Secondary traumatic stress and vicarious posttraumatic growth in healthcare professionals: The role of rumination

Abstract

Due to the nature of their job, healthcare professionals are at a higher risk of developing secondary traumatic stress (STS). However, there is some evidence that it is still possible for positive changes to appear, in the form a vicarious posttraumatic growth (VPTG). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between STS and VPTG in the case of healthcare professionals, both for the global scores and their dimensions. We have also tested if intrusive and deliberate rumination act as mediators in this relationship. The sample consisted of 146 healthcare professionals. Our results showed that between STS and VPTG there is a significant positive relationship, which confirms the idea that it is necessary to have a level of distress in order for growth to be a possible outcome. Moreover, both intrusive and deliberate rumination each fully mediated this relationship. These results could offer us some insight regarding the process through which some individuals manage to attain growth in different areas of their life even in the aftermath of exposure to a traumatic event. Thus, it is important for organizations to take both preventive and protective measures, to offer education and support groups in order to encourage self-disclosure and the cognitive processing of the event.