Predictors Of Secondary Traumatic Stress Research Articles

Exploring Secondary Traumatic Stress as a Post-Pandemic Challenge for Healthcare Workers Practicing in Saudi Arabia.

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.

Individual factors as predictors of secondary traumatic stress and burnout in forensic inpatient staff.

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.

Compassion fatigue and the meaning in life as predictors of secondary traumatic stress in nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship among secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, and meaning in life in nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in working conditions during the pandemic also changed the needs of nurses. In addition to physical health, the COVID-19 pandemic led to many psychosocial health problems such as sleep disturbances, depression, and traumatic stress. This makes nurses vulnerable to psychological side effects of the pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted. This study was conducted with 166 nurses. Data were collected online at May-June 2021. A Personal Information Form, the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale, Compassion Fatigue Scale, and Meaning in Life Scale were used. The STROBE reporting checklist was followed. As secondary traumatic stress levels increase, compassion fatigue increases, meaning in life decreases, and the search for meaning in life increases. Predictors of secondary traumatic stress were shown to be compassion fatigue, change in sleep habits, meaning in life, marital status, and having a chronic illness. This suggested that working during the pandemic posed significant risks in terms of manifesting negative consequences on mental health in the long term.

Role of Professional Values in the Quality of Professional Life of Nurses

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.

Japanese public health nurses classified based on empathy and secondary traumatic stress: variable-centered and person-centered approaches

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.

Predictors of secondary traumatic stress among intellectual and developmental disabilities workforce: An examination of risk and protective factors.

Predictors of secondary traumatic stress among intellectual and developmental disabilities workforce: An examination of risk and protective factors.

Risk factors of Secondary Traumatic Stress in psychotherapists studied during the COVID-19

Introduction: The aim of the study was: to assess the severity of Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), to identify ST's predictors, and to assess the model of relationships between predictors of Secondary Traumatic Stress in psychotherapists working during the pandemic in Poland. Materials and methods: The research group consisted of 153 psychotherapists (130 women, 85%) aged 25-66 (M = 39.39; SD = 9.65). The following tools were used to measure the variables: Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), FCV-19S Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS), Personal Inquiry, Assessment of working conditions during a pandemic. Discussion: It has been shown that 9.8% of psychotherapists working during the pandemic experienced high or very high-intensity of symptoms of Secondary Traumatic Stress. The predictors of STS turned out to be: task-induced stress during the pandemic, emotion-focused stress-coping style, and fear of COVID-19. The proposed model of moderated moderation, which assumes that COVID-19 anxiety that intensifies the emotional style of coping with stress in specialists, has an influence on the relationship between occupational tasks stress during a pandemic and the severity of symptoms of Secondary Traumatic Stress, has not been confirmed. Therefore, there is a need for further exploration of the issue. Conclusions: Research shows an increase in STSD among Polish psychotherapists during covid as well as risk factors intensifying this diagnosis. Keywords: secondary traumatic stress, psychotherapist, anxiety, coping, risk factors

Exploring the relationship between secondary traumatic stress, professional identity and career factors for counsellors

AbstractThis study used a correlational research design to explore the relationship between secondary traumatic stress, counsellor professional identity and career factors, including work setting and amount of counselling experience, among counsellor practitioners. A sample of 1,218 counsellors completed an online survey including the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS), Professional Identity Scale in Counseling and career factors. Career factors included context of work environments including years of experience, licence status, type of practice and work setting. Multiple regression analysis with forward selection demonstrated that, out of all the variables, professional identity emerged as the best predictor of secondary traumatic stress. One‐way ANOVA showed significant group differences in the level of counsellors' secondary traumatic stress based on work setting, level of experience, type of practice and gender. Discussion explores how career and personal factors impact counsellor experiences of professional identity and secondary trauma in mental health settings.

Prevalence and Social Demographic Factors Associated with Secondary Traumatic Stress, Burnout and Compassion Satisfaction among Nurses at Selected Teaching Hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia

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.

