“NEVER GROW WEARY OF DOING GOOD:” EXPRESSIONS OF EMOTIONAL LABOR AND THE PRESENCE OF BURNOUT AND COMPASSION FATIGUE IN CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS

Abstract

Though previous literature has investigated Compassion Fatigue (CF) and Emotional Labor (EL) independently, further research is needed to examine the connection between the two concepts within the helping professions. The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between the presence of CF and the expression of EL by Child Welfare Service (CWS) employees/volunteers in organizational settings. Utilizing three scales, the Professional Quality of Life (Pro-QOL), the Dutch Questionnaire on Emotional Labor (D-QEL), and the GNM Emotional Labor Questionnaire, this study analyzes CWS employees’/volunteers’ (n= 65) levels of EL, burn-out, and CF. Results indicated a statistically significant positive correlation between EL and burn-out and between EL and CF. These findings reveal CWS employees’/volunteers’ reliance on EL to execute role responsibilities places them at risk for experiencing the adverse effects of burn-out and CF, leading to bleak consequences for themselves, their clients, and the organizations for which they are employed.