The Altruistic Personality: Exploring its Influence on Prosocial Behavior, and Compassion Fatigue among Students of Healthcare and Social Work

Description

Page: 395-401

T.K. Amitha and K. Azhagannan (Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu)

The current study aims to investigate the impact of altruistic personality traits on prosocial behavior and compassion fatigue among college students preparing for careers in healthcare and social work. The objectives were to assess altruistic traits, examine their relationship with prosocial behaviors, and analyze their impact on compassion fatigue to suggest strategies to alleviate fatigue in individuals with high altruistic traits. Using a sample of 250 participants, aged 18 to 30, selected through simple random sampling, data were collected via the Altruistic Personality Scale, Prosocialness Scale for Adults, and Compassion Fatigue Self-test. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis, revealed that altruistic traits significantly positively correlate with prosocial behavior and compassion satisfaction, but also with burnout. A significant positive regression relationship was found between altruism and compassion fatigue, explaining 3.2% of its variance. Notably, compassion satisfaction was strongly associated with both compassion fatigue and burnout. These results highlight the relationship between altruistic traits and emotional well-being, indicating that while altruism fosters helpful behaviors, it also heightens vulnerability to compassion fatigue and burnout. The study underlines the need for targeted interventions to support high-altruism individuals in managing emotional strain and maintaining their effectiveness in caregiving roles.