Predictors of Secondary Traumatic Stress among Children's Advocacy Center Forensic Interviewers

Abstract

This study examined various predictor variables that were hypothesized to impact secondary traumatic stress in forensic interviewers (n = 257) from children's advocacy centers across the United States. Data were examined to investigate the relationship between organizational satisfaction, organizational buffers, and job support with secondary traumatic stress using the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale. The most salient significant result was an inverse relationship between three indicators of job support and secondary traumatic stress. Also significant to secondary traumatic stress were the age of interviewer and whether the forensic interviewer had experienced at least one significant loss in the previous 12 months. Implications for future research, training, program practice, and policy are discussed.

Keywords:

• secondary trauma
• secondary traumatic stress
• forensic interviewers
• children's advocacy centers

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the consulting and liaison assistance of Alison Gray, Pennsylvania Chapter Coordinator of Children's Advocacy Centers and Multi-Disciplinary Teams.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kathryn Bonach

Kathryn Bonach, PhD, professor, Department of Sociology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Alex Heckert

Alex Heckert, PhD, professor, Department of Sociology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania.