Secondary traumatic stress and secondary posttraumatic growth in a sample of Dutch police family liaison officers

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 570-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.J.J. Kunst ◽  
M.C. Saan ◽  
L.J.A. Bollen ◽  
K.F. Kuijpers
Author(s):  
Jennifer E. Moreno-Jiménez ◽  
Luis Manuel Blanco-Donoso ◽  
Evangelia Demerouti ◽  
Sylvia Belda Hofheinz ◽  
Mario Chico-Fernández ◽  
...  

COVID-19 has increased the likelihood of healthcare professionals suffering from Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). However, the difficulty of this crisis may lead these professionals to display personal resources, such as harmonious passion, that could be involved in posttraumatic growth. The goal of this study is to examine the STS and posttraumatic growth among healthcare professionals and the demands and resources related to COVID-19. A longitudinal study was carried out in April 2020 (T1) and December 2020 (T2). The participants were 172 health professionals from different health institutions and they reported their workload, fear of contagion, lack of staff and personal protection equipment (PPE), harmonious passion, STS and posttraumatic growth. The results revealed that workload and fear of contagion in T2 were positive predictors for STS, whereas harmonious passion was a negative predictor. Fear of contagion of both times seemed to positively predict posttraumatic growth, as well as harmonious passion. One moderation effect was found concerning the lack of staff/PPE, as posttraumatic growth was higher when the workload was high, especially in those with a high lack of staff/PPE. All in all, these findings pointed out the need for preventative measures to protect these professionals from long-term negative consequences.


Psychiatriki ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Argyroula Kalaitzaki ◽  
Michael Rovithis

Despite the indisputable negative psychosocial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, positive consequences are also possible. Resilience and coping strategies have been assumed to contribute to these outcomes. However, findings are still scarce and inconclusive. The study aimed to examine the role of resilience and coping strategies in the secondary stress for the Greek healthcare workers (HCWs) and in the posttraumatic growth following the COVID-19 lockdown in Greece. A sample of 673 HCWs coming from Greece were recruited. A convenience and snowball mixed sampling procedure were used. A questionnaire was distributed through social networking sites, webpages, and personal contacts of the author. Participants were asked to distribute it to their own contacts. Recruitment occurred during April 5 - 30, 2000, amid the lockdown (March 23-May 03), when people were asked to follow the stringent lockdown constraint enforced by the Greek government. Sociodemographic data were collected. The Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale measured secondary traumatic stress (STS) for the HCWs. The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, the Brief Resilience Scale, and the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory measured posttraumatic growth, resilience, and coping strategies, respectively. Regression analyses demonstrated that resilience and coping strategies were differentially associated with positive and negative (stress/growth) lockdown outcomes. Resilience and mostly maladaptive coping strategies predicted STS. A mixture of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies predicted PTG. The so-called “second wave” of the outbreak that started in August 2020 indicates that the study of the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown and of the internal resources (resilience and coping) to deal with, is necessary. The findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the coping strategies used by population subgroups (e.g., HCWs) in dealing with the COVID-19 lockdown in Greece. Enhancing internal resources through supportive services will ameliorate HCWs ability to withstand, recover, and thrive with benefits in their psychological health and well-being. Despite the indisputable negative psychosocial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, positive consequences are also possible. Resilience and coping strategies have been assumed to contribute to these outcomes. However, findings are still scarce and inconclusive. The study aimed to examine the role of resilience and coping strategies in the secondary stress for the Greek healthcare workers (HCWs) and in the posttraumatic growth following the COVID-19 lockdown in Greece. A sample of 673 HCWs coming from Greece were recruited. A convenience and snowball mixed sampling procedure were used. A questionnaire was distributed through social networking sites, webpages, and personal contacts of the author. Participants were asked to distribute it to their own contacts. Recruitment occurred during April 5 - 30, 2000, amid the lockdown (March 23-May 03), when people were asked to follow the stringent lockdown constraint enforced by the Greek government. Sociodemographic data were collected. The Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale measured secondary traumatic stress (STS) for the HCWs. The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, the Brief Resilience Scale, and the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory measured posttraumatic growth, resilience, and coping strategies, respectively. Regression analyses demonstrated that resilience and coping strategies were differentially associated with positive and negative (stress/growth) lockdown outcomes. Resilience and mostly maladaptive coping strategies predicted STS. A mixture of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies predicted PTG. The so-called “second wave” of the outbreak that started in August 2020 indicates that the study of the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown and of the internal resources (resilience and coping) to deal with, is necessary. The findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the coping strategies used by population subgroups (e.g., HCWs) in dealing with the COVID-19 lockdown in Greece. Enhancing internal resources through supportive services will ameliorate HCWs ability to withstand, recover, and thrive with benefits in their psychological health and well-being.


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