Impact of immigration and discrimination on vocational wellness for immigrant mental health professionals

Abstract

The current study examined how personal and career factors impact professional quality of life for mental health professionals who are immigrants in the United States (n = 108). Professional quality of life was measured with constructs of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout. Researchers explored which personal and career factors best predicted compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue related to work environments in mental health using correlational analysis. Demands of immigration and frequent experiences of discrimination significantly predicted high compassion fatigue and low compassion satisfaction. Findings and implications explore career wellness and longevity for mental health professionals who are immigrants.