title: Childhood abuse history, secondary traumatic stress, and child welfare workers.
abstract: Social workers are exposed to trauma vicariously through the trauma of their clients. This phenomenon, called secondary traumatic stress, vicarious traumatization, or compassion fatigue, presents a risk of negative personal psychological consequences. Based on a sample of 166 child welfare workers and using standardized measures, the study findings document the link between a personal history of primary trauma, childhood abuse or neglect, and the heightened risk for secondary traumatic stress in child welfare workers.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa 35487-0314, USA.
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nelson-Gardell
authors.forename: Deneen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D003379:Countertransference; D004522:Educational Status; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012947:Social Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D040921:Stress Disorders, Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*