Secondary traumatic stress in Australian psychologists: individual risk and protective factors

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) refers to outcomes that result from the knowledge of a traumatizing event experienced by a significant other and resemble those associated with posttraumatic stress disorder, including symptoms of intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal. The objective of this research was to explore the relationship between personal history of trauma, years of professional experience, level of exposure, age, and the development of STS, and to examine whether social support acts as a moderating factor. A sample of 77 Australian psychologists completed an anonymous online questionnaire consisting of questions related to demographics, personal history of trauma, secondary exposure to trauma, STS, and social support. Levels of secondary exposure to trauma, participants' personal history of trauma, and perceptions of trauma resolution were positively related to STS. In contrast, age and years of experience were not significantly related to STS. Finally, consistent with previous studies, social support was significantly related to STS and was found to moderate the relationship between hours of clinical contact with trauma survivors and STS. Limitations of the research primarily relate to the small sample size. The current research contributes to the literature because it furthers our understanding of the experience of STS for Australian psychologists and provides a rationale for further research, the development of professional resources, and management strategies.