“You’re firefighting”: The experience of vicarious trauma and vicarious post-traumatic growth in psychological professionals.

West, Bethany

Abstract

This thesis portfolio comprises three parts: a systematic literature review, an empirical paper, and appendices.
Part One: Systematic Literature Review
The systematic literature review explored the vicarious trauma coping facilitators of psychological professionals. This exploration mapped across psychological, behavioural, organisational, and social coping facilitators. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria following a systematic literature search. Narrative synthesis enabled integration of findings from both qualitative and quantitative research. A bespoke quality assessment checklist, designed by the researcher, was utilised to appropriately assess quality. Two main themes emerged: ‘individual coping facilitators’, exploring psychological and behavioural facilitators, and ‘systemic coping facilitators’, capturing organisational and social facilitators. Interactions emerged across the themes, with considerations to how the systems around psychological professionals may mediate coping facilitators. Clinical implications and areas for future research are discussed.
Part Two: Empirical Paper
The empirical paper explored clinical psychologists’ (CPs) experiences of vicarious posttraumatic growth (VPTG) within a National Health Service (NHS) context. It also explored VPTG facilitators and barriers. Seven qualified CPs, currently working in the NHS, completed semi-structured interviews. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was utilised to analyse the qualitative data. Four overarching themes emerged: ‘naming VPTG’, ‘CPs’ VPTG experiences’, ‘a system that enables growth’, and ‘feeling understood’. CPs’ VPTG emerged as ‘development of insight’, a ‘shift in priorities’, and ‘personal meaning’. Various VPTG mediators were also identified. CPs found a shared understanding, team support, and processing spaces essential in facilitating VPTG. Barriers included perceived systemic threat, consequences, and NHS disconnect. Clinical implications and recommendations for further research are discussed.
Part Three comprises the Appendices The appendices contain additional information to support both the systematic literature review and empirical paper. This includes the researcher’s reflective statement and epistemological position.

Citation

West, B. (2024). “You’re firefighting”: The experience of vicarious trauma and vicarious post-traumatic growth in psychological professionals. (Thesis). University of Hull. https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4913261

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 19, 2024
• Keywords: Clinical psychology
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4913261
• Additional Information: Clinical Psychology; School of Psychology and Social Work; University of Hull
• Award Date: Oct 3, 2024