Investigator(s): Iliana Rendon

Study Title: “Examining the Role of Empathy and Burnout among Mental Health Providers in Locked Forensic Settings: An exploration of Gender and Length of Time in the Field”

I am a student at The Chicago School. This study is being conducted as a part of my dissertation requirement for Psy.D Clinical and Forensic Psychology.

I am asking you to participate in a research study that explores burnout and empathy. You will be asked to complete a demographics questionnaire, one questionnaire on empathy, and one questionnaire on burnout. This will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. This may cause emotional distress or upset. Additionally, another risk in this study is the systematic selection of a specific group. Although you may not benefit, it will help to understand contribute to a deeper understanding of how gender and length of time in the field mitigates or increase burnout and empathy levels, especially in forensic settings.

Please take your time to read the entire document and feel free to ask any questions before signing this document.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore empathy and burnout rates in mental health professionals who work in locked forensic settings. More specifically, how gender and length of time in the field influence burnout and empathy rates.

Procedures:
During this study, you will be asked to complete a demographics questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), and the Perth Empathy Scale (PES). The demographics questionnaire consists of 6 questions, the MBI-HSS consists of 22 questions, and the PES consists of 20 questions. Both the MBI-HSS and the PES are Likert scale measures. This survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Risks to Participants: A potential risk is experiencing emotional distress or upset. Risk will be minimized as participants will only be asked to rate their levels of empathy and burnout. Participants will not go into detail or provide any specific examples to prevent any traumatization. Another risk in this study is systematic selection exclusion of various gender groups. Participants will be limited to choosing one gender identity (male or female), as the study aims to examine binary gender comparisons in line with existing literature that primarily uses male–female distinctions. This approach allows for focused hypothesis testing and statistical comparisons based on established gender frameworks in empathy and burnout research. This exclusion is not intended to devalue the experiences of gender-diverse individuals, but to maintain clarity for this statistical analysis. You will not be asked to provide any specific or personal information regarding your experience working in locked forensic settings. It is important to note that your anonymity will be ensured as no identifying information such as name, address, or ethnicity will be collected. Every effort will be made to maintain your responses, as only myself and members of my dissertation committee will have access to the participants’ data. If you feel you need psychological or emotional support after completing the questionnaire, please utilize the following resources that will be available in the debriefing form.

Benefits to Participants: There are no direct benefits from participating in this study. However, this study will address the significant gaps in literature that currently exists, as most of the literature has focused on empathy and burnout in non-forensic mental health professionals and settings. This study will highlight how gender and length of time in the field mitigates or increases burnout and empathy levels. Understanding these relationships will create an awareness of empathy and burnout and assist mental health professionals in addressing their burnout at different points in their career.

Alternatives to Participation: Participation in this study is voluntary. You may withdraw from study participation at any time without any penalty.

Confidentiality: During this study, information such as the type of forensic setting you work in, the level of education/type of mental health professional you identify as, gender, and length of time you have worked in the field will be collected. All responses and raw data will only be available to my dissertation committee and myself. Your research records may be reviewed by federal agencies whose responsibility is to protect human subjects participating in research, including the Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) and by representatives from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Institutional Review Board, a committee that oversees research. It is possible that your data may be used for future research or distributed to another researcher without your consent. However, information that could identify you will be removed.

Your research records may be reviewed by federal agencies whose responsibility is to protect human subjects participating in research, including the Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) and by representatives from The Chicago School Institutional Review Board, a committee that oversees research.

Questions/Concerns: If you have questions related to any aspect of this document, please contact researcher Iliana Rendon (irendon@ego.thechicagoschool.edu) or dissertation chair Dr. Adare Toral (atoral@thechicagoschool.edu).

If you have questions concerning your rights in this research study you may contact the Institutional Review Board (IRB), which is concerned with the protection of subjects in research projects. You may reach the IRB office Monday-Friday by calling 312.467.2335 or writing: Institutional Review Board, The Chicago School, 325 N. Wells, Chicago, Illinois, 60654.

Consent to Participate in Research

Participant: I have read the above information and have received satisfactory answers to my questions. I understand the research project, and the procedures involved have been explained to me. I agree to participate in this study. My participation is voluntary, and I do not have to click yes on this form if I do not want to be part of this research project.