Examination of psychological capital and secondary traumatic stress levels of professionals attended to disaster studies

Abstract

This research was conducted with the aim of examining the psychological capital and secondary traumatic stress levels of health professionals who have experience working in the field of disaster. It is a descriptive study. The study’s sample consists of 183 health professionals who work in an emergency service or 112 emergency health services of a provincial Health Directorate, who participate in numerous disaster interventions in Turkey, and who have participated in any disaster. As data collecting methods, the “Socio-demographic form” “Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale” and the “Psychological Capital Scale Short Form” were utilized. In the study, it is concluded that the secondary traumatic stress scale mean score and the psychological capital scale mean score of physicians, nurses and paramedics were moderate, and there is a negative significant relationship between both scales. Negative and significant relationships were found between hope, optimism and resilience, which are sub-dimensions of psychological capital, and secondary traumatic stress. It is concluded that the high level of psychological capital reduces the secondary stress level.

Keywords:

• Disaster
• disaster management
• healthcare professionals
• psychological capital
• trauma, stress

Consent

Written informed consent was obtained from each participan before data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical approval

The study was approval received by the Trabzon University Social and Human Sciences Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Committee prior to its commencement (Approval no: E-81614018-000-2200011475). Also, approval was also obtained from Trabzon Provincial Health Directorate.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Galip Usta

Galip Usta is an assistant professor at Trabzon University. Disaster management carries out studies on traumas in disasters. He completed his postgraduate education in the field of disaster management. He managed the TUBITAK project in Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes in Turkey. He conducted a holistic thesis on the Gölcük, Van and Elazığ earthquakes in Turkey.

Esra Bekircan

Esra Bekircan is a lecturer at Trabzon University. She has completed her postgraduate studies in psychiatry. She has conducted studies in addiction and psychiatry.