Abstract
This article presents a review of the literature that pertains to the experiences of therapists who work directly with child sex offenders and/or people with pedophilia. We draw together results from studies that attempted to identify how therapists experience such work and how they were personally impacted by it. Usually, such studies are embedded within one of the following theoretical frameworks: Secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatization and burnout. Most literature on the topic has therefore sought to determine to what extent and why, work-related stress responses may occur among these therapists. The aim of this paper is therefore to provide insight into this, arguably, important line of research, while evaluating the current knowledge as well as providing recommendations for future research efforts.
Highlights
Stress Responses to Interpersonally Demanding Work The experience of traumatic stress has historically been associated with those individuals who have been the primary victims of traumatic events
While no consistent term is currently available for these effects, four theoretical constructs have primarily been used to measure responses to work: secondary traumatic stress (Figley, 1995), compassion fatigue (Figley, 1995), vicarious traumatization (McCann & Pearlman, 1990) and burnout (Maslach, 1982)
Whereas the concept of burnout is thought to capture stress reactions to any work environment, the three remaining constructs were originally developed to assess therapists working with trauma survivors (Jenkins et al, 2011)
Summary
The aim of this paper is to provide insight into this, arguably, important line of research, while evaluating the current knowledge as well as providing recommendations for future research efforts. An exploration of 86 sex offender therapists’ Quantitative: Self-Report
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