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Originalia

Traumatisierte Therapeuten?

Ein Überblick über sekundäre Traumatisierung

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1026/1616-3443.38.4.250

Zusammenfassung.Theoretischer Hintergrund: Sekundäre Traumatisierung umfasst Symptome der Posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung (PTBS) und negativ verzerrte Grundüberzeugungen, die Trauma-Therapeuten durch die Konfrontation mit Berichten über traumatische Ereignisse seitens ihrer Patienten entwickeln. Fragestellung: Diese systematische Übersicht untersucht, inwieweit theoretische Veröffentlichungen zu sekundärer Traumatisierung auch eine empirische Grundlage haben. Methode: Wir fassen 21 quantitative Studien zu den psychologischen Konsequenzen trauma-therapeutischer Arbeit zusammen. Ergebnisse: In etwa der Hälfte der Studien gab es einen moderaten Zusammenhang zwischen Trauma-Exposition der Therapeuten durch trauma-therapeutische Arbeit und PTBS-Symptomen. In der anderen Hälfte der Studien wurden keine signifikanten Zusammenhänge festgestellt. Die Entwicklung von negativen Grundüberzeugungen ist empirisch nicht belegt. Schlussfolgerungen: Die veröffentlichten empirischen Studien sind widersprüchlich und rechtfertigen nicht den Ton der Überzeugung, mit dem in der wissenschaftlichen Literatur vor sekundärer Traumatisierung gewarnt wird. Es ist nicht auszuschließen, dass die PTBS-Symptome der Therapeuten auf eigene traumatische Erfahrungen zurückzuführen sind.


Traumatized therapists? A review of secondary traumatic stress

Abstract.Theoretical Background: Secondary trauma includes symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and negatively distorted cognitive schemas in therapists. According to the concept of secondary trauma, therapists may develop these symptoms by exposure to narratives of their clients’ traumatic events. Objective: In the present study we analyzed how much empirical evidence there is for the theoretical literature on secondary trauma. Methods: We systematically reviewed 21 quantitative studies that examined the psychological consequences of working with clients who have been exposed to traumatic stressors. Results: A moderate relationship between therapists’ exposure to stories of trauma and the therapists’ symptoms of PTSD was found in about half of the reviewed studies. In the other half of the studies no significant relationship existed. Empirical evidence for the development of negative cognitive schemas in response to others’ traumata is lacking. Conclusions: The published quantative studies are inconsistent and do not justify researchers’ frequent warnings of secondary trauma. It cannot be ruled out that PTSD symptoms are the result of therapists’ own trauma history.

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