Caregiver Burden and Compassion Fatigue Among Arab Family Caregivers of Older Relatives

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the associations and the mechanisms between caregiver burden and compassion fatigue among family caregivers. Method: A cross-sectional study comprising 300 family caregivers of older relatives in Arab communities in Israel was conducted. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews in Arabic using structured questionnaires to identify factors associated with compassion fatigue (using a secondary traumatization stress scale). Bootstrapping with resampling strategies tested the multiple mediator model. Main findings: The results show a significant total effect of caregiver burden on compassion fatigue ( b = 3.79, t(300) = 3.47, p < .001; R2 =.50). This association was found to be partially mediated by family support ( B = .81, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.23, 1.85) and disengagement coping ( B = .97, 95% CI = 0.19, 2.14), but was not mediated by engagement coping strategies. Conclusion: Compassion fatigue is prevalent among family caregivers and requires more attention from professionals and policymakers.