A7 CT
SECONDARY TRAUMATIC STRESS 1
Traumatology Outline Assignment: Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Child Advocacy Center Victim Advocates
This paper focuses on secondary traumatic stress in full-time victim advocates in Children's Advocacy Centers in the United States. Such advocates are exposed to the stories of abuse by children, distressed caregivers, and the intricate case information, which leads to occupational exposure to the trauma of another person (Endsjø et al., 2024; North et al., 2025). Therefore, the study will examine occupational exposure, secondary traumatic stress, and protective workplace conditions within this specific advocacy role.
I. Discussion of the Topic of Study
A. Secondary traumatic stress is a trauma-related response to long-term indirect exposure to the experiences of survivors (Briere & Scott, 2025; Velasco et al., 2025).
B. Secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in the Child Advocacy Center setting (Endsjø et al., 2024).
C. Organizational and individual issues influencing secondary traumatic stress and burnout in child welfare settings (Clark et al., 2026; Park et al., 2024).
II. Population of Interest
A. Full-time female victim advocates aged 25 to 55.
B. Employment in the Children's Advocacy Centers in the United States. Comment by Cheney, Alan B (Community Care and Counseling): I would narrow this a specific county, state, region, or sub-region , e.g., Southeastern US or South Atlantic sub‑region, etc.
C. At least one year of victim advocacy experience.
D. Repeated exposure to traumatic narratives, caregiver distress, records, case discussions, and repetition of abuse information.
E. Direct service after suspected or confirmed child sexual or physical abuse.
F. Supervisory and organizational support as influences on advocate work outcomes (North et al., 2025)
III. Variables Associated With the Topic
A. Exposure to cumulative trauma, workload pressure, work demands, and lack of support.
B. Indirect exposure and workplace pressures (Winters et al., 2025).
C. Severity of secondary traumatic stress, burnout, compassion satisfaction, turnover intention, and professional functioning (Clark et al., 2024).
D. Supportive supervision, transformational leadership, psychological safety, workplace connectedness, self-care, and resilience practices. (Clark et al., 2024; Clark et al., 2025).
IV. Biblical Integration
B. Sharing sorrow with people who suffer while maintaining a caring presence ( NIV, 2011, Rom. 12:15)
C. Spiritual meaning, growth, resilience, and healthy limits in trauma work (Waters & Conley, 2025).
D. Faith-informed support is to be voluntary, ethically responsive, and not incompatible with professional supervision and organizational protections.
V. Topics for Future Research
A. Multisite studies of the United States that isolate victim advocates of larger child welfare workforces (Endsjø et al., 2024; North et al., 2025).
B. Role-specific longitudinal research may help explain how repeated exposure changes over time.
C. Child Advocacy Center-controlled assessments to detect long-lasting protective factors. (Clark et al., 2024; Clark et al., 2026; Park et al., 2024).
D. Advocate secondary traumatic stress to retention, service continuity, quality of engagement, and multidisciplinary collaboration (Clark et al., 2024; North et al., 2025).
References
Briere, J., & Scott, C. (2025). Principles of trauma therapy: A guide to symptoms, evaluation, and treatment (3rd ed.). SAGE
Clark, S. L., Akin, B. A., Vanchy, P., Byers, K., & Diaz, A. (2024). Evaluating the early implementation of a resilience intervention addressing secondary traumatic stress in child welfare workers. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 48(4), 496-521. https://doi.org/10.1080/23303131.2024.2392821
Clark, S. L., Miller, B., Akin, B. A., Barney, R. K., Grube, W., McArthur, V., ... & Mitchell, J. (2024). Examining associations between child welfare workforce well-being and utilization of casework skills with children and families. Child Abuse & Neglect, 155, 106964. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106964
Clark, S. L., Miller, B., Akin, B. A., Byers, K., Wright, K., Carr, K., & Hunt, M. K. (2025). Exploring the relationships between self-care and well-being outcomes among child welfare professionals. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 19(1), 110–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2024.2306151
Clark, S. L., Riley, E. N., Lardner, M. D., Theile, K., Edge, L., Pearson, T., & Cull, M. J. (2026). Team culture factors and child welfare professionals' well-being: association of psychological safety, workplace connectedness and mindful organising with secondary traumatic stress. Child & Family Social Work, 31(3), 1921-1930. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.70104 Comment by Cheney, Alan B (Community Care and Counseling): Capitalize the first word after a colon
Endsjø, M., Vang, M. L., Jensen, T. K., & Skar, A. M. S. (2024). Predictors of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction among practitioners in Norwegian child advocacy centers. Child Abuse & Neglect, 154, 106924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106924
Hu, M., Wang, Y., Zhang, H., Wu, C., Liang, X., Zhang, Y., & Lang, H. (2025). The relationship between spiritual climate and secondary traumatic stress in ICU nurses: The mediating role of moral resilience. Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, 87, 103815. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iccn.2024.103815
New International Version Bible. (2011). Zondervan. (Original work published 1978).
North, M. N., Thompson, Y. T., Jorgensen, A., Taylor, E. K., Miller, M., Ralston, E., & Silovsky, J. F. (2025). Lean on me: The role of organizational and supervisory support in understanding work outcomes in victim advocates. Children and youth services review, 171, 108170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108170 Comment by Cheney, Alan B (Community Care and Counseling): Be sure to proofread
Park, T. K., Kim, J., Pierce, B., & Lee, H. (2024). Transformational leadership, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout of child welfare workers: Multilevel moderation effects. Social Work, 69(3), 231-239. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swae017
Velasco, J., Sanmartín, F. J., Cuadrado, F., & Moriana, J. A. (2025). Prevalence of secondary trauma, compassion fatigue and burnout among trauma therapists in Spain. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 25(1), e12901. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12901
Waters, M., & Conley, A. (2025). Trauma and spirituality: faith interacting with counselors’ sexual violence work. Counseling and Values, 70(1), 39-64. https://doi.org/10.1163/2161007x-bja10029
Winters, A. M., Barbee, A. P., Davidson, A., Putnam-Collins, P., Utterback, L., & Graef, M. (2025). Secondary traumatic stress and the child welfare workforce: A case study on resilience. Traumatology, 31(4), 556. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/trm0000615