Effect of Feedback on Levels of Secondary Traumatization of Workers at Battered Women's Shelters across the United States

dc.contributor.authorJeffrey, Allison Clifforden
dc.contributor.committeechairClum, George A. Jr.en
dc.contributor.committeememberKeppel-Benson, Jane M.en
dc.contributor.committeememberLease, Cynthia A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberEisler, Richard M.en
dc.contributor.committeememberSturgis, Ellie T.en
dc.contributor.departmentPsychologyen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T20:10:29Zen
dc.date.adate1999-04-28en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T20:10:29Zen
dc.date.issued1999-04-09en
dc.date.rdate2000-04-28en
dc.date.sdate1999-04-22en
dc.description.abstractThis study investigated the impact of working with domestic violence victims on domestic violence shelter workers. Recent research has shown that working with trauma victims may have a profound impact on the worker, including levels of intrusive and avoidant PTSD symptoms as well as distorted beliefs about the self and others. This was the first study to examine secondary traumatization in the domestic violence worker population. Results suggested that domestic violence workers are experiencing levels of secondary traumatization slightly higher than sexual assault counselors, a group used for comparison due to their similar job demands and client population. Though this study attempted to ameliorate symptom levels by providing feedback, and feedback with suggestions for improvement to two treatment groups, no significant effects were found post-treatment. Various reasons were offered for this lack of effect, including the lack of adequate sample size at follow-up. Overall, several predictors of secondary traumatization were confirmed, the most notable of which was social support. Individuals with high levels of social support tended to have less symptoms of secondary traumatization, and individuals with high levels of social avoidance tended to have more symptoms of secondary traumatization. For this sample, trauma history was not found to predict secondary traumatization symptoms. These findings were discussed in relation to the vicarious traumatization model of indirect trauma. Clinical implications and implications for future research were also offered. This study was supported in full by the Agency for Healthy Care Policy and Research Grant for Health Service Dissertation Award, number R03 HS10036-01.en
dc.description.degreePh. D.en
dc.identifier.otheretd-042299-211920en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-042299-211920/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/27143en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartACJETD.PDFen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectDomestic Violenceen
dc.subjectSecondary Traumaen
dc.subjectFeedback Interventionen
dc.titleEffect of Feedback on Levels of Secondary Traumatization of Workers at Battered Women's Shelters across the United Statesen
dc.typeDissertationen
thesis.degree.disciplinePsychologyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.leveldoctoralen
thesis.degree.namePh. D.en

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