De impact van het werken met zedenplegers

The impact of working with sex offenders: A study of person-related factors and the influence of resilience on secondary traumatic stress Secondary traumatic stress is the occurrence of posttraumatic stress symptoms following indirect exposure to traumatic events through a close personal or professional relationship with one or more individuals. This paper presents findings from a recent Dutch study on secondary traumatic stress in forensic professionals working with perpetrators of sexual violence. The purpose of the current study was threefold. First, the extent of STS among these professionals was examined to understand the psychological impact of their work. Second, the population was described in terms of personality factors such as age, gender and work experience to draw a profile of professionals working in forensic care for sex offenders. Finally, the relationship between years of work experience and STS, and the predictive value of resilience on perceived STS was examined. Research into the relationship between years of work experience, resilience and STS is of great importance because these professionals are constantly exposed to potentially traumatic material, which can significantly affect their mental health and lead to severe STS symptoms. Understanding how years of work experience affect these stress levels can provide valuable insights into which times in a career the risk of STS is highest. In addition, resilience plays a crucial role in reducing the impact of this form of stress. An online survey, consisting of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale , questions about person-related factors, and the Workplace Resilience Inventory , was completed by 103 professionals. Results showed that the level of secondary traumatic stress was low and not correlated with years of work experience. Resilience, however, was a negative predictor for STS, suggesting that a lesser degree of resilience is predictive of a higher degree of STS. Resilience is a factor that both professionals and organizations can capitalize on. For example, an organization can contribute to the resilience of professionals by having a culture of respect, recognition and appreciation. These results are informative for practitioners but also for those involved in developing policy and offering training.