variables of teamwork climate, CPI supervision utilization, CPI age, and CPI trauma history (verbal abuse). The study presents implications for addressing compassion fatigue in CPIs from a public-affairs, a practice, and a research perspective.
Identifier: CFE0007654 (IID), ucf:52496 (fedora)
Note(s): 2019-08-01
Ph.D.
Community Innovation and Education, Dean's Office CCIE
Doctoral
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): child abuse -- child welfare -- child protective investigator -- compassion fatigue -- secondary traumatic stress -- vicarious trauma
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007654
Restrictions on Access: public 2019-08-15
Host Institution: UCF

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