title: Secondary traumatic stress among mental health providers working with the military: prevalence and its work- and exposure-related correlates.
abstract: Our research assessed the prevalence of secondary traumatic stress (STS) among mental health providers working with military patients. We also investigated personal, work-related, and exposure-related correlates of STS. Finally, using meta-analysis, the mean level of STS symptoms in this population was compared with the mean level of these symptoms in other groups. Participants (N = 224) completed measures of indirect exposure to trauma (i.e., diversity, volume, frequency, ratio), appraisal of secondary exposure impact, direct exposure to trauma, STS, and work characteristics. The prevalence of STS was 19.2%. Personal history of trauma, complaints about having too many patients, and more negative appraisals of the impact caused by an indirect exposure to trauma were associated with higher frequency of STS symptoms. A meta-analysis showed that the severity of intrusion, avoidance, and arousal symptoms of STS was similar across various groups of professionals indirectly exposed to trauma (e.g., mental health providers, rescue workers, social workers).
authors.affiliation: *Trauma, Health, and Hazards Center, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs; †Department of Psychology, Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland; ‡Warrior Resiliency Program, Southern Regional Medical Command, San Antonio, TX; and §Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cieslak
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bock
authors.forename: Bret A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Charles C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Benight
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011974:Receptors, LH; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D011974:Receptors, LH