The Secondary Trauma Stress Scale

The Secondary Trauma Scale (STS) provides a comprehensive and reliable assessment of secondary trauma symptoms, encompassing multiple dimensions relevant to individuals' well-being in caregiving and helping professions. Its practical utility and psychometric properties make it a valuable tool for clinicians, researchers, and organisations seeking to understand and address the impact of trauma exposure on caregivers and professionals.

Assessment of Secondary Trauma: The STS comprises multiple items that assess various dimensions of secondary trauma, including emotional distress, intrusive thoughts or images, and changes in worldview. It measures the extent to which individuals experience symptoms of secondary trauma in response to their work or caregiving role.

Identification of Secondary Trauma Levels: Respondents rate their agreement with statements reflecting different aspects of secondary trauma on a Likert-type scale, typically ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (very often). Subscale scores are calculated by summing the responses to relevant items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of secondary trauma.

Validity: The validity of the STS is supported by research demonstrating its correlation with measures of psychological distress, burnout, and post-traumatic stress symptoms among caregivers and professionals exposed to traumatic content or experiences. The high Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.956 indicates excellent internal consistency reliability for the scale.

Reliability: The STS demonstrates strong psychometric properties, including high internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Studies have consistently shown significant associations between STS scores and indicators of psychological distress and impairment, supporting its reliability and validity as a measure of secondary trauma.

Clinical Utility: The STS is valuable in clinical and research contexts for assessing the impact of exposure to trauma on caregivers and professionals and identifying individuals at risk for secondary trauma. It aids in understanding the emotional and psychological toll of caregiving roles, guiding interventions to mitigate the effects of secondary trauma and promote self-care and resilience. Moreover, the STS facilitates the evaluation of intervention outcomes and the monitoring of changes in secondary trauma symptoms over time.

Limitations: Despite its utility, the STS has limitations that should be considered. Self-report measures are subject to response biases and may not fully capture individuals' subjective experiences of secondary trauma. Additionally, the STS primarily focuses on the emotional and psychological aspects of secondary trauma and may not address other dimensions of trauma exposure or resilience factors. Cultural and contextual factors may also influence the interpretation of STS scores, highlighting the importance of cultural sensitivity in its administration and interpretation.