Autocuidado y empatía en profesionales del trabajo social: Un estudio exploratorio en servicios sociales de atención primaria y comunitaria

Paulo Adrián Rodríguez-Ramos; Nerea Vázquez-García; José Manuel Díaz-González

doi:10.30827/tsg.v16.34133

Authors

Paulo Adrián Rodríguez-Ramos University of La Laguna https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1451-6775
Nerea Vázquez-García Asociación para la inserción laboral y el fomento de la economía social “Actúa” https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5730-9586
José Manuel Díaz-González University of La Laguna https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9974-2159

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30827/tsg.v16.34133

Keywords:

Social work, Self-care, Empathy, Compassion fatigue, Social well-being, Social services

Abstract

Introduction: Self-care is a personal and professional practice that has been identified as a set of strategies that can be implemented to limit the negative effects on the wellbeing of social work professionals. Due to their high exposure to the distress and difficulties experienced by service users, those practicing social work may experience consequences such as compassion fatigue. The main objective of this study is to explore perceptions of barriers and self-care strategies among a group of social work professionals working in primary and community social services in the Canary Islands.

Method: A qualitative exploratory–descriptive study was conducted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: The findings show that empathy is a fundamental element of social intervention. In addition, several useful personal and professional self-care strategies were identified. At the same time, participants reported both individual barriers and, in particular, barriers related to organizational factors. These include the lack of organizational support and resources for self-care, as well as difficulties in achieving work–life balance.

Discussion: The findings of this exploratory–descriptive study are consistent with the literature in indicating that excessive empathy may lead to compassion fatigue, particularly in the early stages of professional careers, reinforcing the need to establish preventive mechanisms and specific training in self-care. In the same vein, other studies suggest that although adaptive strategies exist, personal and organizational barriers limit their effectiveness, affecting professional wellbeing and the quality of social intervention.

Conclusions: It is necessary to integrate self-care as an essential component of professional practice and social work education, both at the individual and institutional–organizational levels, given its contribution to professionals’ wellbeing and health, as well as to improving the quality of care and the relationship with service users.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Paulo Adrián Rodríguez-Ramos, University of La Laguna

Graduated in Social Work. Master's degree in Social and Community Intervention. Postgraduate degree in Sexuality, Gender, and Adolescence. PhD from the University of La Laguna. Associate Professor and Researcher in the area of Social Work and Social Services at the University of La Laguna. His main lines of research are related to inequalities, gender-based violence, and professional well-being.
Nerea Vázquez-García, Asociación para la inserción laboral y el fomento de la economía social “Actúa”

Graduated in Social Work, she is currently a social worker at the association for labor inclusion and the promotion of the social economy “Actúa.” Her work focuses on providing socio-occupational support and guidance to groups in vulnerable situations, with a particular emphasis on young people who are unemployed. She has a strong interest in research on professional well-being and self-care in helping professions, along with a great eagerness to gain more knowledge and further investigate this topic, aiming to reach as many professionals as possible.
José Manuel Díaz-González, University of La Laguna

Diploma in Social Work, Master’s degree in Family Intervention, Master’s degree in Family Mediation, and PhD in Psychology from the University of La Laguna (ULL). Assistant professor (with a doctorate) at the University of La Laguna. His main research lines are related to social exclusion and homelessness.

References

Acker, G. M. (2018). Self–care practices among social workers: Do they predict job satisfaction and turnover intention? Social Work in Mental Health, 16(6), 713–727. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332985.2018.1494082 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15332985.2018.1494082

Acinas, P. (2012). Burnout y desgaste por empatía en profesionales de cuidados paliativos. Revista Digital de Medicina Psicosomática y Psicoterapia, 2(4), 1–22

ALLEA. (2023). Código Europeo de Conducta para la Integridad en la Investigación (Edición revisada 2023). https://doi.org/10.26356/ECOC

Barks, L., McKinley, C. E., Ka’apu, K., & Figley, C. R. (2023). Is self-care a stand-in for feminized social privilege? A systematic review of self-care facilitators and barriers to self-care practices in social work. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 20(6), 914–933. https://doi.org/10.1080/26408066.2023.2231446 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/26408066.2023.2231446

Bermejo, J. C. (1998). Apuntes de relación de ayuda. Sal Terrae

Bermejo, J. C. (2012). Empatía terapéutica. La compasión del sanador herido. Desclée de Brouwer

Bloomquist, K., Wood, L., Friedmeyer-Trainor, K., & Kim, H. (2015). Self-Care and Professional Quality of Life: Predictive Factors among MSW Practitioners. Advances in Social Work, 16(2), 292–311. https://doi.org/10.18060/18760 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18060/18760

Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2),77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa DOI: https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Castro-Ibáñez, R. & Barrera-Algarín, E. (2023). La inteligencia emocional y el sín-drome de desgaste por empatía en los profesionales del trabajo social. Trans-formación: Revista de Trabajo Social de Sevilla, (7), 7–14

