Vicarious trauma: The impact on solicitors of exposure to traumatic material.

Vicarious trauma involves “profound changes in the core aspects of the therapist’s self” (Pearlman & Saakvitne, 1995, p. 152). These changes include disruptions in both self and professional identity, worldview, spirituality, abilities, and cognitive beliefs particularly in the areas of safety, trust, esteem, intimacy, and control (Saakvitne & Pearlman, 1996). Whereas posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) refers to the impact on primary victims of trauma, vicarious traumatization refers to the impact on secondary victims of trauma (i.e., those that work with the primary victims of trauma). This study explored vicarious trauma in the legal profession. A random sample of male and female criminal law (n = 50) and noncriminal law (n = 50) solicitors completed a research pack containing the following questionnaires: a demographic questionnaire; Vicarious Trauma Scale; Satisfaction With Work Scale; Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales; Impact of Event Scale–Revised; and Trauma and Attachment Belief Scale. Criminal lawyers reported significantly higher levels of subjective distress and vicarious trauma, depression, stress, and cognitive changes in relation to self-safety, other safety, and other intimacy. No significant differences were found between the two groups on measures of satisfaction with work or coping strategies in relation to work-related distress. Multiple trauma history was associated with higher scores on measures of symptomatic distress.