An examination of occupational health phenomena: Secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue and burnout among social workers in Montana

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) in human service professionals has only recently become a focus in mental health. This study examines how social workers (LCSWs) in Montana are impacted by STS, compassion fatigue, and burnout. It also seeks to explain how specific organizational factors might potentially reduce the impact of these phenomena.

This study utilized a mixed methodology, with a mail survey (N=256) using four measures, including the Social Work Demographics/Workplace Questionnaire, the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (Bride 2005), and the Professional Quality of Life Scale (Hudnall-Stamm, 1999). Statistical analyses were conducted to provide a picture of the prevalence and nature of STS in the sample, including subgroup comparisons and analysis of organizational factors. A smaller sample (N=15) of follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data. Template analysis was used for the qualitative data and credibility of findings was evaluated through member checks. Findings indicate that social workers in the sample experience statistically significant levels of STS, compassion fatigue and burnout. Implications for occupational health issues are paramount, especially as they relate to the psychological and emotional well-being of a workforce engaged in challenging, stressful, and potentially traumatic work. Implications for multilevel policy and practice changes in public health social work are offered.