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. 2004 Spring;6(2):57-66.

Compassion fatigue following the September 11 terrorist attacks: a study of secondary trauma among New York City social workers

Joseph A Boscarino  1 , Charles R Figley, Richard E Adams
Affiliations

Compassion fatigue following the September 11 terrorist attacks: a study of secondary trauma among New York City social workers

Joseph A Boscarino et al. Int J Emerg Ment Health. 2004 Spring.

Abstract

Experience suggests that individuals working in the caring and psychotherapeutic professions are among those to provide mental health services to disaster victims suffering from psychological trauma following catastrophic events. Yet, few studies have focused on the emotional exhaustion from working with such clients, referred to as compassion fatigue (CF) in this study, and how CF differs from other occupational hazards, such as secondary trauma (ST) and job burnout. In the present study, we used recently validated scales to predict ST and job burnout related to providing services to those affected by the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks. Our study data were based on a random survey of 236 social workers living in New York City (NYC), over 80% of which reported being involved in post-WTC disaster counseling efforts. Our analyses indicated that controlling for demographic factors, years of counseling, and personal trauma history, ST was positively associated with WTC recovery involvement (p <. 001) and negatively associated with having a supportive work environment (p < . 01). In contrast, job burnout was negatively associated with having a supportive work environment (p < .01), but not associated with WTC involvement or WTC counseling efforts. We discuss these results in light of future conceptual and empirical research needs.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percent Potential Secondary Trauma Cases by Low vs. High Clinical Involvement in September 11 Attack Activities
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Adams RE, Figley CR, Boscarino JA. Compassion Fatigue and Psychological Distress among Social Workers: A Validation Study of a Secondary Trauma Instrument. New York: The New York Academy of Medicine; 2004. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bandura A. Principles of Behavior Modification. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston; 1969.
    1. Boscarino JA, Galea S, Adams RE, Ahern J, Resnick H, Vlahov D. Mental health services and psychiatric medication use following the terrorist attacks in New York City. Psychiatric Services. 2004;55:274–283. - PubMed
    1. Boscarino JA, Galea S, Ahern J, Resnick H, Vlahov D. Utilization of mental health services following the September 11th terrorists attacks in Manhattan, New York City. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health. 2002;4:143–155. - PubMed
    1. Figley CR. Compassion fatigue as secondary traumatic stress disorder: An overview. In: Figley CR, editor. Compassion Fatigue: Coping with Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder in Those Who Treat the Traumatized. New York: Brunner-Routledge; 1995. pp. 1–20.

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