acase@tulane.edu / Increasing support for system-level solutions that recognize and respond to childhood trauma have called for teachers to become change agents in their schools by supporting students impacted by traumatic experiences. The current study explored the challenges that teachers may face in joining this movement and their perceived self-efficacy specifically in being able to support their students exposed to trauma (TIC self-efficacy). First, it was hypothesized that teachers will experience levels of Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and burnout at rates similar to the high rates of other helping professionals. It was also hypothesized that TIC self-efficacy among teachers would decrease over time. Further, it was hypothesized that teachers with higher levels of STS and burnout will show greater declines in self-efficacy over time. Finally, it was hypothesized that the relationships between STS and burnout, respectively, and self-efficacy will vary by years of experience. Descriptive results suggest that the majority of teachers in the current sample do not experience elevated symptoms of burnout or STS. Results further yielded main effects of burnout and STS on self-efficacy, as well as a significant decrease in self-efficacy over time. However, neither STS nor burnout significantly moderated TIC self-efficacy over time. Further, neither the relationship between TIC self-efficacy and STS nor the relationship between TIC self-efficacy and burnout varied by years of experience in the field. This study has made a significant contribution to the field by examining STS and burnout among teachers and by evaluating these stressors in relation to the adoption of new system-wide initiatives for combatting the impact of childhood trauma. / 1 / Lea Petrovic

Thesis (M.A.)--Denver Seminary, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-58).

Thesis (M.A.)--Denver Seminary, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-58).

Child protection is an area of Police work that has grown in the last decade, involving Police Officers working in departments that specialise in the investigation of cases of child abuse. Although Police Officers in this field may be at greater risk of experiencing Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), there remains a paucity of research in this area of policing. Analogies can be drawn to existing research in policing and with social service workers involved in child protection.A mixed methodology was used to conduct the study and involved a self-completion postal questionnaire, followed up by a longitudinal case study of three of the trainee Detective Officers. The questionnaire sample consisted of 63 Detective Officers involved in the investigation of child abuse within the host Police Force, including Detective Constables, Sergeants and Inspectors.The Study found that 51% of the respondents experienced a degree of STS, findings that are suggestive that STS is being experienced by a significant portion of Detective Officers who, as part of their daily duties, investigate child protection cases. The longitudinal case study found that 2 out of the 3 cases indicated that their views and experiences of the symptoms of STS changed mid way through their training.The implications for Police Forces to provide safe working environments and appropriate counselling for employees as a tool to manage stress, to inform practice and from which the basis of reasonable precautions, risk assessments, monitoring and appropriate interventions will be discussed.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2010. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (p. 28-29)

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Central Florida, 2008. / Adviser: Eileen Abel. Includes bibliographical references (p. 136-140).

No description available.

abstract: Traditionally when the topic of secondary traumatic stress (STS) is discussed, it is often in regard to medical professionals and first responders. People who have STS or compassion fatigue, as it has been renamed, have been defined as people who are dealing with traumatic stress and/or emotional burdens via their “patients.” This study, conducted at a major university in the southwest, measured educators’ perceptions of the extent of their compassion fatigue using the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) before and after a voluntary online support training during last four weeks of the semester. Educators who were full time scored better than the educators who worked part time on the three components of the Compassion Fatigue Scale. Results from this study suggest that additional training surrounding compassion fatigue may be needed in the future. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2019

For some people, exposure to trauma results in the development of psychological maladjustment in the form of posttraumatic stress disorder. Veterans returning from combat zones tend to meet criteria for PTSD at rates significantly higher than what is observed in the general population. Mental health professionals, particularly those working with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, play an important role in the recovery of these Veterans. Research suggests that facilitating trauma therapy and/or being exposed second-hand to traumatic material can have negative consequences for the therapist. The current study focuses on the impact of trauma therapy on therapists who work with combat veterans through the VA. The study includes seven psychologists in the state of Iowa employed by VA. Findings support previous research by highlighting the impact therapy has on the clinician providing it. The impact of facilitating trauma therapy or working with traumatized populations is not wholly positive or negative, but often both. The current study suggests that what clinicians do in response to hearing trauma narratives that is of key importance.

Characterized as a loss of empathy, compassion fatigue is experienced by many in the helping professions. Also known as secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue occurs when those in the helping professions experience trauma through interacting with the traumatic experiences of the people they are helping. Previous literature has found the development of compassion fatigue to be inevitable due to the amount of empathy those professionals must utilize on a daily basis. Mindfulness practices, such as Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) have been found to be a helpful learning tool for those in the helping professions to reduce their levels of stress. Using a convenience sample of 74 therapists, the present study utilized attachment as a framework for exploring factors of predicting and preventing compassion fatigue. Attachment styles in romantic relationships was predicted to be associated with the development of compassion fatigue, while mindfulness levels were predicted to be preventative in the development of compassion fatigue. Findings indicated that levels of compassion fatigue were higher for females, and that higher levels of mindfulness was associated with lower levels of compassion fatigue for both males and females. Implications for therapists, supervisors, and therapists-in-training are addressed.