Citation

Brady PQ, Fansher AK, Zedaker SB. Child Abuse Negl. 2018; 88: 275-287.

Affiliation

School of Arts & Sciences, University of Houston-Victoria, 3007 N. Ben Wilson, Victoria, TX, 77904, United States. Electronic address: zedakers@uhv.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.11.017

PMID

30553065

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Forensic interviewers are at a heightened risk for secondary traumatic stress (STS) due to their frequent interactions with victims of child maltreatment (Bonach & Heckert, 2012). To date, however, few studies have examined the negative effects of this work on interviewers' social and emotional well-being.

OBJECTIVE: The present study seeks to explore the effect of STS on the relationships of forensic interviewers, including those with friends, family, and their respective children. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Data are derived from a sample of 367 forensic interviewers (FIs) recruited from across the United States.

METHODS: The current study used a cross-sectional research design to obtain qualitative and quantitative data from an online survey of certified forensic interviewers.

RESULTS: Personal-level predictors of STS included interviewers' sex (β = 0.11, p = 0.02), trauma history (β = 0.13, p = 0.004), and frequency of socializing with family members outside of work (β = -0.12, p = 0.01). Work-related predictors included the frequency of direct (β = 0.10, p = 0.04) and indirect exposures to graphic details of child maltreatment (β = 0.09, p = 0.05), burnout (β = 0.58, p = 0.000), and years of experience investigating crimes against children (β = 0.10, p = 0.03). Factors such as parental status and external social support were not significantly associated with STS in the qualitative analysis.

CONCLUSIONS: Forensic interviewers experience both positive and negative effects of exposure to crimes against children, with work-related factors being particularly impactful on the potential for STS.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Burnout; External social support; Forensic interviewer; Parental status; Secondary traumatic stress