Cohen, K. & Collens, P. (2013). The impact of trauma work on trauma workers: A meta synthesis on vicarious trauma and vicarious posttraumatic growth. Psy-chological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 5(6), 570–580. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030388 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030388

Collins, S. (2021). Social workers and self-care: A promoted yet unexamined con-cept? Practice, 33(2), 87–102. https://doi.org/10.1080/09503153.2019.1709635 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09503153.2019.1709635

Cuartero-Castañer, M. E. (2018a). Estudio sobre la prevalencia del desgaste por empatía (compassion fatigue) en los/as trabajadores/as sociales de los cen-tros de Servicios Sociales de Mallorca [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat de les Illes Balears

Cuartero-Castañer, M. E. (2018b). Desgaste por empatía: cómo ser un profesional del trabajo social y no desfallecer en el intento. Cuaderno de Trabajo Social, 11(1), 9–31

Cuartero-Castañer, M. E. & Campos-Vidal, J. F. (2019). Self-care behaviors and their relationship with satisfaction and compassion fatigue levels among social workers. Social work in health care, 58(3), 274–290. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2018.1558164 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2018.1558164

Davis, M. H. (1994). Empathy, a social psychological approach. Wm. C. Brown Communications

Drolet, J. & McLennan, C. (2016). Wellness and relational self-care in social work field education. The International Journal of Health,

Wellness and Society, 6(4), 9–21. https://doi.org/10.18848/2156-8960/CGP/v06i04/9-21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18848/2156-8960/CGP/v06i04/9-21

Eisenberg, N. & Strayer J. (1987). Empathy and Its Development. Cambridge Uni-versity Press

Figley, C. R. (1995). Compassion fatigue: Coping with secondary traumatic stress disorder in those who treat the traumatized. Brunner Mazel

Figley, C. R. & Ludick, M. (2017). Secondary traumatization and compassion fa-tigue. En S. N. Gold (Ed.), APA handbook of trauma psychology: Foundations in knowledge (pp. 573–593). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000019-029 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0000019-029

Fleuren, B. P. I., Nübold, A., Uitdewilligen, S., Verduyn, P., & Hülsheger U. R. (2023). Troubles on troubled minds: An intensive longitudinal diary study on the role of burnout in the resilience process following acute stressor exposure. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 32(3), 373-388. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2022.2161369 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2022.2161369

Flick, U. (2018). Introducción a la investigación cualitativa (4.ª ed.). Morata

González-Portillo, A. & Ruiz-Ballesteros, E. (2023). El cuidado profesional en los contextos de intervención social: un enfoque desde la organización. Cuader-nos de Relaciones Laborales, 41(2), 425–443. https://doi.org/10.5209/crla.83939 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5209/crla.83939

Hennink, M. M., Kaiser, B. N., & Marconi, V. C. (2016). Code saturation versus meaning saturation: How many interviews are enough? Qualitative Health Research, 27, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732316665344 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732316665344

Jiang, X., Topps, A. K., & Suzuki, R. (2021). A systematic review of self-care measures for professionals and trainees. Training and Education in Profession-al Psychology, 15(2), 126–139. https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000318 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000318

Jian, M., Wang, M., Du, Y., & Yan, H. (2024). What has been done for social workers’ self-care practice? A systematic review of interventions. Internation-al Social Work, 67(5), 1163-1178. https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728241237938 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728241237938

Ka´´ apu, K., McKinley, C. E., & Barks, L. (2023). Is Self-Care Sustainable Without Structural Support? A Systematic Review of Self-Care Interventions. Research on Social Work Practice, 14(1), 356–356. https://doi.org/10.1177/104973152312087

Lee, J. & Miller, S. (2013). A self-care framework for social workers: Building a strong foundation for practice. Families in Society, 94(2), 96–103. https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.4289 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.4289

Levitt, H. M., Bamberg, M., Creswell, J. W., Frost, D. M., Josselson, R., & Suárez-Orozco, C. (2018). Journal article reporting standards for qualitative primary, qualitative meta-analytic, and mixed methods research in psychology: The APA publications and communications board task force report. American Psychologist, 73, 26–46. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000151 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000151

López-Rodríguez, J. A., Sanga-Boladeres, T. S., & Muscolo, S. I. (2023). Revisión fenomenológica del concepto de empatía para el Trabajo Social. Ehquidad: La Revista Internacional de Políticas de Bienestar y Trabajo Social, (19), 145–166. https://doi.org/10.15257/ehquidad.2023.0006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15257/ehquidad.2023.0006

Mack, B. M. (2020). Social work supervision for stress and burnout: A resiliency focused self care approach [Tesis Doctoral]. University of St. Thomas, Minne-sota. https://ir.stthomas.edu/ssw_docdiss/61

