Secondary traumatic stress, burnout, compassion satisfaction, and perceived organizational trauma readiness in forensic science professionals
Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Forensic Sciences
Abstract
Secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion satisfaction have been described since the 1980s and extensively studied in first responders, law enforcement, legal professionals, and human service providers. There are few studies in
forensic science professionals. To determine levels of secondary traumatic stress,
burnout, and compassion satisfaction and relate these to demographics and job characteristics, we administered online a modified version of the Professional Quality
of Life (ProQOL) questionnaire to professionals in crime laboratories and medical
examiner offices. Participants also completed a modified version of the Vicarious
Trauma-Organizational Readiness Guide (VT-ORG) to measure perceptions of their
organizations’ efforts to address vicarious trauma and promote health and wellness.
Results from 419 subjects indicated that field-based forensic science professionals
registered higher levels of secondary traumatic stress compared to laboratory-based
professionals, but burnout and compassion satisfaction were not significantly different between these groups. Demographic variables did not predict any of these
outcome measures, but work with victims’ families and testifying significantly, albeit weakly, predicted higher secondary traumatic stress. Greater employee belief
that their organizations were addressing issues of stress and trauma predicted lower
levels of secondary traumatic stress and burnout and higher levels of compassion
satisfaction. Write-in responses by participants paralleled the quantitative findings.
These results indicate a need to strengthen organizational efforts to address stress
and trauma and promote health and wellness, particularly in professionals with direct field-based exposure to crime scenes, contact with victims’ families, and responsibility for testifying.
Description
item.page.type
Article
item.page.format
Keywords
secondary traumatic stress, medical examiners, vicarious trauma, trauma readiness
Citation
Levin, A. P., Putney, H., Crimmins, D., & McGrath, J. G. (2021). Secondary traumatic stress, burnout, compassion satisfaction, and perceived organizational trauma readiness in forensic science professionals. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 66(5), 1758-1769.