Journal of health psychology
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Fifty-seven studies were reviewed to identify the prevalence of compassion fatigue among cancer-care providers, instruments used to detect it and means of prevention and treatment. Conclusions were limited by an ambiguous definition of compassion fatigue that fails to adequately differentiate it from related constructs (e.g. burnout, secondary traumatic stress) and the modest number of cancer-related studies found. However, evidence suggests that compassion fatigue takes a toll not only on cancer-care providers but also on the workplace. These findings highlight the need to understand more clearly the link between the empathic sensitivity of healthcare professionals and their vulnerability to compassion fatigue.
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Pennebaker's expressive writing paradigm has helped to introduce the benefits of writing to health care. However, research in expressive writing has been largely dominated by an experimental and quantitative approach that does not take into account critical methodologies and approaches in health psychology, the increasingly complex ways in which creative writing is now being used in health care settings or recent research in the broader field of creative writing and personal development, health and well-being (developmental creative writing). This article contrasts expressive writing theories and methodologies with those evolving in the relatively new field of developmental creative writing. It investigates a number of theoretical and methodological problems with the expressive writing model and argues for a more critical approach to future research.