The Relationships Among Counselors’ Adult Attachment, Countertransference Management Ability, and Compassion Fatigue: The Moderated Mediating Effect of Mindfulness

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the moderated mediation effect of mindfulness on the relationship between counselors’ adult attachment and compassion fatigue, with countertransference management ability as a mediating variable. Method: Using data collected from a total of 256 counselors, analyses were conducted with SPSS Macro PROCESS 4.3. Results: First, countertransference management ability fully mediated the relationship between adult attachment and compassion fatigue. Second, mindfulness significantly moderated the relationship between adult attachment and countertransference management ability. Third, a significant moderated mediation effect of mindfulness was found in the relationship among adult attachment, countertransference management ability, and compassion fatigue. Conclusion: This study is meaningful in that it provides valuable insights into the efforts counselors must make to prevent and regulate the potential risk factors of reduced countertransference management ability and compassion fatigue resulting from insecure adult attachment.