Compassion and Suppression in Caregivers: Twin Masks of Tragedy and Joy of Caring

The study investigated the relationship between caregivers' demographics, career variables, and their psychological outcomes, focusing on compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and defense mechanisms among 250 caregivers. It found that greater compassion satisfaction was linked to more years of education and fewer working days per week, while burnout and secondary traumatic stress were associated with older age, more working hours, and more working days per week. The use of defense mechanisms like suppression was higher with more working days and hours, leading to increased secondary traumatic stress. Conversely, compassion satisfaction was associated with less use of defense mechanisms. The study concluded that excessive reliance on defense mechanisms could increase the risk of burnout or secondary traumatic stress, while compassion satisfaction might help mitigate emotional exhaustion. It emphasized the need for balanced coping strategies and further research to find effective long-term solutions for caregivers in high-stress environments.