Exploring the lived experiences of compassion fatigue in parents who adopt children with trauma histories

Agius, Claire ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4679-0031, Eve, Zarah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3945-2042 and Pearson, Rebecca (2024) Exploring the lived experiences of compassion fatigue in parents who adopt children with trauma histories. The British Journal of Social Work, 54 (1). pp. 147-167. ISSN 0045-3102

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Abstract

The challenges of caring for children with early life adversity have been identified as contributing to feelings of compassion fatigue (CF)—an emotional disconnection resulting from repeated exposure to another’s trauma. Although extensive studies have focused on contributors to trauma-inducing workplace stress and well-being, research on trauma-related stress in the home, especially in adoptive parent populations, is relatively underexplored. This study aimed to understand how adoptive parents make sense of their experiences of parenting adopted children, identify core components of CF, understand parents’ perceptions of contributing factors and explore wider relational impacts. Parents were recruited from Adoption UK via email invite. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve parents to form a holistic picture of adoptive parents’ experiences. Data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Findings yielded three overarching and interrelated themes: (i) a parent not a therapist; (ii) strained connections; and (iii) support is a mirage. Findings support recent literature highlighting the reality of CF in adoptive parents and the need to develop more preventative structures and responsive systems of support adapted to the needs of adopted children but also the unique needs of their families to help prevent mental health crises across the family and adoption breakdowns.