The cost of caring: professional differences in the burden of trauma-related work
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Taylor & Francis
Abstract
Background: Although children and adolescents exposed to traumatic events face a high risk of
developing mental health disorders, access to trauma-specific care in Germany remains insufficient.
Professionals involved in the care of affected children and adolescents experience work-related
stress. Along with structural barriers and limited systemic support, work-related stress can
negatively impact the quality of care. This study investigates the concerns, strains, consequences
of perceived stress and needs of these professional groups and examines differences in their
experiences to derive implications for improving organizational and professional deficiencies as
well as care of affected children and adolescents.
Methods: Data were collected and analyzed from N = 637 participants via an online survey. Our
sample included child and youth psychotherapists (CP), youth welfare professionals (YWP), and
psychiatric care staff (PCS), and was assessed using the Trauma Professionals’ Burden Scale
(TPBS). ANOVAs and Pearson correlations, were conducted, with adjustments for multiple
testing and covariates like age, professional experience, working hours and gender.
Results: Our study identified concerns, strains, needs and stress consequences faced by
professionals working with traumatized children and adolescents. The greatest concern among
participants was the risk of children being agitated through external triggers, while the most
significant strain involved children having to return to potentially violent homes. A need for
better structural conditions was also expressed. The most significant stress was reported by
YWP while CP revealed the lowest stress levels.
Discussion: Our results highlight the distress among professionals working with traumatized
children and adolescents. These findings suggest that working with traumatized children and
adolescents is itself a stressor, warranting additional research. Our results highlight the need for
structural improvements, such as increased staff. Moreover, greater access to training to acquire
evidence-based knowledge and skills might help to alleviate the stress experienced by
professionals working with traumatized children and adolescents.
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Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International