Negative consequences of secondary exposure to trauma in Police Officers – the role of empathy and job satisfaction

BackgroundHealthcare providers frequently help traumatized people and are regularly exposed to indirect trauma from their work, resulting in negative psychological responses, such as secondary traumatic stress. Empathy has been associated with patient’s quality of care and secondary traumatic stress among healthcare providers. However, the relationship between dispositional empathy and secondary traumatic stress has not been fully elucidated. This study used person- and variable-centered approaches to explore the nature of this relationship.MethodsA total of 1,006 Japanese public health nurses working in the Tohoku region and Saitama prefecture completed questionnaires that included scales assessing dispositional empathy, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout. First, we examined predictors of secondary traumatic stress using multiple linear regression analysis. Then, we conducted a latent profile analysis to classify participants into unique groups based on four subscales of dispositional empathy (i.e., empathic concern, perspective taking, personal distress, fantasy) and secondary traumatic stress. Finally, we compared the mean values of the study variables across these groups.ResultsThe multiple regression indicated that in those working in Saitama prefecture, lifetime traumatic experiences, work-related distress, and personal distress were positively related to secondary traumatic stress, but perceived support was negatively related to secondary traumatic stress. Latent profile analysis extracted four unique subgroups. Group 1 displayed the highest secondary traumatic stress levels. Group 2 was characterized by the highest level of empathic concern, personal distress, and fantasy and the lowest perspective taking. Group 3 had a moderate secondary traumatic stress level. Group 4 had the lowest secondary traumatic stress and personal distress scores. In these four groups, the burnout scale (exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy) showed a pattern similar to the secondary traumatic stress scale.ConclusionsOur person-centered approach showed that this sample of public health nurses could be classified into four unique groups based on their empathy and secondary traumatic stress scores. Although this group of public health nurses was not large, one group displayed high personal distress levels and high secondary traumatic stress levels. Further research is needed to determine effective interventions for this group.

Compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among Chinese midwives working in the delivery room: A cross-sectional survey

Police officers are routinely exposed to a variety of critical incidents and as a result are a population vulnerable to various mental health issues. However, little is known about the impacts of exposure to citizens’ trauma on officers’ mental health and whether officers specializing in domestic violence prevention can better cope with the stress resulting from citizens’ trauma. This study aims to address these research gaps by analyzing the data collected from a sample of 734 Taiwanese police officers through an online survey. Findings indicate that cumulative exposure to citizens’ trauma was positively associated with secondary traumatic stress. Though officers specializing in domestic violence prevention experienced a higher level of secondary traumatic stress than their non-specialist counterparts, their specialization did help them better manage secondary traumatic stress. This study represents the first known attempt to examine the impacts of exposure to citizens’ trauma on police officers’ mental health in an Asian setting; it is also groundbreaking in that it tested whether specialization in domestic violence prevention can serve as a protective factor against exposure to citizens’ trauma.

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between school psychological counselors’ secondary traumatic stress and social problem-solving levels. The sample of this research was consisted of 268 school psychological counselors who were working affiliated to Turkey Ministry of National Education in Amasya, Istanbul and Samsun. Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale and Social Problem Solving Inventory were used as data collection tools in this study. As a result of the research, while there were significant positive correlations between participants’ the secondary traumatic stress levels and negative problem orientation, impulsive-careless style, avoidance style dimensions of the social problem solving, there were not significant correlations between positive problem orientation and rational problem-solving style of the social problem solving. Another finding of the study, as psychological counselors’ level of social problem solving increased, secondary traumatic stress levels were found to decreased. As psychological counselors’ levels of negative problem orientation, impulsive-careless style and avoidance styles were increased, secondary traumatic stress levels were found to increased. Finally, while negative problem orientation was found a positive predictor of the school counselors’ secondary traumatic stress levels, positive problem orientation, rational problem solving, impulsive-careless style and avoidant style were not significant predictor of the secondary traumatic stress.

The Relationship Between Critical Care Work Environment and Professional Quality of Life.

