Secondary Traumatic Stress in Mental Health Professionals

Abstract

Mental health professionals working with traumatic stress may experience post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, similar to their patients. For these professionals, secondary traumatic stress can be an important concept. It involves emotions, thoughts, and actions that emerge when a mental health worker becomes aware of a catastrophic event experienced by someone familiar, valued, and connected. In the literature, terms such as vicarious trauma, occupational burnout, and compassion fatigue are associated with secondary traumatic stress. Growing research presents that secondary traumatic stress is associated with personal trauma history, temperament, type of coping with stress, and levels of social support. The aim of this paper is to review and present the current situation of secondary traumatic stress and related concepts in mental health workers such as psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatry nurses, social workers, and so forth. In Türkiye, where several traumatic experiences (such as earthquake) are currently common, studying secondary traumatic stress in mental health workers is also significant. Healthy coping strategies, a resilient personality, and the display of signs of post-traumatic growth can contribute to the psychological well-being of mental health professionals. In this investigation the concept of secondary traumatic stress in mental health professionals, associated factors with this concept, coping mechanisms of secondary traumatic stress are explained in the light of the literature. Based on the emerging research, some recommendations are stated.

Keywords

• secondary trauma
• post traumatic growth
• post traumatic depreciation
• mental health professionals