Vicarious trauma and vicarious posttraumatic growth among substance abuse treatment providers

ABSTRACT

Background: Practitioners working with clients who have experienced trauma are vulnerable to experiencing both vicarious trauma and vicarious posttraumatic growth (PTG). A survey was conducted in which treatment providers who work with adults seeking help for substance abuse were asked about their experience of vicarious trauma and vicarious PTG. It was hypothesized that vicarious trauma and vicarious PTG would be positively associated with each other, that personal history of trauma and years of working with clients who had experienced trauma would be positively associated with vicarious trauma, and that in addition to those variables, personal counseling, training, and supervision would be associated with vicarious PTG. Methods: Surveys were sent to the directors of 15 social service agencies in one county in central California. Surveys included questions about the respondent's history of substance use and trauma and experience with clients who had experienced trauma. In addition, the survey contained 3 scales: the Trauma History Screen, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and the Impact of Event Scale—Revised. Results: Survey data were obtained from 51 counselors. There was a significant positive association between vicarious trauma and vicarious PTG, and both were significantly associated with respondents' history of trauma. Providers who were in recovery were more likely than others to report a history of trauma and to report higher levels of vicarious trauma and vicarious PTG. Conclusion: Counselors working with clients in substance abuse treatment may experience vicarious trauma and vicarious PTG. Implications for preparing counselors to work with this population are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Posttraumatic growth
• trauma
• vicarious trauma

Author contributions

Merith Cosden developed most of the study questions and was the primary writer. Ashley Sanford selected the measures and provided the review and hypotheses specific to posttraumatic growth. Lauren Koch contributed to the literature review, creation of the survey, and data entry and analysis, and also edited the paper. Caitlin Lepore contributed to the creation of the survey and data analysis and interpretation, and helped with revisions of the paper.

Funding

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.