Background: Secondary traumatic stress (STS), symptomatology resulting from indirect exposure to trauma, is one potential negative effect from engaging in clinical social work. Yet, little is known about the relationship between STS and workers’ distress and impairment due to their work. Objective: The purpose of this paper was to explore STS in a national sample of clinical social workers (N
(Edited publisher abstract)
Background: Secondary traumatic stress (STS), symptomatology resulting from indirect exposure to trauma, is one potential negative effect from engaging in clinical social work. Yet, little is known about the relationship between STS and workers’ distress and impairment due to their work. Objective: The purpose of this paper was to explore STS in a national sample of clinical social workers (N = 539). Method and results: A structural equation model demonstrating good model fit indicated that STS mediated the association between trauma exposure at work and reports of significant distress and impairment (β = .08, p < .01; 95 % CI = .03, .12). Likewise, STS mediated the association between working with children aged 13 and under and reports of significant distress and impairment (β = .05, p < .05; 95 % CI = .02, .09). Results indicated that the model accounted for 25 % of the variance in significant distress and impairment (R2 = .25, p < .001) and 5% of the variance in STS (R2 = .05, p < .05). Conclusions: Implications for agencies working with child welfare are provided, including a discussion of addressing STS and significant distress and impairment at the individual and larger agency levels.
(Edited publisher abstract)
British Journal of Social Work, 50(7), 2020, pp.1981-2001.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
It has been demonstrated that working with trauma-exposed children increases the risk for developing secondary traumatisation (ST) and burnout (BO). High correlations between ST and BO have been reported, suggesting an empirical overlap between the constructs. The purpose of the present review was to synthesise research investigating covariates of BO and ST to explore whether this overlap extends to covariates. Seven research databases were searched for studies investigating covariates of both BO and ST. Identified studies were screened in accordance with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in thirteen articles being included for further review. Fourteen covariates were examined in two or more of the included studies and were synthesised according to the ‘levels of evidence approach’. Some individual and operational factors appeared to be equally related to BO and ST. There was a predominance of equivocal evidence for and against the salience of different covariates as well as an over-representation of demographic factors compared to organisational and operational factors in the current literature. More research investigating the nature of the overlap between BO and ST is needed, and future research would benefit from integrating covariates supported in the work and organisational literature with covariates from the psychotraumatological literature.
(Edited publisher abstract)
It has been demonstrated that working with trauma-exposed children increases the risk for developing secondary traumatisation (ST) and burnout (BO). High correlations between ST and BO have been reported, suggesting an empirical overlap between the constructs. The purpose of the present review was to synthesise research investigating covariates of BO and ST to explore whether this overlap extends to covariates. Seven research databases were searched for studies investigating covariates of both BO and ST. Identified studies were screened in accordance with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in thirteen articles being included for further review. Fourteen covariates were examined in two or more of the included studies and were synthesised according to the ‘levels of evidence approach’. Some individual and operational factors appeared to be equally related to BO and ST. There was a predominance of equivocal evidence for and against the salience of different covariates as well as an over-representation of demographic factors compared to organisational and operational factors in the current literature. More research investigating the nature of the overlap between BO and ST is needed, and future research would benefit from integrating covariates supported in the work and organisational literature with covariates from the psychotraumatological literature.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
child protection, traumas, social workers, stress;
Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work, 13(5), 2016, pp.479-483.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
...the professional can take on the client's vulnerabilities, victimizations, and stress. The common term for this phenomenon is vicarious trauma. Professionals who work with trauma victims can often have issues in their personal and professional life as evidenced by reduced professional efficacy, increased emotional concerns, and physical concerns. The purpose of the author in this article is to provide
(Publisher abstract)
Genuineness, concern for others, and empathy are characteristics used to describe the professional social worker. To this end, the social worker tirelessly works on behalf of and in collaboration with the client to move them from stagnant life situations into positive life situations. While the fundamental principles of social work are wonderful, the result for some workers is job burnout and/or vicarious trauma. The concepts of job burnout, its antecedents, and manifestations are thoroughly discussed in this article to provide a holistic overview of this phenomenon. The six antecedents: workload, control, values, fairness, reward, and community are discussed and linked to the manifestations of job burnout. When working with individuals who have been exposed to the depravity of life, the professional can take on the client's vulnerabilities, victimizations, and stress. The common term for this phenomenon is vicarious trauma. Professionals who work with trauma victims can often have issues in their personal and professional life as evidenced by reduced professional efficacy, increased emotional concerns, and physical concerns. The purpose of the author in this article is to provide an overview of job burnout, vicarious trauma, and a discussion about self-care responsibilities.