Assessing the Prevalence, Predictors, and Consequences of Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Emergency Nurses in Palestine During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Emergency nurses who are working in direct contact with COVID-19 patients are at an increased risk of developing secondary traumatic stress disorder. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, predictors, and consequences of secondary traumatic stress among emergency nurses in Palestine during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study utilized a cross-sectional design and recruited a total of 189 emergency nurses from multiple healthcare centers in Palestine. Data collected from January 21, 2021, to March 31, 2021. The study revealed that emergency nurses had a high degree of secondary traumatic stress with the prevalence of high to severe symptoms of secondary traumatic stress being 61% of the total participants. In terms of predictors, the results showed that years of experience, level of education, burnout, and organizational support were significantly correlated with secondary traumatic stress and thus that years of experience and burnout are predictors of secondary traumatic stress. Based on our findings, nurses in emergency departments in Palestine have a high degree of secondary traumatic stress disorder which impacts their lives on a personal and professional level.

Psychological wellbeing and mental health outcomes in Australian Nurses and Midwives

Aim: To examine the intrapersonal and organizational factors that contribute to pathogenic and salutogenic psychological outcomes in Australian nurses and midwives. Design: The conceptual framework Factors associated with Salutogenic and Pathogenic Outcomes in Australian Midwives and Nurses was used as a guide for this exploratory, cross-sectional study. Method: Participants were recruited from public, private, and community settings throughout Australia. Six hundred and fifteen participants completed an online survey assessing job satisfaction, professional quality of life, ways of coping, resilience, psychological distress, and the impact of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic on psychological health and well-being. Results: Analyses showed that workplace environmental factors were strong predictors of Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Burnout. Results also showed that workplace factors and adaptive coping were predictive of the salutogenic outcomes of compassion satisfaction and resilience. Conclusion: Adopting a salutogenic approach, focused on maximizing individual and organizational contributors to psychological health and wellbeing, provides a new way for organizations to develop strategies to decrease adverse psychological outcomes, promote well-being and better equip nurses and midwives to cope with the challenges of the healthcare environment. Impact: The findings will be of interest to Chief Nurses, Midwifery Officers, healthcare organizations, and universities to target workplace, individual and interpersonal factors that promote health and wellbeing amongst nurses and midwives.

Predictors of Secondary Traumatic Stress in Mental Health Professionals: Trauma History, Self-Compassion, Emotional Intelligence

Predictors of Secondary Traumatic Stress in Mental Health Professionals: Trauma History, Self-Compassion, Emotional Intelligence

The predictors of secondary traumatic stress and psychological resilience in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in Turkey.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between predictive factors of secondary traumatic stress (STS), that is, sociodemographic and work characteristics, and the psychological resilience of healthcare professionals working in different regions of Turkey. This cross-sectional study included 1416 healthcare workers (HCWs). An independent sample t-test and hierarchical regression analysis were performed to analyse the data. The predictor variables for STS included perception of health, fear of contagion, anxiety about infecting family members, psychological resilience, type of work, having a COVID-19 diagnosis in the family, and experiencing a loss due to COVID-19 (p<0.05). The variables that predicted psychological resilience included socioeconomic status, health status, age, marital status, work experience, and type of work (p<0.05). A low number of resilient HCWs experienced secondary traumatic stress.

Professional quality of life and caring behaviours among clinical nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aims and ObjectivesTo investigate the professional quality of life and caring behaviours among clinical nurses in Saudi Arabia during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We also examined the influence of the nurses’ socio‐demographic and professional characteristics on the professional quality of life. Moreover, the study examined the influence of professional quality of life on caring behaviour among the nurses amid the COVID‐19 pandemic.BackgroundCaring is the core of the nursing profession and considered the heart of the humanistic clinical nursing practice. However, the work nature of the clinical nurses, especially during the COVID‐19 pandemic, continues to challenge their professional quality of life and caring behaviours. The factors influencing the professional quality of life and caring behaviours of clinical nurses have not been extensively explored.DesignCross‐sectional, descriptive study.MethodsA purposive sample of 375 clinical nurses in three academic medical centres in Saudi Arabia were surveyed using the professional quality of life version 5 and the short‐form 24‐item Caring Behavior Inventory from May–August 2020. A standard multiple regression analysis was performed to investigate the predictors of the professional quality of life and caring behaviour. This study adhered to the recommendations of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines.ResultsThe majority of the respondents reported average level of compassion satisfaction (57.9%), burnout (54.4%) and secondary traumatic stress (66.9%) in the professional quality of life domains. The result also showed highest degree of caring in terms of ‘assurance of human presence’ while lowest in the ‘knowledge and skills’ in four subscales of caring behaviour. The following variables significantly predicted compassion satisfaction: education, area of assignment and position. Age, education and religion were identified as significant predictors of burnout while religion, nationality and position were significant predictors of secondary traumatic stress. Positive and negative domains of professional quality of life influenced the caring behaviours among clinical nurses.ConclusionsBased on the results of the study, clinical nurses exhibited moderate level of professional quality of life and correlates to their caring behaviours. Moreover, clinical nurses’ demographic characteristics predicted their professional quality of life and caring behaviours.Relevance to clinical practiceThe importance of ensuring good professional quality of life and caring behaviour among clinical nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic is underscored. Nursing leaders can utilise this baseline evidence and apply programmes for clinical nurses to tackle professional quality of life issues and enhance caring behaviours.

