Exploring the Connection between Distress Tolerance and Mental Well-Being among Psychological Counsellors: The Multiple Mediation of Compassion Fatigue and Hopelessness

Authors : Sinan Okur

Pages : 797-821

Doi:10.46778/goputeb.1663361

View : 91 | Download : 118

Publication Date : 2025-07-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Mental health practitioners, including psychological counsellors, may also experience difficulties at times. Particularly following traumatic experiences such as earthquakes, which affect almost the entire population, psychological counsellors providing support services may be significantly impacted by the intense emotional burden experienced by their clients. Although indirectly, exposure to traumatic events can lead to a decline in the mental well-being of those delivering mental health services. In this context, identifying the determinants of psychological counsellors’ mental well-being is important for ensuring their professional sustainability and minimizing potential risk factors. The aim of this study is to examine the multiple mediating roles of compassion fatigue and hopelessness in the relationship between distress tolerance and mental well-being among psychological counsellors who provided support services to individuals directly or indirectly affected by the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş. In line with this objective, a total of 337 psychological counsellors participated in the study, including 203 female (60.2%) and 134 male (39.8%). The participants’ average age was calculated as 34.42. The study group was administered the Distress Tolerance Scale, the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale, the Compassion Fatigue Scale for Psychological Counsellors, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale, respectively. Based on the data obtained from the participants, preliminary analyses were first conducted, followed by testing the proposed model through structural equation modeling. The analysis revealed that compassion fatigue and hopelessness fully mediated the relationship between distress tolerance and mental well-being. This finding indicates that psychological counsellors who have difficulty tolerating distress experience higher levels of compassion fatigue and hopelessness, which in turn negatively affect their mental well-being. The results offer important insights into the mental health of mental health practitioners.
Keywords : Sıkıntıyı Tolere Etme, Şefkat Yorgunluğu, Umutsuzluk, Mental İyi Oluş, Psikolojik Danışman

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