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is the indirect traumatisation of a person through the stress of helping or knowing about other's trauma. Burnout is gradual exhaustion in response to long-term work-related stress. Both have negative psychological, physiological and/or organisational consequences; however, the existing research in forensic health care professionals (FHCPs) is limited. One study explored STS in FCHPs and found that lower psychological flexibility (ability to adapt) was a predictor of greater STS. Existing research on burnout in FHCPs suggests that individual differences, such as the ways in which we cope (talking to people vs. using substances), may predict burnout levels. Prevalence findings add to the recent evidence base, which also found moderate levels of burnout. However, this study is the first to find high levels of secondary traumatic stress in FHCPs. Similar to existing literature, the study's findings suggest that FHCP's with lower levels of psychological flexibility and more maladaptive coping strategies may experience greater STS and burnout symptoms, while staff who use more adaptive coping strategies may experience less burn-out. Unexpectedly, staff who reported a more anxious attachment style were burnt-out; however, there are limitations to this finding. Policies and practices in forensic settings should reflect the risk of STS and burnout. Practices or interventions should enhance adaptive coping strategies and psychological flexibility, such as Resilience Enhancement Programmes or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). INTRODUCTION: Secondary traumatic stress (STS) and burnout literature in inpatient forensic health care professionals (FHCPs) is limited, despite the psychological, physiological and organisational consequences. This study aimed to further this limited evidence base, investigating predictors of STS and burnout in FHCPs. 98 healthcare professionals working in two UK forensic inpatient settings completed measures assessing: burnout, STS, psychological flexibility, coping style, attachment style and a demographic questionnaire recording length of service and the sex of staff. Results indicated high STS and moderate burnout levels. The main predictors of STS and burnout were poorer psychological flexibility and greater maladaptive coping styles, whereas lower burnout was predicted by greater adaptive coping styles and an anxious attachment style. This study has contributed towards a limited evidence base and indicates poorer psychological flexibility and greater maladaptive coping may be risk factors for STS and burnout in FHCPs, whereas greater maladaptive coping may be a protective factor. The findings suggest that interventions such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and coping skills interventions, may offer protective benefits to inpatient forensic healthcare professionals.

In this study, we aim to determine post-pandemic level of secondary traumatic stress and the associated factors among healthcare workers practicing in the Western province of Saudi Arabia. Healthcare workers practicing at public health sector of the Western province of Saudi Arabia. Received Web-based Self-administered questionnaire, assessing post-pandemic Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), using Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS). A total of 380 responses received. Logistic regression analysis identified significant predictors of secondary traumatic stress (STS). Females had a significantly higher likelihood of experiencing STS (OR=2.425, p<0.001). Doctors were significantly more likely to experience STS compared to other specialties (OR=2.863, p=0.016). Participants sleeping 7hours were associated with a lower likelihood of STS (OR=0.427, p=0.016), while sleeping 6hours showed a trend towards lower STS but was not statistically significant (p=0.068). Participants aged 50 and above were significantly less likely to experience STS (OR=0.275, p=0.021). Lastly, Saudi nationals were significantly more likely to experience STS compared to non-Saudis (OR=2.717, p=0.014). Female healthcare workers, doctors, and those younger than 50 years old were all found to be at a significantly higher risk of STS. Interestingly, sleep duration emerged as a potential protective factor, with those sleeping 7hours exhibiting a lower risk of STS. Finally, the analysis revealed a higher prevalence of STS among Saudi nationals compared to non-Saudis.

Introduction: Nurses’ constant exposure to severe human suffering within constrained health care environments places them at risk for developing Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout. The current study therefore sought to establish the prevalence and social demographic factors associated with Secondary Traumatic Stress, Burnout and Compassion Satisfaction among Nurses working at selected Teaching Hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia. Methods: A correlational design employing a self-administered questionnaire adapted from version five of the Professional Quality of Life scale was used to collect data from 250 nurses drawn using proportional stratified sampling method. The resulting data were analyzed using version 23 of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify predictors of Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout. Findings: Whilst the majority of respondents reported average levels of Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout, about a quarter reported high Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout scores at 23% and 26% respectively. Only 81 (32.4%) scored high on Compassion Satisfaction. Social demographic factors including; working in the main Intensive Care Unit, and being married accounted for the greatest variance in Secondary Traumatic Stress (R2 = 0.237, p 2 = 0.256, p < 0.001) scores. Compassion satisfaction was negatively correlated with both Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout. Conclusion: Findings of the current study signify a need to institute measures to help nurses cope with the deleterious psychological effects of constant engagement with those in distress and to foster Compassion Satisfaction.

