Title: Secondary Traumatic Stress | The Administration for Children and Families
Headings: Secondary Traumatic Stress
Secondary Traumatic Stress
What is Secondary Traumatic Stress?
Common Compassion Fatigue Symptoms
Why Secondary Traumatic Stress is Important for Human Services Agencies
Relevant Interventions and Approaches
Individual Prevention Strategies to Consider:
Organizational Prevention Strategies to Consider:
Resources for Further Learning
References

Content: Symptoms often include a combination of cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and physical features. They may also involve a spiritual component such as questioning meaning or loss of faith. Common examples include: Common Compassion Fatigue Symptoms
Cognitive
Lowered Concentration
Apathy
Rigid thinking
Perfectionism
Preoccupation with trauma
Emotional
Guilt
Anger
Numbness
Sadness
Helplessness
Behavioral
Withdrawal
Sleep disturbance
Appetite change
Hyper-vigilance
Elevated startle response
Physical
Increased heart rate
Difficulty breathing
Muscle and joint pain
Impaired immune system
Increased severity of medical concerns
These kinds of symptoms can be alarming and personally overwhelming to anyone experiencing them. However, once recognized, compassion fatigue can be addressed and resolved and the caregiver or helper can heal and even grow from the experience. Why Secondary Traumatic Stress is Important for Human Services Agencies
Understanding secondary traumatic stress (STS), its effects on staff, and how to alleviate its impact is of concern to agency and organizational leaders. Being exposed to traumatic and troubling events, sometimes on a daily basis, influences one’s personal and professional lives. Staff acquire different ways to cope – some are adaptive, others are not. STS can decrease staff functioning and create challenges in the working environment. Some of the documented negative organizational effects that can result from STS are increased absenteeism, impaired judgment, low productivity, poorer quality of work, higher staff turnover, and greater staff friction.