VICARIOUS TRAUMA WITHIN PSYCHOTHERAPISTS

Vicarious Trauma within Psychotherapists

[Garath Powell]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My thanks are extended to Professor Digby Tantam, my research supervisor who helped andsupported me in this study.

ABSTRACT

This thesis gives an overview of traumatization effects on psychotherapists and counselors (i.e. harmful effects of trauma therapy in the therapists) while observing patients. Participant's completed questionnaire's that included questions regarding the effects they have after trauma therapy. Trauma therapists had more negative effects of trauma on their work than the patients. Trauma effects arises due to stressful conditions that occur during treatment of trauma effected clients. Secondary traumatization is discussed in this study that affects the psychotherapists and counsellors when they treat a trauma client/patient. This study describes the specific symptoms allegedly developed in psychotherpaists and counsellors. These symptoms are developed after exposure to clients that have severe trauma. These psychotherapists and counsellors have to prevent them from trauma effects and for that treatment of secondary trauma symptoms (e.g, improved clinical education, greater availability of treatment for trauma to the affected workers, etc) is required. A review of experimental literature examines the occurrence and specificity of secondary trauma symptoms in counsellors and psychotherapists. The results are mixed and often show that trauma physicians/psychotherapists often do not experience "clinically significant" levels of symptoms. These symptoms are not solely associated with trauma focused treatment but rather occur due to stressful situations that arise during exposure to trauma clients. Finally, it is argued that research and further clarification on the criteria should be done. It was found that impairment are required. Recommendation for future research is also provided below. The study shows the need for more training in trauma therapy and closer supervision and support for recent trauma survivors, counsellors and psychotherapists.

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Table of contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

ABSTRACTIII

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION1

BACKGROUND1

PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH2

PROBLEM STATEMENT2

RATIONALE OF THE STUDY3

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES3

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY3

RESEARCH QUESTIONS4

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW5

VICARIOUS TRAUMATIZATION (VT)5

SECONDARY TRAUMATIC STRESS (STSD)8

PREVALENCE/SEVERITY11

INDIVIDUAL LEVEL:15

PROFESSIONAL LEVEL:15

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL:15

SYSTEMIC SOCIAL-ORGANIZATIONAL:15

SECONDARY TRAUMA QUESTIONNAIRE16

TRAUMAGRAM QUESTIONNAIRE16

COUNTERTRANSFERENCE.16

BURNOUT17

EMPATHY.23

POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH (PTG).23

SUMMARY26

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY27

PARTICIPANTS27

PROCEDURE27

DEPENDANT MEASURES27

PRIMARY OR SECONDARY QUANTITATIVE28

DEFINITION OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH28

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH28

RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS (ONLY FOR PRIMARY RESEARCH)29

QUESTIONNAIRE (ONLY FOR PRIMARY RESEARCH)30

DATA ANALYSIS31

• MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS TO EXPLORE THE MEDIATOR EFFECTS ON PTG.STUDY TECHNIQUES32

STUDY TECHNIQUES33

STUDY PARTICIPANTS33

STUDY MEASURES33

CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION34

PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS34

ANALYTIC APPROACH35

PRIMARY RESULTS36

OVERALL MODEL FIT41

INDIVIDUAL FACTORS42

ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS42

INCIDENT FACTORS43

DISTRESS43

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS45

REFERENCES48

APPENDIX56

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Counsellors and psychotherapists work more often with clients who have suffered trauma than normal personnel. DSM IV A1 criterion is stated that says "the person witnessed an event that of actual or threatened death or face serious injury or threat to the physical integrity of self or others involved." (American Psychiatric Association, 2000 50) The American Psychiatric Association states "with respect to the serious injury or unnatural death of another human being through aggressive attack, mishap, war or tragedy or unpredictably witnessing a dead corpse or dead body parts usually show trauma effects. It was learned from the study, that violent personal attacks serious accidents, and serious injury to a family member or close friend can bring trauma conditions, erudition about the unexpected, and sudden demise of a family ...