(Publisher abstract)
Social Work: A journal of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), 60(3), 2015, pp.101-109.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Social workers are at risk for experiencing burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) as a result of the nature of their work and the contexts within which they work. Little attention has been paid to the factors within a social worker’s control that may prevent burnout and STS and increase compassion satisfaction. Empathy, which is a combination of physiological and cognitive processes, may
(Edited publisher abstract)
Social workers are at risk for experiencing burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) as a result of the nature of their work and the contexts within which they work. Little attention has been paid to the factors within a social worker’s control that may prevent burnout and STS and increase compassion satisfaction. Empathy, which is a combination of physiological and cognitive processes, may be a tool to help address burnout and STS. This article reports on the findings of a study of social workers (N = 173) that explored the relationship between the components of empathy, burnout, STS, and compassion satisfaction using the Empathy Assessment Index and the Professional Quality of Life instruments. It was hypothesised that higher levels of empathy would be associated with lower levels of burnout and STS, and higher levels of compassion satisfaction. Findings suggest that components of empathy may prevent or reduce burnout and STS while increasing compassion satisfaction, and that empathy should be incorporated into training and education throughout the course of a social worker’s career.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This qualitative study explored the factors that help counsellors exposed to indirect trauma thrive personally and professionally, and sustain their engagement in trauma counselling work. The existing literature details the challenges of indirect trauma exposure in trauma work. However, the ways in which counsellors are able to derive rewards and maintain their engagement in trauma counselling work are less well recognised. The study used a grounded theory approach, with semistructured interviews conducted with 18 therapists. The study found four main interrelating themes: thriving in trauma work; navigating the empathic journey; empathic stamina and engaging in self-reflexivity; and sustaining interest and commitment. Important factors included attending to both the adverse and rewarding aspects of trauma work, having access to appropriate support structures, and incorporating variability and diversity in the work. This study extends the current understanding of the processes, practices, and strategies that promote the rewarding and sustaining aspects of trauma counselling work.
(Publisher abstract)
This qualitative study explored the factors that help counsellors exposed to indirect trauma thrive personally and professionally, and sustain their engagement in trauma counselling work. The existing literature details the challenges of indirect trauma exposure in trauma work. However, the ways in which counsellors are able to derive rewards and maintain their engagement in trauma counselling work are less well recognised. The study used a grounded theory approach, with semistructured interviews conducted with 18 therapists. The study found four main interrelating themes: thriving in trauma work; navigating the empathic journey; empathic stamina and engaging in self-reflexivity; and sustaining interest and commitment. Important factors included attending to both the adverse and rewarding aspects of trauma work, having access to appropriate support structures, and incorporating variability and diversity in the work. This study extends the current understanding of the processes, practices, and strategies that promote the rewarding and sustaining aspects of trauma counselling work.
(Publisher abstract)
Social Work Matters (e-Magazine), January 2013, pp.18-21. Online only
Publisher:
The College of Social Work
The author discusses effects of compassion fatigue, or secondary trauma on social workers. The personal, professional, organisational impacts are listed, as are the impacts on service users and the services they receive. One child protection worker's story is used to illustrate how high caseloads and lack of supervision can have an impact on the stress experienced by social workers.
The author discusses effects of compassion fatigue, or secondary trauma on social workers. The personal, professional, organisational impacts are listed, as are the impacts on service users and the services they receive. One child protection worker's story is used to illustrate how high caseloads and lack of supervision can have an impact on the stress experienced by social workers.
Despite the fact that fatigue is a common and debilitating symptom among HIV-infected persons, we know little about the predictors of fatigue in this population. The goal of this cross-sectional study was to examine the effects of early childhood trauma, recent stressful life events and depression on intensity and impairment of fatigue in HIV, over and above demographic factors and clinical...
