Secondary trauma among social workers treating trauma clients: The role of coping strategies and internal resources

This study explores the association between coping strategies (problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidance), internal resources (dispositional optimism and mastery), demographic and work characteristics, and secondary trauma symptoms among 160 social workers in public agencies treating clients who were victims of trauma. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that emotion-focused and avoidance coping strategies, previous history of exposure to a traumatic event, and high exposure to traumatic material through clients were associated with increased levels of secondary trauma, while dispositional optimism, mastery, and steady supervision on a weekly basis were associated with a reduction of those symptoms. Theoretical and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.