Compassion and Self-Compassion: Counterfactors of Burnout in Medical Students and Physicians

Objective: To examine the relationship between self-compassion, compassion for others and Burnout in medical students and physicians.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Medicine students and general physicians from two Colombian cities participated (n = 359). The Compassion Scales and the Maslach Inventory were administered. An Exploratory Structural Equation approach was used for validating new measures and testing for relationships between latent variables.

Results: Most participants were students (85.9%), mean age was 22 years (SD = 7), 55.2% were female, 62,6% dedicated more than 48 weekly hours to study or practice, while physicians had worked a mean of 10.34 years (SD = 8.67). Self-compassion and Compassion for others action subscales were validated, but engagement subscales of were not. Participant´s compassion actions for others and self-compassion actions are negatively related to depersonalization and emotional exhaustion, respectively. Additionally, compassion dimensions were positively associated with professional accomplishment.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that compassion and self-compassion actions inversely relate to different components of Burnout and could constitute protective factors against the stress of healthcare. Compassion and self-compassion training programs for medical students and physicians might be an alternative to avoid Burnout, diminishing physicians’ depersonalization and emotional exhaustion while enhancing their professional accomplishment.