Assessing vicarious trauma and attitudes toward mental health services for forensic sciences professionals

Research indicates that forensic science professionals operate under significant pressure, the magnitude of which varies depending on their field, workload, case type, tenure, and the evidentiary significance of their testimony in court. This study conducted a needs analysis of forensic science professionals by examining their psychological well-being, coping mechanisms, and barriers to accessing mental health services. A total of 618 individuals from the AAFS community completed the anonymous online Qualtrics survey. Out of 618 participants, 601 participants responded to the PCL-5 questionnaire, which revealed that 8.4% (n = 52) of the 601 forensic science professionals have probable PTSD symptoms. There was no significant difference between genders for probable PTSD symptoms. However, 76.5% of the probable PTSD symptomatic population were more likely to seek therapy as a result of work-related stress. Female forensic science professionals and forensic science professionals with fewer years of work experience were likely to report more psychological distress symptoms. A similar pattern was noticed with using coping strategies and experiencing mental health barriers based on gender and years of working experience. In general, forensic science professionals were more likely to report positive coping strategies (e.g., talking with a spouse) and less likely to use maladaptive strategies (e.g., drugs). Finally, female forensic science professionals reported 5 out of 14 mental health barriers to help-seeking behavior. Findings support the need to implement a supportive organizational culture, including training, awareness programs, and encouraging help-seeking behaviors, irrespective of gender and years of experience.