Page 45 - IJPS-9-2

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

can occur in this type of activity. Compassion satisfaction dimensions, with different intensities, mediated the
(CS) is the term used to describe the positive emotional effect. The study conducted by Fowler et al. (2013) used
state that arises from aiding others and obtaining a sense a clinical population and identified that attachment
of accomplishment in one’s work, according to Baugerud mediated the effect of interpersonal trauma on the
et al. (2017). severity of depression. According to Dimitrova et al.
(2010), it was crucial to verify if attachment plays a role
1.3. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the in connecting childhood sexual abuse to adult mental
ProQOL health. Their study concluded that the ability to maintain

Carew (2016) states that social work as a career is often close relationships among survivors of childhood sexual
linked to experiences of psychosocial traumas during abuse was the factor that connects childhood abuse to
childhood. Steen et al. (2021) have pointed out in their future psychological outcomes. The researchers could
research that child welfare professionals have higher not establish a connection between the anxiety and
ACE scores than the general population. Lee et al. (2017) avoidant dimensions of attachment and psychological
and Steen et al. (2021) identified that child welfare outcomes in adults.
professionals’ ACE score was associated with higher work Researchers have noticed that there are many different
stress. Concurrently, whether foster parents experienced ways of measuring and classifying attachment styles in
ACEs represents an area in which little is known. When scientific studies, which can make it difficult to consistently
Cooley et al. (2020) conducted their study, there were no
published works that reported on the frequency of ACEs link a particular style to a certain disorder (Bifulco et al.,
among foster parents. It is significant to examine this topic 2006). Bowlby (1988) states that attachment styles cover a
because experiencing abuse, neglect, or trauma during spectrum from secure, which is defined by seeing others
childhood has been linked to elevated levels of parental as reliable and honest, to insecure, which is defined by
stress or adverse parenting behaviors among parents in the seeing others as untrustworthy. Research indicates that
general population (Steele et al., 2016). individuals who have had traumatic experiences in their
childhood tend to have lower expectations of others’
Research has shown that the relationship between a reliability (Munoz et al., 2021). The classification of secure
social worker/counselor’s prior traumatic experiences and insecure attachment styles is used in the present study,
and their susceptibility to secondary trauma has been in accordance with the model presented by Munoz et al.
extensively studied. Most studies, including those (2021). In their study, the authors examined the mediator
conducted by Bride (2007) and Nelson-Gardell & Harris role of attachment security in the relationship between
(2003), have found a link between these two concepts. ACEs and hope and concluded that the effect of ACEs on
An important number of studies identified that ACEs lower hope can be better explained through attachment
represent a factor that contributes to the increasing risk insecurity.
of developing negative results in compassion (Bride
et al., 2004; Bridger et al. 2019; Nelson-Gardell & 1.5. Employees’ closeness towards children in the
Harris, 2003). child protection system

1.4. Attachment as a mediator Research indicates that maintaining a close care dyad
relationship has consistently resulted in positive effects
The results regarding how attachment mediates the for a person receiving care. However, the outcomes for
relationship between ACEs and negative psychological caregivers are variable. While there is proof that shows a
outcomes in adults have been inconsistent among non- correlation between relationship closeness/quality and the
clinical populations. One instance is when attachment well-being and health of caregivers, it is uncertain whether
played an important role in linking childhood closeness functions as a protective or detrimental factor
maltreatment to negative psychological outcomes such (Fauth et al., 2012).
as distress, internalizing symptoms, and depression
among at-risk individuals who were not receiving The closeness of the employees toward the children
medical treatment. This was supported by studies with whom they work is conceptualized in this study as
conducted by Dion et al. (2019), Muller et al. (2008), the employee’s perception of the relationship between
Bifulco et al. (2006), and Widom et al. (2018). However, the worker and the child, as more or less close and
in the studies performed by Dion et al. (2019) and empathetic. In the study conducted by Blythe et al. (2013),
Widom et al. (2018), only the anxiety dimension, and it was discovered that foster parents who offer extended
not avoidance was identified as a significant mediator, foster care to a child recognize themselves as parents.
whereas Bifulco et al. (2006) concluded that both Having close relationships between parents and children

Volume 9 Issue 2 (2023) 39 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.0884