Miller, J. J. & Grise-Owens, E. (2020). Self-care: An imperative. Social Work, 65(1), 5–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swz049 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swz049

Miller, J. J., Grise-Owens, E., Owens, L., Shalash, N., & Bode, M. (2020). Self-care practices of self-identified social workers: Findings from a

National Study. Social Work, 65, 55–63. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swz046 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swz046

National Association of Social Workers. (2009). Social work speaks: National Asso-ciation of Social Workers policy statements 2009-2012 (8th ed.). McGraw Hill

Neff, K. D. (2003). The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity, 2(3), 223–250. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860390209035 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309027

Organización Mundial de la Salud (1984). Health education in self-care: Possibili-ties and limitations. Report of a scientific consultation, Geneva, 21–25 No-vember 1983. World Health Organization.

Patton, M. Q. (2014). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theo-ry and practice. Sage.

Pipes, R. B., Holstein, J. E., & Aguirre, M. G. (2005). Examining the personal-professional distinction: Ethics codes and the difficulty of drawing a boundary. American Psychologist, 60(4), 325–334. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.4.325 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.4.325

Puig-Cruells, C. & Anleu-Hernández, C. M. (2020). El autocuidado de los futuros profesionales de Trabajo Social desde su formación académica. En J. J. Gáz-quez Linares, M. M. Molero Jurado, A. Martos Martínez, A. B. Barragán Martín, M. M. Simón Márquez, M. Sisto, R. M. del Pino Salvador & B. M. Tortosa Mar-tínez (Comps.), Innovación docente e investigación en Ciencias Sociales, Eco-nómicas y Jurídicas. Avanzando en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje (pp. 417–430). Dykinson

Pyles, L. (2020). Healing Justice, Transformative Justice, and Holistic Self-Care for Social Workers. Social Work, 65(2), 178–187. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swaa013 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swaa013

Radey, M. & Figley, C. R. (2007). The Social Psychology of Compassion. Clinical Social Work Journal, 35, 207–214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-007-0087-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-007-0087-3

Ravalier, J. M., Jones, D., Truell, R., & McFadden, P. (2022). Global social work working conditions and wellbeing. International Social Work, 65(6), 1078–1094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.07.008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728221112731

Rodríguez-Ramos, P. A., Aguilera-Ávila, L., & Gonzalez-Mendez, R. (2025a). Ex-ploring social workers’ self-care in Spain: Strategies, barriers, and proposals. International Social Work, 68(2), 318–333. https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728241288418 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728241288418

Rodríguez-Ramos, P. A., Aguilera-Ávila, L., & González-Méndez, R. (2025b). De-velopment and validation of the barriers to professional self-care scale (BPS-CS). Social Work, 70(1), 69–79. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swae052 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swae052

Rose, S., McCusker, P., Mitchell, M., Roesch Marsh, A., Jian, M., & Petrova, L. (2025). Self-care in social work: Individual, collective and political perspec-tives. The British Journal of Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcad123 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcad123

Scheyett, A. (2021). The responsibility of self-care in social work. Social Work, 66(4), 281–283. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swab041 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swab041

Sprang, G., Clark, J. J., & Whitt-Woosley, A. (2007). Compassion fatigue, com-passion satisfaction, and burnout: Factors impacting a professional's quality of life. Journal of loss and trauma, 12(3), 259–280. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325020701238093 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15325020701238093

Stamm, B. H. (2005). The professional quality of life scale: Compassion satisfac-tion, burnout, and compassion fatigue secondary trauma scales. Sidran Press

Vicente, E., Nogués, L., & Orgaz, C. (2022). IV Informe de Servicios Sociales en España y la Profesión del Trabajo Social. Consejo General del Trabajo Social. https://www.cgtrabajosocial.es/publicaciones/iv-informe-sobre-los-servicios-sociales-en-espana-y-la-profesion-del-trabajo-social-isse-iv/114/view https://www.cgtrabajosocial.es/files/62a847340c469/IVInformeServiciosSocialesEspa a.pdf

Xu, Y., Harmon-Darrow, C., & Frey, J. J. (2019). Rethinking professional quality of life for social workers: Inclusion of ecological self-care barriers. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 29(1), 11–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2018.1452814 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2018.1452814

Zaitseva, I. A., & Krikunov, A. Y. (2022). Fatores sócio-psicológicos que afetam o burnout profissional entre trabalhadores sociais (com base nas experiências de estudantes e profissionais). Revista on Line De Política E Gestão Educacio-nal, 26(00), e022146. https://doi.org/10.22633/rpge.v26i00.17335 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22633/rpge.v26i00.17335

Young, D. S. & Casey, E. A. (2019). An examination of the sufficiency of small qualitative samples. Social Work Research, 43(1), 53-58. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svy026 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svy026