Prospects for self-compassion-focused therapy in addressing professional deformation among healthcare professionals

Abstract

The article aims to identify the potential of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) in preventing professional deformation among healthcare workers. The research examines contemporary scientific publications on factors causing occupational stress, as well as strategies for the recovery and adaptation of affected specialist. The analysis is grounded in an integrative psychotherapeutic approach aimed at forming and strengthening the capacity for compassion, primarily towards oneself, based on the model of three affective regulation systems: the threat system (fight-flight-freeze); the drive system; and the soothing system. The core practical tools include: compassion-focused meditations; keeping a self-compassion journal; and mindfulness development exercises. The results indicate an urgent need for psychological support of personnel in modern medical practice. This need is driven by a confluence of social and psychological factors inherent to their professional duties. This underscores the importance of further investigation to deepen the understanding of this phenomenon. The analysis revealed the most significant causes for impairments in personal functioning attributable to professional deformation. At the psychophysiological level, these include neuropsychic instability characterized by asthenia, heightened anxiety, inhibition of neural processes, and diminished stress resilience. At the individual psychological level, manifestations comprise burnout syndrome, marked by depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and perceived professional inefficacy. Behaviorally, affected individuals exhibit patterns of self-sacrifice, dramatization, and idiosyncratic reactions. Socially, impairments present as communication barriers in interpersonal interactions. Professional contexts reveal polarized socio-psychological orientations, ranging from pronounced altruism to marked egoism. Characteristic conflict response patterns include avoidance or competitive confrontation strategies. Promising avenues for practice-oriented research encompass: cross-cultural adaptation of therapeutic protocols; longitudinal investigation of treatment effect sustainability; examination of CFT’s impact on professional performance and healthcare quality; and integration of structured self-compassion training into medical and nursing education curricula.