Is nurses' clinical competence associated with their compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress? A cross-sectional study.

AimThe current study aimed to investigate the relationship between clinical competence and subscale of professional quality of life (ProQOL).MethodsThis cross‐sectional study was conducted from November 2018 to May 2019 on 291 nurses working in public hospitals in south Iran (Rafsanjan). The nurses were selected by convenience sampling method. Data were collected using the ProQOL questionnaire that included three subscales: compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress and burnout and the Competency Inventory for Registered Nurse (CIRN) that measured clinical competence.ResultsA significant positive relationship was observed between compassion satisfaction and clinical competence. A significant negative association was found between compassion satisfaction and secondary traumatic stress/burnout and also between secondary traumatic stress and clinical competence. The results of regression analysis indicated that compassion satisfaction was the best predictor of secondary traumatic stress (R 2 = 65%), burnout (R 2 = 40%) and clinical competence (R 2 = 12%). Moreover, secondary traumatic stress was found to be the best predictor of compassion satisfaction (R 2 = 53%).

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

Professional quality of life is the quality a person feels in relation to work. For critical care nurses, it is composed of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Professional quality of life is affected by work environment. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has identified 6 standards for a healthy work environment. To explore which of the AACN healthy work environment standards have the strongest impact on professional quality of life in critical care nurses. In an exploratory, cross-sectional survey of nurses working in 4 adult critical care units of a single health care facility, professional quality of life was assessed using the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL), and work environment was evaluated using the AACN Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool. Participants reported compassion satisfaction and burnout levels as average and secondary traumatic stress levels as high. The composite average for all 6 AACN healthy work environment standards was good. A multiple regression analysis revealed true collaboration, effective decision-making, and authentic leadership as significant predictors of compassion satisfaction. Authentic leadership was the only predictor of burnout. Appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition, and authentic leadership were predictors of secondary traumatic stress. Authentic leadership is the strongest predictor of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. Therefore, improving leadership should be a priority in intensive care units seeking to improve nurses' professional quality of life.

Secondary traumatic stress among emergency nurses: Prevalence, predictors, and consequences.

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.

Predictors of secondary traumatic stress among social workers: Supervision, income, and caseload size

SummaryIn the past 20 years, research suggests that social workers and counselors are at risk of developing secondary traumatic stress from working with traumatized client populations. However, onl...

Coping with secondary traumatic stress: Differences between U.K. and U.S. child exploitation personnel.

Research investigating how secondary traumatic stress impacts those who work in the field of child exploitation is in its early stages. In the current study we investigate how attempts to cope with secondary traumatic stress vary between investigators in the United States and their counterparts in the United Kingdom. After examining the best-fitting models we found both similarities and differences in predictors of secondary traumatic stress. For example, the level of self-reported difficulty and frequency of interactions with disturbing media were positively related to higher secondary traumatic stress scores in both groups; supervisory support, however, was related to lower secondary traumatic stress scores only in the U.S. sample. The implications and limitations of our findings are discussed. Language: en

Predictors of Secondary Traumatic Stress among Children's Advocacy Center Forensic Interviewers

This study examined various predictor variables that were hypothesized to impact secondary traumatic stress in forensic interviewers (n = 257) from children's advocacy centers across the United States. Data were examined to investigate the relationship between organizational satisfaction, organizational buffers, and job support with secondary traumatic stress using the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale. The most salient significant result was an inverse relationship between three indicators of job support and secondary traumatic stress. Also significant to secondary traumatic stress were the age of interviewer and whether the forensic interviewer had experienced at least one significant loss in the previous 12 months. Implications for future research, training, program practice, and policy are discussed.