Development Of Secondary Traumatic Stress Research Articles

UK-based digital forensic investigators and the impact of exposure to traumatic material

Purpose Digital forensic investigators (DFIs) encounter traumatic material, and this is associated with the development of secondary traumatic stress (STS). Limited research has been conducted with UK DFIs, a significant concern given their role. This study aims to explore levels of self-reported STS by DFIs, the relationship to gender, years as a DFI, frequency of exposure to traumatic material and difficulty coping with such material. This study also aims to provide insight into the psychological impact, identify potential risk groups and explore coping strategies within this specific group of professionals. Design/methodology/approach A correlational cross-sectional design was conducted at a fixed point in time, with a sample of 114 currently employed DFIs, recruited through the Forensic Capability Network. Findings Mean STS scores fell within the moderate range, although 29.9% of participants reported high to severe levels. Significant correlations were found between STS total and subscales with difficulty viewing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). While females reported higher mean STS scores, the difference was not statistically significant, however, females did score significantly higher on the arousal sub-scale of the STS. Regression analysis included the variables (COPE scale and subscales, frequency of viewing child abuse material, years spent working as a DFI, age, gender) that identified mental disengagement, difficulty viewing CSAM and younger age as predictors of increased STS. Research limitations/implications Primarily, the reliance on self-report instruments lacks external validation of STS. Furthermore, possible response or selection basis could have stemmed from participants experiencing high stress. Hosting the study online hindered exploring this further, suggesting the potential for future research. Although the regression model explained 28% of STS variance, unaccounted factors remain, constituting 72% unexplained variance. A mixed method approach might unveil additional variables, addressing potential limitations. Additionally, this study was cross-sectional meaning that the authors cannot infer causation. Practical implications These findings underscore the need for educational efforts targeting DFI’s to raise awareness about potential mental health risks associated with CSAM-related work. Equally crucial is emphasising the hazards associated with adopting negative coping strategies. Equipping DFI’s with this knowledge may enable them to make informed decisions aimed at minimising the impact of job-related stressors. Moreover, it highlights the necessity of recognising DFIs as a group deserving access to professional and mental health support. It is pertinent to consider recent research highlighting the stigma of therapy and a prevailing perception of a “critical or judgemental workplace culture” among UK investigators. Social implications To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study represents the first known exploration of STS in UK-based DFI’s, encompassing an investigation into potential risk and protective factors. A proportion of the sample reported experiencing mild to severe levels of STS, with the mean STS score falling within the moderate range. Notably, 29.9% of participants reported high to severe levels of STS. Originality/value The findings provide an inaugural exploration of STS among UK-based DFI’s, offering crucial insight into the psychological impact, vulnerable demographics and coping strategies within this unique professional context. Practical implications based on the findings are considered.

Thought Patterns Mediate the Development of Secondary Traumatic Stress in Social Workers

ABSTRACT Social workers’ exposure to their clients' trauma can lead to secondary traumatisation stress (STS). In light of cognitive theories suggesting the tendency for repetitive thought (RT) as being predictive of poor adjustment to traumatic events, the current study explores whether RT mediates the correlation between known STS predictors and its severity. Ninety social workers providing care to traumatised clients completed a self-report survey. Multiple regression analysis revealed a full mediation model, or that STS was positively associated with RT, which in turn was positively associated with STS. In addition, the direct effect of STS association with centrality of event was found to no longer be of significance. These findings suggest that interventions focused on combating rumination and increasing social workers’ awareness of their personal susceptibility could be effective. IMPLICATIONS In the course of caring for traumatised clients, social workers apply mechanisms, similar to those applied during direct exposure to trauma (i.e., peritraumatic dissociation). Social workers’ thought patterns were found to mediate the correlation between centrality of the traumatic encounter and secondary traumatic stress level. Interventions focused on combating rumination could provide social workers with suitable skills to cope with exposure to the traumatic experiences of their clients.

Distress Tolerance and Emotion Regulation as Potential Mediators Between Secondary Traumatic Stress and Maladaptive Coping.

