Professional Quality of Life in Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare

Abstract

Outdoor behavioral healthcare (OBH) is an intervention for addressing maladaptive behaviors in youth and adults. Therapeutic field instructors are responsible for facilitating the majority of this treatment process by supervising clients through wilderness activities in cooperation with a therapist. This study measured the professional quality of life of field instructors working for OBH programs in the United States in 2023. This study measured the prevalence of burnout, secondary trauma, and compassion satisfaction in these field instructors. This study also sought to measure whether the population of field instructors is in an overall state of compassion fatigue or compassion satisfaction. The population for this study were 27 field instructors employed at OBH programs that were members of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council in 2023. A survey consisting of the Professional Quality of Life Scale and demographic questions was distributed to these field instructors via a Google form that was given to their field supervisors. Most respondents registered as having high compassion satisfaction, moderate to low burnout and secondary trauma. On average, these field instructors were in an overall state of compassion satisfaction, meaning they derive intrinsic benefit from their work. The notable presence of compassion satisfaction in greater proportion to burnout and secondary trauma suggests compassion satisfaction may have a protective effect on welling being in the workplace.