Who helps the helpers? Vicarious traumatisation in psychologists and their experiences as mandated reporters
type: CreativeWork
description: Systematic Review: Systematic Review Exploring the Presence of Vicarious Trauma, Compassion Fatigue, and Secondary Traumatic Stress in Psychologists Abstract: Secondary trauma (ST), which is also referred to as secondary traumatic stress, vicarious traumatisation, and compassion fatigue are the emotional consequences that occur when an individual hears about the traumatic experiences of another person. The effects of ST are similar to the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, and professionals who are exposed to hearing about traumatic experiences are at an increased risk of developing ST. Psychologists are one such group, and the aim of the current systematic review was to investigate the prevalence of and variables associated with ST in psychologists. The following databases were searched as part of the review: PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Embase, MEDLINE, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria required that psychologists were qualified and involved in therapeutic work. Nine articles were included for narrative synthesis. The included studies indicated that psychologists appear to be presenting with low levels of ST, although a single figure for the prevalence of ST could not be determined. Potential reasons for this are discussed. An exception to this finding was observed for psychologists working directly with trauma as ST was indicated with this cohort. Limitations and implications of the findings are outlined. Empirical Study: Experiences of Psychologists in Applying Mandatory Reporting (Children First) Abstract: Background: To address child protection concerns countries often implement mandatory reporting (MR) laws. This ensures that relevant professionals alert child protection services of children who are at risk of or are currently experiencing abuse. However, these well-intended mandatory requirements can sometimes have unintended negative consequences that affect all those who are involved in the process. Objective: The current research investigated the…
abstract: Systematic Review: Systematic Review Exploring the Presence of Vicarious Trauma, Compassion Fatigue, and Secondary Traumatic Stress in Psychologists Abstract: Secondary trauma (ST), which is also referred to as secondary traumatic stress, vicarious traumatisation, and compassion fatigue are the emotional consequences that occur when an individual hears about the traumatic experiences of another person. The effects of ST are similar to the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, and professionals who are exposed to hearing about traumatic experiences are at an increased risk of developing ST. Psychologists are one such group, and the aim of the current systematic review was to investigate the prevalence of and variables associated with ST in psychologists. The following databases were searched as part of the review: PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Embase, MEDLINE, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria required that psychologists were qualified and involved in therapeutic work. Nine articles were included for narrative synthesis. The included studies indicated that psychologists appear to be presenting with low levels of ST, although a single figure for the prevalence of ST could not be determined. Potential reasons for this are discussed. An exception to this finding was observed for psychologists working directly with trauma as ST was indicated with this cohort. Limitations and implications of the findings are outlined. Empirical Study: Experiences of Psychologists in Applying Mandatory Reporting (Children First) Abstract: Background: To address child protection concerns countries often implement mandatory reporting (MR) laws. This ensures that relevant professionals alert child protection services of children who are at risk of or are currently experiencing abuse. However, these well-intended mandatory requirements can sometimes have unintended negative consequences that affect all those who are involved in the process. Objective: The current research investigated the…
author: Pellegrini, Seán
language: en
keywords: Mandatory reporting, Children first, Mandated reporters, Secondary trauma, Vicarious traumatisation, Compassion fatigue, Secondary traumatic stress, Psychologist
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
date published: 2021
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:47:19Z
provider: University College Cork
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University College Cork

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/10468/11977