The extant literature has illustrated that protective service workers experience negative repercussions associated with their job (including the development of secondary traumatic stress; STS) and may utilize maladaptive coping mechanisms. Developing an improved understanding of factors that might explain the relationship between STS and the utilization of maladaptive coping mechanisms is warranted. This study sought to examine emotion regulation and distress tolerance as potential mediators between STS and the utilization of maladaptive coping mechanisms. Participants were 152 elder protective service workers and 105 child protective service workers who completed an online survey of self-report measures of emotion regulation, distress tolerance, STS, and coping behaviors. A parallel multiple mediator model was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the hypothesis that distress tolerance and emotion regulation would mediate the relationship between STS and the utilization of maladaptive coping. Our hypothesis was partially supported as the effect of STS on maladaptive coping was mediated by emotion regulation but not by distress tolerance. The results from this study have both prevention and intervention implications. From a prevention perspective, efforts could be directed at teaching emotion regulation skills to those at risk for developing STS as a mechanism for decreasing the probability of denial, substance use, behavioral disengagement, and self-blame that may occur as a consequence of STS. From an intervention perspective, some of the negative sequelae of exposure to STS may be averted by teaching EPS and CPS workers who present with STS symptoms, emotion regulation skills.

Secondary Traumatic Stress in Italian Police Officers: The Role of Job Demands and Job Resources.

Police officers are among the workers most exposed to acute or chronic stressful events, which compromises their psychosocial well-being and physical health. Exposure to traumatic events, human suffering, problematic situations and episodes of violence can cause psychological damage and lead to the development of secondary traumatic stress. The aim of this research is to explore the effect of job demands and job resources on secondary traumatic stress in police officers. To better understand this phenomenon and its consequences in this population, police officers were compared with health care professionals working as first responders. An ad hoc questionnaire was administered to 112 and 286 health care professionals. The findings showed that compared with health care workers, police officers suffer from secondary traumatic stress to a greater extent. Moreover, the results showed that some police officers suffered more than health care professionals regarding certain consequences of secondary traumatic stress, such as negative emotions and burnout. This study suggests implications and offers insights for both police officers and the organizations in which they work: police officer organizations should contribute to preventing the phenomenon of secondary traumatic stress by proposing programs that implement resilience training and adaptive coping strategies.

Secondary traumatic stress in police detective officers dealing with complainants of sexual crimes

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between exposure to traumatised complainants and secondary traumatic stress. It also established the occurrence of secondary traumatic stress and the degree to which police detective officers reported secondary traumatic stress symptoms. Data were obtained on 51 police detective officers working in the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit of the South African Police Service. A quantitative, correlational research design was employed to achieve the aim of the study. The sample was obtained using a combination of convenience and purposive sampling techniques. The majority of police detective officers reported some degree of secondary traumatic stress symptoms as they are frequently exposed to traumatised complainants. No significant statistical relationship was found between exposure to traumatised complainants and secondary traumatic stress. Nonetheless, there was a statistically significant relationship between the type of crime and secondary traumatic stress among the police detective officers in the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit of the South African Police Service unit. Future research should investigate other pivotal risks and protective factors, such as environmental factors and personal factors that may have an impact on the development of secondary traumatic stress in the police detective officers.

Secondary Traumatic Stress: The Impact of Exposure to Indirect Trauma on Helping Professionals and Students in Training

Social workers and other helping professionals provide treatment and services to populations that have experienced trauma, and in doing so, are indirectly or secondarily exposed to explicit details of these traumatic events. Negative effects experienced by workers and students in training, associated with indirect trauma exposure, have been reported in the literature. The following paper describes related terms found in the literature to describe these specific negative effects, with primary emphasis on secondary traumatic stress and its prevention. Secondary traumatic stress effects reported by helping professionals and students in training will be discussed. This paper also reviews the literature on risk factors for developing secondary traumatic stress, and teaching strategies to prevent the development of secondary traumatic stress or reduce these effects, when present.

The costs of ‘being with the woman’: secondary traumatic stress in midwifery

Objectiveit is widely acknowledged that caring can cause emotional suffering in health-care professionals. The concepts of compassion fatigue, post-traumatic stress disorder and secondary traumatic stress are used to describe the potential consequences of caring for people who are or have experienced trauma. Empathy between the professional and patient or client is a key feature in the development of secondary traumatic stress. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the conceptual development of theory about dynamics in the midwife–woman relationship in the context of traumatic birth events, and to stimulate debate and research into the potential for traumatic stress in midwives who provide care in and through relationships with women. Methodthe relevant literature addressing secondary traumatic stress in health-care professionals was reviewed. Findingsit is argued that the high degree of empathic identification which characterises the midwife–woman relationship in midwifery practice places midwives at risk of experiencing secondary traumatic stress when caring for women experiencing traumatic birth. It is suggested that this has harmful consequences for midwives’ own mental health and for their capacity to provide care in their relationships with women, threatening the distinct nature of midwifery care. Conclusionsopportunities for research to establish the existence of this phenomenon, and the potential implications for midwifery practice are identified.