Despite the fact that fatigue is a common and debilitating symptom among HIV-infected persons, we know little about the predictors of fatigue in this population. The goal of this cross-sectional study was to examine the effects of early childhood trauma, recent stressful life events and depression on intensity and impairment of fatigue in HIV, over and above demographic factors and clinical characteristics. One hundred and twenty eight HIV-infected men and women from one southern state in the US were studied. The median number of childhood traumatic events was two and participants tended to have at least one moderate recent stressful event. Multiple regression findings showed that patients with less income, more childhood trauma, more recent stressful events and more depressive symptoms had greater fatigue intensity and fatigue-related impairment in daily functioning. Recent stresses were a more powerful predictor of fatigue than childhood trauma. None of the disease-related measures (e.g. CD4, viral load, antiretroviral medication) predicted fatigue. Although stress and trauma have been related to fatigue in other populations, this is the first study to examine the effects of traumatic and recent stressful life events on fatigue in an HIV-infected sample.
O'ROURKE Justin J. F., TALLMAN Benjamin A., ALTMAIER Elizabeth M.
Journal article citation:
Mental Health Religion and Culture, 11(7), November 2008, pp.719-728.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
Changes in spirituality and religiosity may play a vital role in understanding individuals' post-traumatic growth, the experience of positive outcomes from difficult or traumatic personal experience. Although assessment of post-traumatic growth has been addressed by the development of several measures, these measures fail to capture the domain of spiritual/religious change. Twelve quantitative measures of post-traumatic growth are reviewed, focusing on the degree to which these measures allow an adequate assessment of changes in religiosity and/or spirituality. These concepts are considered in the context of understanding the role of these domains in post-traumatic growth and in facilitating clients' transitions through adversity.
Changes in spirituality and religiosity may play a vital role in understanding individuals' post-traumatic growth, the experience of positive outcomes from difficult or traumatic personal experience. Although assessment of post-traumatic growth has been addressed by the development of several measures, these measures fail to capture the domain of spiritual/religious change. Twelve quantitative measures of post-traumatic growth are reviewed, focusing on the degree to which these measures allow an adequate assessment of changes in religiosity and/or spirituality. These concepts are considered in the context of understanding the role of these domains in post-traumatic growth and in facilitating clients' transitions through adversity.
Health and Social Work, 33(1), February 2008, pp.63-71.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
This article explores the predictive ability of empathy (measured by the Interpersonal Reactivity Index), emotional separation (measured by the Maintenance of Emotional Separation Scale), occupational stress (measured by the Work-Related Strain Inventory), and social support (measured by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support) on secondary traumatic stress (STS) (measured...
This article explores the predictive ability of empathy (measured by the Interpersonal Reactivity Index), emotional separation (measured by the Maintenance of Emotional Separation Scale), occupational stress (measured by the Work-Related Strain Inventory), and social support (measured by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support) on secondary traumatic stress (STS) (measured by the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale) in hospital social workers. This cross-sectional study used a sample of 121 trauma centre social workers in the US who were predominantly master's-level prepared women with an average of 15.8 years' experience. Emotional separation and occupational stress were the strongest predictors of STS, explaining 49 percent of the variance, which suggests that hospital social workers need to be able to emotionally differentiate during work with patients and families and manage organizational stressors to minimize indirect trauma reactions.
Subject terms:
hospital social workers, stress, traumas, empathy;
Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 7(3), August 2007, pp.176-183.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
The study examined physiological and psychological changes associated with the content of disclosure of a stressful event. A total of 60 students from Baltimore were assigned to either an emotion and facts or a facts-only disclosure condition. Each participant talked about a highly stressful personal event for 5-10 min, while skin conductance was recorded. Measures of negative mood were assessed...
The study examined physiological and psychological changes associated with the content of disclosure of a stressful event. A total of 60 students from Baltimore were assigned to either an emotion and facts or a facts-only disclosure condition. Each participant talked about a highly stressful personal event for 5-10 min, while skin conductance was recorded. Measures of negative mood were assessed before and after disclosure. In the emotions and facts condition, skin conductance significantly decreased, whereas the facts-only condition showed no significant change. Sadness and guilt significantly increased from before to after disclosure in both conditions. Including emotional content in verbal disclosure of a highly stressful event may decrease physiological arousal, whereas sadness and guilt may increase whether emotional content is included or not. The findings have implications for applied areas of consultation-liaison services and early crisis intervention.