Compassion Work Characteristics Measure

Abstract

The Compassion Work Characteristics Measure (Kleineidam & Fischbach, 2023) is a 22-item self-report instrument designed to assess the emotional labor job characteristics specific to compassion work among human service professionals, such as those in care, medical, and pastoral fields. This measure was developed to address a gap in compassion work research that previously lacked a focus on job characteristics. The theoretical foundation for its development is the job-role differentiation theory (Griffin et al., 2007; Ilgen & Hollenbeck, 1991), which informed a model of compassion work distinguishing between two task characteristics—exposure and empathy—and two work style requirements—compassion and distancing. Initially, 24 items were generated based on existing literature including Lampert (2011), Lampert and Glaser (2018), and theories of empathy (Elfenbein, 2014; Jordan et al., 2016; Singer & Lamm, 2009). The measure was administered to human service employees in Germany. Through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, a hypothesized four-factor structure was supported, resulting in a final 22-item scale. The development included reporting of internal consistency, construct validity, and criterion validity.

Keywords

Compassion, Compassion Work, Distancing, Emotional Labor, Empathy, Exposure, Human Service Workers, Job Characteristics, Empathy, Job Characteristics, Occupational Stress, Service Personnel, Professional Personnel Measures, Compassion Fatigue.

Authors

Kleineidam, Nicolai J.; Fischbach, Andrea

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Purpose

The primary purpose of this measure is to assess specific job characteristics associated with compassion work.

Validity

Criterion Validity:
Exposure demonstrated a positive correlation with emotional exhaustion and work engagement, while showing no relationship with cynicism. Additionally, exposure was positively associated with both empathy and compassion. Empathy exhibited positive correlations with the burnout dimensions of emotional exhaustion and cynicism, and was negatively related to distancing and work meaningfulness. Compassion was positively linked to work engagement and work meaningfulness, and negatively correlated with cynicism. Distancing showed a negative correlation with both emotional exhaustion and cynicism aspects of burnout, and was positively related to work meaningfulness.

Construct Validity:
Construct validity was established through factor analysis.

Reliability

Internal Consistency:
The internal consistency reliability, measured by Cronbach’s alpha for the four factors, consistently exceeded the recommended .70 threshold (Nunnally & Bernstein, 1994). Specifically, the alpha values were: exposure, α = .82-.87; empathy, α = .81-.89; compassion, α = .83-.86; and distancing, α = .84-.86.

Factor Analysis

Exploratory Factor Analysis:
A principal components extraction with orthogonal varimax rotation was performed, yielding four distinct factors that collectively accounted for 57.13% of the variance. All items loaded above .35 on their respective factors, and no cross-loading above .35 was observed, indicating good discriminant validity among factors.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis:
The initial proposed four-factor model did not achieve acceptable fit. Therefore, the model was modified by allowing for two correlated errors: one for items with content overlap assigned to the exposure factor and another for items with content overlap assigned to the compassion factor. The modified model achieved a relatively good fit (χ2 = 530.04, χ2/df = 2.17; RMSEA = .063; SRMR = .079; CFI = .90; TLI = .89). A second confirmatory factor analysis conducted with an independent sample also indicated a good fit to the measurement model (χ2 = 598.04, χ2/df = 2.95; RMSEA = .067; SRMR = .068; CFI = .91; TLI = .90). Structural equation modeling further confirmed that the four-factor model provided a superior fit compared to a single-factor model.

Instrument: Compassion Work Characteristics Measure

Test Type: Original
Format: Items are rated on frequency using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = not at all, 5 = frequently, if not always).
Language Available: English, German
Population Group: Human, Male, Female
Age Group: Adulthood (18 years & older)
Population Details: The study participants were human service workers located in Germany.
Test Methodology: The methodology employed included Test Validity (Construct Validity, Criterion Validity), Test Reliability (Internal Consistency), and Factor Analysis (Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis, Principal Component Analysis, Structural Equation Modeling).
Number of Items: The measure consists of 22 items.
Factors and Subscales: The measure comprises four factors: Exposure, Empathy, Compassion, and Distancing.

Keywords

Compassion, Compassion Work, Distancing, Emotional Labor, Empathy, Exposure, Human Service Workers, Job Characteristics.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available
Affiliation:
Kleineidam, Nicolai J.: German Police University Department of Social, Work and Organizational Psychology
Fischbach, Andrea: German Police University Department of Social, Work and Organizational Psychology

Email Addresses:
Fischbach, Andrea: [email protected]

Correspondence Address:
Fischbach, Andrea: [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: The measure may be used for Research/Teaching purposes.
Commercial Use: No
Fee: No
Test Year: 2023

References

Kleineidam, N. J., & Fischbach, A. (2023). Emotional labour job characteristics in compassion work – Differentiating exposure, empathy, compassion, and distancing. Work & Stress, 37(4), 531–551. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2023.2199383

Web Sites:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.22548109.v2

Items of the Compassion Work Characteristics Measure

The items of the Compassion Work Characteristics Measure are available in the Supplemental Material at: 2023-65486-001, Pages 1-2.

Emotional Labour Job Characteristics in Compassion Work – Differentiating Exposure, Empathy, Compassion, and Distancing: Online Supplement

Kleincidam, N. J. & Fischbach, A. (In Press). Emotional labour job characteristics in compassion work – differentiating exposure, empathy, compassion, and distancing. Work & Stress.

English and German Items of the Compassion Work Measure

Introduction/Einleitung:

The following questions relate to your work with other people. How often do the following statements apply to you?
Die folgenden Fragen beziehen sich auf Ihre Arbeit mit anderen Menschen. Wie häufig treffen die folgenden Aussagen auf Sie zu?

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Note. Response format: (1) not at all/ überhaupt nicht, (2) now and then/ hin und wieder, (3) sometimes /manchmal, (4) quite often /ziemlich häufig, (5) frequently, if not always /häufig, wenn nicht immer. Based on the factor analysis, the items in parentheses were combined in the new item labeled N.