Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, and Compassion Satisfaction Interventions via Mobile Applications: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: The increasing prevalence of burnout, compassion fatigue, and reduced compassion satisfaction among healthcare professionals has highlighted the need for effective interventions. Mobile applications offer a promising solution due to their accessibility and low cost.

Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness of mobile interventions in addressing burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction among healthcare professionals, while analyzing subcomponents of burnout to account for the frequently overlapping definitions and symptoms shared by these conditions. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies published between 2010 and 2024. Data were synthesized using a random effects model, with effect sizes estimated in Hedge's g.

Results: Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising 11 RCTs and 3 quasi-experimental studies, with participant numbers ranging from 20 to 2182. Most intervention content focused on mindfulness and meditation (n = 7) and resilience-based programs (n = 3). The systematic review indicated mixed results for mindfulness and resilience apps, while most studies that used meditation showed improvements in burnout. Although interventions directly targeting compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction showed no significant effects, the meta-analysis revealed improvements in burnout domains, including a significant effect on personal accomplishment (Hedge's g = 0.51) and mixed findings for emotional exhaustion. While these interventions do not directly reduce compassion fatigue or raise compassion satisfaction, they may contribute to job satisfaction and a sense of professional efficacy. A sensitivity analysis improved homogeneity, leading to significant effects on emotional exhaustion and the generalizability of our findings.

Linking evidence to action: Interventions focused on mindfulness, resilience training, and other strategies via mobile applications enhance personal accomplishment among healthcare professionals and show promising results in reducing emotional exhaustion. Their effectiveness in reducing compassion fatigue, depersonalization, and increasing compassion satisfaction remains inconsistent. Current research predominantly focuses on healthcare professionals, despite evidence suggesting that a broader range of healthcare professionals also suffer from compassion fatigue and burnout. The limited data on compassion fatigue and satisfaction highlights a gap in the current literature, showing the need for further high-quality studies in the form of RCTs.

Keywords: burnout; compassion fatigue; compassion satisfaction; meta‐analysis; mobile application; systematic review.

FIGURE 1

PRISMA flow diagram.

FIGURE 2

Cochrane risk‐of‐bias evaluation for randomized controlled trials (RoB 2.0) (Sterne et al. 2019).

FIGURE 3

Meta‐analytical results of effect sizes for personal accomplishment in Hedges' g (95% CI). The relative size of the gray bullets represents the study's weight in the meta‐analytic result. Bullet №10: weighted average effect (combined effect size), black—confidence interval, gray—prediction interval.

FIGURE 4

Meta‐analysis results of effect sizes for emotional exhaustion in Hedges' g (95% CI) after the sensitivity analysis.