Compassion fatigue in University students in the context of social media consumption

Halyna Synorub; Tetiana Husieva; Svitlana Buchatska; Bohdana Patuta

doi:10.29038/syn

Authors

Halyna Synorub * Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatyuk National Pedagogical University, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7073-0752
Tetiana Husieva I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1168-719X
Svitlana Buchatska Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6063-5858
Bohdana Patuta Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1402-564X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29038/syn

Keywords:

compassion fatigue, empathy fatigue, Fatigue Assessment Scale, social media, emotional overload, media consumption

Abstract

This study examines compassion fatigue in the context of contemporary media consumption, focusing on emotionally saturated news coverage related to war, human loss, destruction, and humanitarian crises. Using a mixed-methods design, the research explores the prevalence of compassion fatigue among Journalism and Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation students, as well as the relationship between their media consumption patterns and emotional exhaustion. Quantitative data were collected via the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), and qualitative responses were gathered through an online survey assessing emotional responses to media content, preferred platforms, content types, and self-regulation strategies. Results indicate a high prevalence of fatigue among participants, associated with frequent exposure to emotionally charged content, especially on platforms such as Telegram and Instagram. Students report cognitive and emotional overload, reduced empathy, and diminished concentration and motivation. These findings suggest that excessive media consumption during societal crises is a significant risk factor for compassion fatigue. The study underscores the importance of integrating media hygiene, critical thinking, and emotional resilience training into educational programs for journalists and healthcare professionals, and proposes preventive strategies to reduce emotional exhaustion.

Disclosure Statement

The authors reported no potential conflicts of interest.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Balabanova, K. (2024). Analysis of media consumption trends in Ukraine for 2022–2024. Integrated Communications, 1(17), 32–36. https://doi.org/10.28925/2524-2644.2024.173

Buchatska, S., Zarichna, O., Matiienko, O., & Khurtenko, O. (2024). Enhancing media literacy skill building in pedagogical universities: Our view and experience. East European Journal of Psycholinguistics, 11(1), 47–62. https://doi.org/10.29038/eejpl.2024.11.1.buc

Cherepovska, N., & Umerenkova, N. (2021). Mediapsychological resources for overcoming trauma: Practical possibilities (2nd ed., Suppl. 220). National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, Institute of Social and Political Psychology. http://mediaosvita.org.ua/book/mediapsyhologichni-resursy-podolannya-travmyvijny-2/

Danyliuk, I., & Tokhtamysh, O. (2024). Peculiarities of experiencing stress in Ukrainians. Ukrainian Psychological Journal, 1(21), 23–39.

Davis, M. (2009). A perspective on cultivating clinical empathy. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 15, 76–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.02.002

Figley, C. R. (1995). Compassion fatigue as secondary traumatic stress disorder: An overview. In C. R. Figley (Ed.), Compassion fatigue: Coping with secondary traumatic stress disorder in those who treat the traumatized (pp. 1–20). Brunner-Routledge.

Furman, A. (2022). Theoretical model of empathy between a psychologist and a client: A cyclical paradigm. Psychology and Personality, 2, 9–40.

Harets, N. (2024). Vtoma vid spivchuttia ta emotsiine vyhorannia v konteksti diialnosti psykholoha-konsultanta [Compassion fatigue and emotional burnout in the context of a counseling psychologist's activity]. Collection of Scientific Papers “ΛΌΓOΣ”, 473–476. https://doi.org/10.36074/logos-29.03.2024.097

Harr, C., & Moore, B. (2011). Compassion fatigue among social work students in field placements. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 31, 350–363. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2011.580262

Holitsyn, A., & Frolova, V. (2023). Trends in media consumption in Ukraine in the wartime. Marketing and Digital Technologies, 1(7), 128–139.

John, W. (2021). Media consumption and its effects. Journal of Mass Communication & Journalism, 11(9). https://doi.org/10.37421/jmcj.11.444

Joinson, C. (1992). Coping with compassion fatigue. Nursing, 22(4), 116–122.

Junlin, Z. (2022). The relevance of compassion fatigue in social media discourse on the Russia-Ukraine crisis: Taking Twitter and Weibo as examples. In Proceedings of the 2022 5th International Conference on Humanities Education and Social Sciences (ICHESS 2022) (pp. 298–311). https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-494069-89-3_35

Kinnick, K. N., Krugman, D. M., & Cameron, G. T. (1996). Compassion fatigue: Communication and burnout toward social problems. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 73, 687–706. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769909607300314

Lazos, H. (2017). Risk factors for the development of negative emotional states in volunteer psychologists/psychotherapists. Current Problems of Psychology, 3(13), 130–152.

