Vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress or simply burnout? Effect of trauma therapy on mental health professionals
Date
2009
Journal Title
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Publisher
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Abstract
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to perform an assessment for secondary
traumatic stress (STS), vicarious trauma (VT) and workplace burnout for Australian mental
health professionals involved in clinical practice.
Methods: Recruited directly by mail, randomly selected participants were invited to submit
a questionnaire by post or online. Of the 480 participants contacted, 152 mental health
professionals completed the questionnaire, which contained measures of STS, VT and
burnout.
Results: Exposure to patients’ traumatic material did not affect STS, VT or burnout,
contradicting the theory of the originators of STS and VT. Rather, it was found that workrelated
stressors best predicted therapist distress.
Conclusions: These findings have significant implications for the direction of research and
theory development in traumatic stress studies, calling into question the existence of
secondary trauma-related phenomena and enterprises aimed at treating the consultants.
Description
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Keywords
secondary traumatic stress, mental health workers, burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, International Resources, New Zealand
Citation
Devilly, G. J., Wright, R., & Varker, T. (2009). Vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress or simply burnout? Effect of trauma therapy on mental health professionals. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 43(4), 373-385.