Secondary traumatic stress and coping strategies in family caregivers

This study aimed to assess secondary traumatic stress and coping strategies among caregivers. A descriptive, correlational design was employed, involving 274 caregivers of patients with chronic illnesses. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Stress Coping Strategies Scale and the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale. The average age of caregivers was 55.88 ± 15.08 years, and the average duration of caregiving was 11.88 ± 7.00 years. It was found that caregivers mostly used ineffective coping methods such as the helpless and submissive approach to cope with stress. The overall secondary traumatic stress level was above the established scale midpoint (43.80 ± 10.46), with the highest scores in the avoidance subdimension and the lowest in the intrusion subdimension. The findings highlight that traumatic experiences impact not only those directly affected but also their caregivers. These results underscore the need for structured interventions to support caregivers in managing stress and mitigating secondary traumatic stress.