Compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout, and their associations with anxiety and depression in UK police officers: A mixed method analysis

Abstract

Professional quality of life (ProQoL) variables, compassion fatigue (CF), compassion satisfaction (CS) and burnout are understudied in the police population. Here, we examine any associations between ProQoL and anxiety, depression and personal QoL. Study 1: A cross-sectional survey (N = 100) demonstrated CF and burnout are significantly associated with higher anxiety and depression, whereas CS is significantly associated with lower anxiety and depressive symptomology. When controlling for CS, CF is still significantly associated with higher anxiety and depression. Study 2: Semi-structured interviews (N = 6) revealed themes of perceived awareness and personal impacts of ProQoL. Police interventions should focus on ProQoL variables as the root cause of common mental health complaints.