Trauma Training, Trauma Practices, and Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Substance Abuse Counselors
TL;DR: A survey of 225 National Association of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors members was conducted to examine trauma training, trauma practices, and secondary traumatic stress among substance abuse counselors as discussed by the authors, finding that most counselors are not being prepared for practice with traumatized populations in their formal academic training, although many obtained some trauma training through continuing education activities.
Abstract: A mailed survey of 225 National Association of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors members was conducted to examine trauma training, trauma practices, and secondary traumatic stress among substance abuse counselors. Results indicate that most substance abuse counselors are not being prepared for practice with traumatized populations in their formal academic training, although many obtained some trauma training through continuing education activities. There is a great deal of variation in terms of counselors' practices in the assessment and treatment of traumatic stress. Last, substance abuse counselors are highly likely to be secondarily exposed to traumatic events through their work with traumatized populations, and many experience at least some symptoms of secondary traumatic stress. The experience of secondary traumatic stress is believed to contribute to turnover and may reduce the quality and effectiveness of services. These findings highlight the need to attend to the issue of secondary traumatic ...
Citations
More filters
TL;DR: A review of empirical literature examining prevalence and specificity of secondary trauma symptoms in trauma clinicians indicates that trauma clinicians are not frequently experiencing "clinically significant" levels of symptoms and that these symptoms may not be uniquely associated with trauma-focused treatment.
190 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Being male, young, Hispanic, holding rural residence, and endorsing a lack of religious participation were significant predictors of secondary traumatic stress, and being male and young predicted high burnout rates, while actively participating in religious services predicted lower burnout.
Abstract: This study describes predictors of secondary traumatic stress and burnout in a national sample of helping professionals, with a specific focus on the unique responses of child welfare (CW) workers. Specific worker and exposure characteristics are examined as possible predictors of these forms of occupational distress in a sample of 669 professionals from across the country who responded to mailed (e-mail and post) invitations to participate in an online survey. E-mail and home mailing addresses were secured from licensure boards and professional membership organizations in six states from across the country that had high rates of child related deaths in 2009. Respondents completed the Professional Quality of Life IV (Stamm, 2005) to ascertain compassion fatigue (CF) and burnout symptoms. Being male, young, Hispanic, holding rural residence, and endorsing a lack of religious participation were significant predictors of secondary traumatic stress. Similarly, being male and young predicted high burnout rates, while actively participating in religious services predicted lower burnout. CW worker job status as a professional was significantly more likely to predict CF and burnout compared to all other types of behavioral healthcare professionals. Based on the findings from this study, this paper proposes strategies for enhancing self-care for CW workers, and describes the essential elements of a trauma-informed CW agency that addresses secondary traumatic stress and burnout.
175 citations
TL;DR: It has been argued that secondary traumatic stress (STS) may adversely affect the retention of counselors and other helping professionals, but there has been little research regarding the rela...
Abstract: It has been argued that secondary traumatic stress (STS) may adversely affect the retention of counselors and other helping professionals. However, there has been little research regarding the rela...
82 citations
01 Jan 2013
TL;DR: A systematic review of literature that reported one or more of these three constructs of compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatisation and secondary traumatic stress and as well as including attempts to measure them is reported.
Abstract: Compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatisation and secondary traumatic stress, are all terms used to describe the potential emotional impact on health professionals of working with traumatised patients and clients. These terms are often used interchangeably although recent thinking supports some differences. The consequence of experiencing emotional distress as a result of patient contact is not less in physicians than in other health care professionals. However, these constructs have received little attention in the physician work force. This article reports on a systematic review of literature that reported one or more of these three constructs and as well as including attempts to measure them.
70 citations
TL;DR: The severity of intrusion, avoidance, and arousal symptoms of STS was similar across various groups of professionals indirectly exposed to trauma (e.g., mental health providers, rescue workers, social workers).
Abstract: Our research assessed the prevalence of secondary traumatic stress (STS) among mental health providers working with military patients. We also investigated personal, work-related, and exposure-related correlates of STS. Finally, using meta-analysis, the mean level of STS symptoms in this population was compared with the mean level of these symptoms in other groups. Participants (N = 224) completed measures of indirect exposure to trauma (i.e., diversity, volume, frequency, ratio), appraisal of secondary exposure impact, direct exposure to trauma, STS, and work characteristics. The prevalence of STS was 19.2%. Personal history of trauma, complaints about having too many patients, and more negative appraisals of the impact caused by an indirect exposure to trauma were associated with higher frequency of STS symptoms. A meta-analysis showed that the severity of intrusion, avoidance, and arousal symptoms of STS was similar across various groups of professionals indirectly exposed to trauma (e.g., mental health providers, rescue workers, social workers).
68 citations
Cites background from "Trauma Training, Trauma Practices, ..."
...%) experienced STS (Bride, 2007; Bride et al., 2007, 2009; Choi, 2011a; Dominguez-Gomez and Rutledge, 2009; Smith Hatcher et al., 2011; Quinal et al., 2009)....
[...]
