title: The mediating effects of coping strategies on the relationship between secondary traumatic stress and burnout in professional caregivers in the UAE.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Professional caregivers dealing with traumatized victims or mental health clients are at increased risk for developing the same symptoms as persons who are exposed directly to the trauma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This research was aimed at examining the relationship between secondary traumatic stress, burnout and coping strategies in 502 professional caregivers who work in schools, hospitals, charity institutes and welfare centers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A further aim was to test the mediating effect of coping on the relationship between burnout and secondary traumatic stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures used in this study were the Professional Quality of Life Questionnaire (ProQOL), The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), The Maslach Burnout Inventory: Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and Endler and Parker's Coping Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Task-focused coping, personal accomplishment and compassion satisfaction were negatively associated with secondary traumatic stress. Burnout, emotion-focused and distraction coping were positively related to secondary traumatic stress. Coping partially mediated the relationship between burnout and secondary traumatic stress. There were also significant gender differences in depersonalization and distraction coping.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Efforts need to focus on improvement of caregivers' work environments, enhancing their coping skills and professional development.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology & Counseling , United Arab Emirates University , Al Ain , United Arab Emirates and.
authors.forename: Abdalla A R M
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.affiliation: b Department of Sociology and Social Work , Sultan Qaboos University , Masqat , Sultanate of Oman.
authors.forename: Saif A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Musa
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D000068376:Compassion Fatigue / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D014479:United Arab Emirates; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: burnout; coping; job satisfaction; secondary traumatic stress