Secondary traumatic stress among pediatric nurses: Relationship to peer-organizational support and emotional labor strategies

Aims. The aim of this study was to examine self-perceived compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among family physicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina and describe potential contributing factors. Methods. The cross-sectional study enrolled 120 family physicians. Professional quality of life compassion satisfaction and fatigue version 5 (ProQOL5) was used to assess compassion satisfaction and two components of compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress and burnout. The symptoms of chronic fatigue were evaluated using the Chalder fatigue scale. Results. The majority of family physicians had moderate levels of compassion satisfaction (70%), burnout (75%) and secondary traumatic stress (55.8%). Family physicians with higher levels of secondary traumatic stress reported chronic fatigue (p = 0.001), longer length of service (p = 0.024) and residency training (p = 0.041). Chronic fatigue (p = 0.001), living in a rural environment (p = 0.033), larger size of practice (p = 0.006) and high number of patients with chronic disease (p = 0.001) were associated with a higher risk of burnout. Conclusion. Family physicians with large practices, long years of experience, a high number of chronically ill patients and experiencing chronic fatigue are at risk of developing compassion fatigue. A systematic exploration of compassion fatigue in relation to working conditions might provide an appropriate starting point for the development of preventive interventions.

Nurses working in emergency units are in direct contact with traumatic events. Trauma effects do not solely affect patients and their caregivers and, rather, extend to secondarily influence nurses themselves. Secondary exposure to trauma may result in symptoms similar to symptoms experienced by the patient themselves. No previous study investigated the secondary traumatic stress among emergency nurses in Jordan. To identify prevalence, predictors, and consequences of secondary traumatic stress among nurses working in emergency departments. A descriptive correlation design was utilized to collect data using self-report questionnaires from 202 nurses working at eight emergency departments in Jordan. The study revealed that almost half of the sample reported high to severe levels of secondary traumatic stress. The analyses showed that nurses who demonstrated lower empathy (P=.016) and greater coping capacity (P<.001) tended to develop more secondary traumatic stress. Organizational factors were not significant predictors of secondary traumatic stress. A significant proportion of emergency nurses suffer secondary traumatic stress that is found also to be associated with psychical factors. Emergency nurses need to consider the consequences of secondary traumatic stress on their health and quality of care provided.

BackgroundNursing is a caring profession for which compassion is a core value. Increasing stress and declining job satisfaction are among the major challenges in nursing. Demographic and work-related factors may influence nurses’ compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue (i.e., burnout and secondary traumatic stress) levels. In this study, the level of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction and their associated factors were examined among nurses in a tertiary hospital.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Malaysia. The data were collected over a period of 6 months via online distribution of the Personal Information Form, Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) version III and Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) version V questionnaires. The Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency of the questionnaire scales was mostly acceptable and above 0.75. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the sociodemographic and rank domains of work environment-related factors for nurses and their levels of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Relationships between sociodemographic factors and the levels of compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout were assessed by bivariate analyses. A p value < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.ResultsA total of 323 registered nurses participated in this study. A majority of the participants were female (91%, n = 294), and the mean age of the participants was 33.01 ± 8.50 years. The majority of the participants had moderate levels of compassion satisfaction (71%, n = 229); 46% (n = 148) had moderate levels of burnout, and 45% (n = 147) had moderate levels of secondary traumatic stress. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that the health and well-being and demands at work domain were significantly associated with compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress levels among nurses.ConclusionsIn this study, the majority of the nurses reported decreased compassion satisfaction and increased burnout. These findings provide valuable insights, as there may be detrimental effects on the healthcare industry and retention of nurses if no action is taken to combat compassion fatigue. Recommendations to motivate nurses and reduce demands at work should be explored by healthcare organizations to increase nurses’ performance and job satisfaction.

PurposeThe objective of the study was to examine the relationships between psychological resilience, job satisfaction and secondary traumatic stress among police officers, in order to identify the factors influencing the occurrence of negative consequences of indirect trauma exposure.MethodsThe study included 237 Polish police officers from the prevention and criminal divisions. The analysis was conducted on the results of a survey obtained from 220 respondents who had contact with traumatized clients as part of their work. Their age ranged from 22 to 59 (M = 39.08; SD = 7.00). The majority of the respondents were men (83.2%). A survey and three questionnaires were used in the study, i.e., The Secondary Traumatic Stress Inventory, the Resilience Measurement Scale, and the Job Satisfaction Scale.ResultsThe results of the survey indicate that police officers exhibited relatively low levels of secondary traumatic stress symptoms. The study found a negative correlation between psychological resilience, job satisfaction and secondary traumatic stress. Job satisfaction was found to mediate the relationship between resilience and secondary traumatic stress.ConclusionsPsychological resilience and job satisfaction may serve as protective factors against the development of negative consequences resulting from indirect trauma exposure. The study indicates that job satisfaction may play a slightly more significant role in this regard. Increasing resilience and job satisfaction may alleviate STS symptoms and consequently contribute to increased work efficiency

Background and Objective: Professional values can play an important role in the quality of the professional life of nurses by motivating them to deal with ethical issues and guiding the way they interact with patients and their colleagues. This study aimed to determine the role of professional values on the quality of professional life of nurses working in Ayatollah Khatami Hospital in Khatam City, Yazd, Iran, in 2021. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-cross-sectional research, the study population and research sample were the same. Accordingly, 103 nurses working in Ayatollah Khatami Hospital affiliated with Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, central Iran, were included in the study by census method. The data collection tools were questionnaires of demographic information, professional quality of life, and Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS (version 21). Results: The average score of professional values was 105.91±13.38. Among the dimensions of quality of professional life, the highest and lowest mean values were related to the burnout dimension (36.06±5.50) and the secondary traumatic stress dimension (21.30±3.46), respectively. There was an inverse and significant statistical relationship between secondary traumatic stress and professional values (r=-0.175, P=0.03). There was no significant relationship between the two dimensions of job burnout and compassion fatigue with professional values. The regression analysis showed that professional values can be considered a predictor of secondary traumatic stress. Conclusion: Based on the results, nurses who provided care based on professional values had a lower level of secondary traumatic stress. Therefore, nursing managers should strive to promote awareness of professional values and provide necessary working conditions to reduce secondary traumatic stress in nurses.

BackgroundDue to long working hours, shifts, poor working conditions, and high risk of exposure to traumatic incidents at work, healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of developing mental health and wellbeing issues. Family members and close friends of HCWs are often the primary support source for the HCWs. However, while supporting the HCWs, family members’ and friends’ mental health and wellbeing may be impacted negatively. According to the findings of previous literature, family members of other high-risk workers may experience secondary traumatic stress. To date, there has been no research focusing on secondary traumatic stress in family members and friends of HCWs.MethodsIn this cross-sectional, mixed-method study, we examined secondary traumatic stress and associated factors amongst 320 household members (family members and housemates) of HCWs in the UK using the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale. We used multivariable linear regression to examine the predictors of secondary traumatic stress, specifically sex, age, job role of the HCW, and the relationship with the HCW. Then we used content analysis of responses to open-ended questions to explore the experiences of household members in-depth.Results33.8% of household members reported secondary traumatic stress within the severe range. Female spouses and partners of HCWs with clinical roles showed higher STS compared to male and other household members of HCWs with non-clinical roles. In our regression model, we found that being female, having a HCW household member with a clinical role, and being a spouse or a partner of a HCW were statistically significant predictors of high STS. Open-ended responses showed that household members reported that HCWs tended to be irritated, quieter/distant, anxious/stressed, in low moods, and exhausted after having a difficult day at work. These feelings and behaviours impacted the rest of the household members negatively.ConclusionThis is the first study which has examined secondary traumatic stress amongst household members of HCWs. While trying to support the HCW, household members were at high risk of developing secondary traumatic stress. There are research implications to understand HCWs’ and their household members’ experiences better, including extending current research and conducting further research exploring secondary traumatic stress in HCWs’ household members, and factors associated with it, which go beyond the demographics examined here. There are also organisational and clinical implications to protect and support both HCWs and their household members, such as improved working conditions for HCWs and carefully planned psychological support for both HCWs and their household members.