Naumova, M. (2023). Ukrainian audience after the beginning of the Great Depression: changes in media consumption, information space expansion, sensitivity to created content. Special and branched sociology, 45. 21-27. http://habitus.od.ua/journals/2023/45-2023/3.pdf

Maier, S. (2015). Compassion fatigue and the elusive quest for journalistic impact: A content and reader-metrics analysis assessing audience response. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 92(3), 700–722. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077699015599660

Rogers, C. (1957). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21, 95–103.

Shel, N. (2025). Emotional exhaustion and the second half of the war. Journal of the Vasyl Stusa Donetsk National University. Psychological Sciences Series, 2(5), 80–87. https://doi.org/10.31558/2786-8745.2024.2(5).9

Stebnicki, M. (2025). Transcending empathy fatigue: Cultivating empathy resiliency. Cognella.

Stoewen, D. (2020). Moving from compassion fatigue to compassion resilience, part 4: Signs and consequences of compassion fatigue. Canadian Veterinary Journal, 61(11), 1207–1209.

Synorub, H. (2024). Empathizer of military photo content (on the example of photos of the “Rubizh” brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine on the social network Facebook). In Regional journalism in Ukraine: History, reality, challenges, perspectives: A collection of scientific works based on materials of the All-Ukrainian scientific and practical online conference (No. 10, pp. 86–90). PNPU im. V. H. Korolenka.

Synorub, H. (2025). Ways of forming informational resilience of the audience under wartime conditions. In Big data: Post-truth and disinformation in politics and economy during times of conflict (Vol. 60, pp. 75–96). Peter Lang. http://dspace.tnpu.edu.ua/bitstream/123456789/35121/1/Halyna%20Synorub.pdf

Tytarenko, T. M. (2017). Personality before the challenges of war: Psychological consequences of traumatization. Problemy Politychnoi Psykholohii, 5(19), 3–10.

Voznesensʹka, O., Dyatel, N., Naydʹonova, L., Taranenko, O., & Umerenkova, N. (2024). 7 steps to healthy media consumption during wartime: A resource for educators. IREX in Ukraine.

Yordan, H., & Synorub, H. (2024). Visual content and its impact on audience perception. In World Journalism During War: Potential and Possibilities: Materials of the International Scientific and Practical Conference (pp. 137–141). Zaporizhzhia National University.

Zhuravlyova, L. P. (2007). Psychology of empathy: Monograph [Psykholohiia empatii: Monohrafiia]. Zhytomyr Ivan Franko State University Publishing House.

Sources

Cherry, K. (2023). Compassion fatigue: The toll of caring too much. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/compassion-fatigue-the-toll-of-caring-too-much-7377301

The influence of media on society – psychological analysis and results. (2024). Facts. Analytics. Comments. Trends. https://fact-news.com.ua/vpliv-media-na-suspilstvo-psixologicalhniy-analiz-i-naslidki/

Opora. (2024, July 10). Media consumption of Ukrainians: The third year of the state budget. https://www.oporaua.org/viyna/doslidzhennya-mediaspozhivannya-ukrayinciv-tretiy-rik-povnomasshtabnoyi-viyni-25292

Cooks-Campbell, A. (2021). Why are empathy fatigue and compassion fatigue so common? BetterUp. https://www.betterup.com/blog/empathy-and-compassion-fatigue

Kolisnyk, V. (2025). Content marketing in 2025: How to attract audience and increase conversion. https://mmr.ua/show/content-marketing-in-2025-year-2025-how-to-attract-audience-and-increase-conversion

Positive Mind Works. (2024). Compassion fatigue in a digital world. https://www.positivemindworks.co/compassion-fatigue-in-a-digital-world/

Rand, S. (2025, March 10). Understanding US Gen Z media consumption trends: Insights for brands. https://www.askattest.com/blog/research/gen-z-media-consumption

Empathy fatigue: How stress and trauma can take a toll on you. (2021). Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/empathy-fatigue-how-stress-and-trauma-can-take-a-toll-on-you

Sullivan, N. (2022). Overcoming compassion fatigue in our work environment. https://www.physicaltherapy.com/articles/overcoming-compassion-fatigue-in-our-4834