The Relationship Between Clinician Sex, Ethnicity, Sexual Identity and Secondary Traumatic Stress

Abstract

This study, conducted with community mental health clinicians at two sites in the San Francisco Bay Area, explored the relationship between clinician secondary traumatic stress and the clinician's sex, ethnicity, and sexual identity. Thirty-six clinicians at two community mental health sites were administered the Professional Quality of Life-Revision 3 (ProQOL - CSF-R-III; 1995–2002). While research has indicated that women, ethnic minorities, and sexual minorities may be more susceptible to stress reactions, the present study did not find significant differences in secondary traumatic stress scores or levels. While recent research has indicated that female providers are at an increased risk for compassion fatigue in particular, the researchers did not find significant relationships between variables examined and scores or construct levels on the ProQOL - CSF-R-III. Implications of this research point to a need for increased research to affirm that sex, ethnicity, and sexual orientation do not put clinicians at increased risk for secondary traumatic stress.