Compassion Satisfaction, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Burnout Among Refugee Resettlement Workers in the United States

This study was conducted following a time of rapid change in the U.S. refugee resettlement program to advance empirical understanding of compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress (STS), and burnout in the U.S. refugee resettlement workforce in 2023. With approval from Institutional Review Boards, data were collected using a self-administered online survey based on a cross-sectional design. Univariate analyses produced rates and levels of compassion satisfaction, STS, and burnout, and structural equation modeling examined associations between socio-demographic, personal, and work-related factors and the three outcomes. The sample comprised 472 respondents, predominantly female (83.3%). Nearly all (99%) of survey respondents reported moderate and high levels of compassion satisfaction, while 56 and 58% of scores fell into the categories of moderate STS and burnout, respectively. Being in a management role, resilient coping, compassion, turnover intention, and client connection were all associated with compassion satisfaction; while self-efficacy, quality of work-life, and client connection were significantly associated with both burnout and STS. Study results reiterate the importance of examining both demands and resources, as well as positive and adverse outcomes, in the refugee resettlement workforce. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed.