Bridging Disciplinary Boundaries (January 11 - 14, 2007)

Social workers are professionally and personally changed by their work with traumatized clients. Through empathy with primary victims of trauma, helpers are themselves at risk for traumatic effects. Secondary traumatic stress (STS) conceptualizes post-traumatic symptomatology (Figley, 1995; Figley & Stamm, 1996), while Vicarious Trauma (VT) describes changes in cognitive frame (McCann & Pearlman, 1990). The concept of burnout focuses on organizational factors (Maslach & Jackson, 1986). Child protection work, characterized by hearing accounts of, seeing evidence of, and making decisions about child abuse and neglect for large caseloads with inadequate resources, lends itself to secondary trauma and burnout. More specific knowledge in these areas could help prevent and ease symptoms for affected workers. The author completed a preliminary study of secondary trauma and burnout in a convenience sample of 129 child protection service workers, using established instruments for Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), Vicarious Trauma (VT), and Burnout, as well as an extensive survey capturing personal trauma history. The extent of STS, VT, and Burnout, the relationships of demographic, work, and personal trauma variables, as well as intent to leave, to STS, VT, and Burnout scores were measured using t-tests, correlations, and multiple regression statistics. The author will review overall results, which indicate high levels of secondary trauma, vicarious trauma and burnout, which were significantly related to caseload, hours worked, and job threats, but had little relationship to demographic variables. Particular attention will be given to the role of personal trauma history. Several significant relationships were found between some types of personal trauma and STS, VT, and Burnout. Lifetime accumulation of trauma and experiences of harassment and stalking, as well as family assault were significantly related to higher secondary trauma and burnout scores. However, those reporting child abuse and sexual abuse had significantly higher scores on indicators of job satisfaction and lower burnout on one measure. In multiple regression analysis, family assault and harassment/stalking were significant factors in VT and Burnout. Personal trauma history was not significantly related to intent to leave. Possible implications of these findings include consideration of overall trauma “load”, as well as harassment and stalking, as factors warranting further attention in predicting vulnerability to secondary trauma and burnout. In addition, the potential positive role of a history of child abuse in dealing with secondary trauma and burnout will be considered. Figley, C. R. (Ed.). (1995). Compassion fatigue: Coping with secondary traumatic stress disorder in those who treat the traumatized. New York: Brunner/Mazel. Figley, C. R. & Stamm, B. H. (1996). Review of the compassion fatigue self-test. In B. H. Stamm (Ed.), Measurement of trauma, stress, and adaptation. Lutherville, MD: Sidran Press. Maslach, C. & Jackson, S. E. (1986). The Maslach burnout inventory: Manual (2nd ed.). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.