Page 44 - IJPS-9-2

International Journal of
Population Studies Professional quality of life – a mediation model

consequences, and it is possible that the employees are work as a helper (Stamm, 2010). Figley (1995) and Stamm
not even fully aware of these phenomena. Thus, child (1995) introduced the notions of compassion fatigue
welfare organizations are morally bound to assist their (CF) and STS, which highlighted the adverse impact
staff in managing any emotional or mental angst that could on caregivers who assist individuals affected by trauma.
arise due to their job duties. The focus of this study is on For many years, various fields such as nursing, social
employees of the child protection system, such as care and work, psychology, mental health, and case management
education workers (foster parents), social workers, and have studied the impact of trauma on professionals who
psychologists. In this paper, we consider foster parents as came into direct contact with clients (Bloomquist etal.,
professionals who are employed and receive salaries but 2015). According to Stamm (2010), the idea of one’s
acknowledge that there are contrasting conceptions in PQL is multifaceted as it involves aspects of both their
Europe as to what professionalism in the field of foster care work surroundings (organizational and occupational),
means (Reimer, 2021). In some countries such as Romania their personal traits, and their exposure to primary and
and France foster parents are considered employees of secondary trauma while on the job. The job characteristics
the child protection system, but in other countries such of social workers, psychologists, and foster parents and the
as Austria and Germany foster parents receive a foster fact that they work with vulnerable children are important
care allowance. The reason why these categories of child aspects that need to be addressed in their professional
protection workers were brought together in this study is activity, within a preventive framework. Otherwise,
that both care and education workers and specialists work limitations in the quality of the services they provide,
directly with children involved in the child protection re-traumatization, and an increase in turnover rates are
system and represent some of the employees who have just some of the consequences child protection systems
the strongest exposure to the traumatic experiences of have to deal with.
children.
PQL includes CF and compassion satisfaction
Foster parents have direct and indirect access to concepts. CF contains STS and burnout. Boscarino et al.
the traumatic material of foster children, through the (2004) suggested that excessive exposure to traumatized
existing information from the case files, what children individuals and a high level of empathy among
can express about the traumatic experiences according to professionals can lead to CF. The presence of CF was
their developmental stage, witnessing the emotional and reported on a large scale among many specialists working
behavioral expressions of trauma, and sometimes seeing with traumatized people (Boscarino et al. 2004; Carmel &
obvious bodily signs of physical abuse or even assisting the Friedlander, 2009).
child in recuperating from physical harm following their
removal from an abusive setting. According to Blythe et al. Figley (1995) defines STS as the exposure to traumatic
(2014), taking care of foster children can be challenging for events indirectly, through personal or professional
foster parents due to their complicated social, emotional, associations with one or more individuals who have
behavioral, educational, and physical needs that require experienced trauma and may share their experiences
daily attention, nurturing, and behavioral guidance. repeatedly. According to the National Child Traumatic
Stress Network (NCTSN, 2018), encountering STS is a
A large number of studies are supporting the fact frequent occupational risk for professionals who work
that social workers have an emotionally demanding job, with children who have experienced trauma. STS is a
especially in the child protection system. Social workers frequently encountered problem among foster parents as
have difficult tasks such as probing allegations of child well, according to Bridger et al. (2019) and Hannah and
mistreatment, taking the child victims from their biological Woolgar (2018), even though it came to the attention of
families, working with trauma victims, as well as acting the scientific literature only recently through the research
in the children’s best interest overall (Bolic, 2019). Some conducted by Carew (2016).
specialists, such as psychologists, conduct psychological
evaluations, and implement different intervention Numerous research on the presence of burnout in the
techniques to reduce the psychological consequences of child protection system supports the intuitive hypothesis
traumatic events that happened to children before entering that these employees have high scores on burnout
the child protection system. (Baugerud et al., 2017; Louison Vang et al., 2020). In the field
of social work, the burnout phenomenon of social workers
1.2. Professional quality of life (ProQOL) among was first examined by Schaufeli et al. (2009). The causes
child protection workers of burnout were attributed to the overwhelming number
The concept of ProQOL pertains to the level of satisfaction of cases, a sense of powerlessness due to the system, and
and fulfillment that an individual experiences toward their a feeling of unfairness. However, not only negative results

Volume 9 Issue 2 (2023) 38 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.0884