Vicarious exposure to trauma and growth in therapists: The moderating effects of sense of coherence, organizational support, and empathy
Abstract
Therapists who work with traumatized individuals can experience psychological growth following this vicarious exposure to trauma. The purpose of the present study is to examine the variables that may moderate such vicarious posttraumatic growth. Therapists (N = 118) completed measures of vicarious exposure to trauma and growth, as well as empathy, sense of coherence, and perceived organizational support. Results showed that having a strong sense of coherence negatively predicted growth (β = −.28, p = .001), whereas empathy was a positive predictor (β = .37, p < .001). Empathy also moderated the exposure to growth relationship when growth involved relating to others (β = −.20; p = .018). Organizational support did not predict growth. The results have implications for the recruitment, training, and supervision of therapists working with individuals who have experienced trauma.
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A higher sense of coherence in the therapist is a negative predictor of vicarious growth.
“Negatywnym predyktorem zastępczego wzrostu jest wyższe poczucie spójności terapeuty, które tu jest definiowane jako stopień, wjakim terapeuta postrzega świat jako zrozumiały imożliwy do zarządzania [24, 25].”
From Does it only benefit the patient? Potentially positive impact of psychotherapy of traumatized people — on the therapist (2025) · cites this paper as [25]
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- Authors
- Brockhouse, R., Msetfi, R. M., Cohen, K., & Joseph, S.
- Affiliations
- Lancaster University (GB)
- University of Limerick (IE)
- University of London (GB)
- University of Nottingham (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Msetfi, Rachel M.
- Venue
- Journal of Traumatic Stress
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2011-12
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 735-742
- ISSN
- 0894-9867 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-6598
- OpenAlex
- W2091020186
- Cited by
- 153
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 7.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Traumatic Stress (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Goldsmiths (University of London) (acceptedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Stress and Burnout Research
- Keywords
- posttraumatic growth, therapists, sense of coherence, empathy, organizational support, moderating effect, trauma-informed therapy, therapist supervision, therapist training
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Aged, Attitude of Health Personnel, Countertransference, Empathy, Female, United Kingdom, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Psychotherapy, Surveys and Questionnaires, Regression Analysis, Social Support, Wounds and Injuries
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