...…(5.00) 8.93 (3.56) 29.69 (10.74) Bride et al. (2007) Child protective services workers (187) 10.97 (4.07) 15.64 (5.98) 11.58 (4.22) 38.20 (13.38) Bride et al. (2009) Substance abuse counselors (225) 8.83 (3.28) 13.14 (5.54) 9.27 (4.10) 31.20 (12.30) Choi (2011a) Providers for survivors of…...
[...]
...…demonstrate similar rates of STS symptoms in the sample of military behavioral health providers and among other high-risk professions such as emergency and rescue workers, substance abuse counselors, and agency-based social workers (Argentero and Setti, 2011; Bride, 2007; Bride et al., 2009)....
[...]
...…of STS were met by 15.2% of social workers (Bride, 2007), 16.3% of oncology staff (Quinal et al., 2009), 19% of substance abuse counselors (Bride et al., 2009), 20.8% of providers treating family or sexual violence (Choi, 2011a), 32.8% of emergency nurses (Dominguez-Gomez and Rutledge,…...
[...]
...So far, research indicated that the percentage of traumatized clients may be a prevalent stressor among professionals working with traumatized clients (Bride et al., 2009)....
[...]
References
More filters
11 Jun 2013
113,134 citations
TL;DR: Progress in estimating age-at-onset distributions, cohort effects, and the conditional probabilities of PTSD from different types of trauma will require future epidemiologic studies to assess PTSD for all lifetime traumas rather than for only a small number of retrospectively reported "most serious" traumAs.
Abstract: Background: Data were obtained on the general population epidemiology of DSM-III-R posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including information on estimated lifetime prevalence, the kinds of traumas most often associated with PTSD, sociodemographic correlates, the comorbidity of PTSD with other lifetime psychiatric disorders, and the duration of an index episode. Methods: Modified versions of the DSM-III-R PTSD module from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule and of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview were administered to a representative national sample of 5877 persons aged 15 to 54 years in the part II subsample of the National Comorbidity Survey. Results: The estimated lifetime prevalence of PTSD is 7.8%. Prevalence is elevated among women and the previously married. The traumas most commonly associated with PTSD are combat exposure and witnessing among men and rape and sexual molestation among women. Posttraumatic stress disorder is strongly comorbid with other lifetime DSM-III-R disorders. Survival analysis shows that more than one third of people with an index episode of PTSD fail to recover even after many years. Conclusions: Posttraumatic stress disorder is more prevalent than previously believed, and is often persistent. Progress in estimating age-at-onset distributions, cohort effects, and the conditional probabilities of PTSD from different types of trauma will require future epidemiologic studies to assess PTSD for all lifetime traumas rather than for only a small number of retrospectively reported "most serious" traumas. (Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1995;52:1048-1060)
9,690 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss therapists' reactions to clients' traumatic material and suggest ways that therapists can transform and integrate these traumatic material in order to provide the best services to clients, as well as to protect themselves against serious harmful effects.
Abstract: Within the context of their new constructivist self-development theory, the authors discuss therapists' reactions to clients' traumatic material. The phenomenon they term “vicarious traumatization” can be understood as related both to the graphic and painful material trauma clients often present and to the therapist's unique cognitive schemas or beliefs, expectations, and assumptions about self and others. The authors suggest ways that therapists can transform and integrate clients' traumatic material in order to provide the best services to clients, as well as to protect themselves against serious harmful effects.
1,872 citations
TL;DR: This article examined vicarious traumatization (i.e., the deleterious effects of trauma therapy on the therapist) in 188 self-identified trauma therapists and found that therapists with a personal trauma history experienced more negative effects from the work than those without a personal history.
Abstract: This study examined vicarious traumatization (i.e., the deleterious effects of trauma therapy on the therapist) in 188 self-identified trauma therapists. Participants completed questionnaires about their exposure to survivor clients' trauma material as well as their own psychological well-being. Those newest to the work were experiencing the most psychological difficulties (as measured by the TSI Belief Scale; L. A. Pearlman, in press-a) and Symptom Checklist-90—Revised (L. Derogatis, 1977) symptoms. Trauma therapists with a personal trauma history showed more negative effects from the work than those without a personal history. Trauma work appeared to affect those without a personal trauma history in the area of other-esteem. The study indicates the need for more training in trauma therapy and more supervision and support for both newer and survivor trauma therapists.
883 citations
TL;DR: Investigation of the prevalence of secondary traumatic stress in a sample of social workers found that social workers engaged in direct practice are highly likely to be secondarily exposed to traumatic events through their work with traumatized populations, many social workers are likely to experience at least some symptoms of STS, and a significant minority may meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD.
Abstract: Social workers are increasingly being called on to assist survivors of childhood abuse, domestic violence, violent crime, disasters, and war and terrorism. It has become increasingly apparent that the psychological effects of traumatic events extend beyond those directly affected. Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is becoming viewed as an occupational hazard of providing direct services to traumatized populations. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of STS in a sample of social workers by examining the frequency of individual symptoms; the frequency with which diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are met; and the severity of STS levels. Results indicate that social workers engaged in direct practice are highly likely to be secondarily exposed to traumatic events through their work with traumatized populations, many social workers are likely to experience at least some symptoms of STS, and a significant minority may meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD.
726 citations