The Law Is Not as Blind as It Seems: Relative Rates of Vicarious Trauma among Lawyers and Mental Health Professionals

Abstract

Professionals who are exposed to trauma through work may indirectly experience distress and traumatisation of their own, often referred to as vicarious traumatisation (VT). Little research has been directed toward the experience of VT among lawyers, especially in terms of how it compares with the VT experienced by mental health professionals (MHPs). This study compares the extent to which exposure to traumatic information affects professionals of different disciplinary backgrounds. Additionally, personality traits that might theoretically influence an individual's vulnerability or resilience to VT are evaluated. Self-report measures were used to investigate symptoms of VT and personality traits in 36 lawyers and 30 MHPs. The results indicate that lawyers and individuals low on the Emotional Stability domain are significantly more susceptible to experiencing symptoms of VT. Exposure to trauma may be better managed by professionals in the mental health field, who have the advantage of having received trauma-specific training and access to informed peer support.

Empathy and coping as predictors of professional quality of life in Australian Registered Migration Agents (RMAs)

“…Significantly higher levels of vicarious trauma have been identified in criminal lawyers compared to non-criminal lawyers, evidenced by PTSD-like symptoms (Vrklevski & Franklin, 2008). Similarly, compared to mental health practitioners, Australian lawyers exposed to traumatic material at comparable levels showed significantly higher STS scores (Maguire & Byrne, 2017). Their results suggest that organizational factors may have more influence than personality factors on how helpers respond to clients' traumatic material.…”

When the Lawyer Becomes Traumatized: A Scoping Review

“…Levin et al (2012) reported such association with age. Female gender was associated with more symptoms by Levin and Greisberg (2003) and Leclerc et al (2019), but Goldman (2006), Piwowarczyk et al (2009), Levin et al (2012), and Maguire and Byrne (2017) reported no such results. Levin and Greisberg (2003) found that prior treatment for mental health issues was associated with greater symptom severity.…”

“…A higher caseload involving traumatic material or working with more trauma-related clients were related to higher symptom severity by Levin and Greisberg (2003), Goldman (2006), Levin et al (2011), and Leclerc et al (2019), but not by Sokol (2014). A history of prior trauma exposure in the personal life of the lawyers was also associated with the development of PTSD symptoms by Goldman (2006), Vrklevski and Franklin (2008), Maguire and Byrne (2017), and Leclerc et al (2019), but Piwowarczyk et al (2009) reported no association. Longer hours worked weekly was identified as influencing the increase of PTSD symptoms by Goldman (2006), Piwowarczyk et al (2009), Levin et al (2011), and Leclerc et al (2019).…”

“…In addition, Vrklevski and Franklin (2008) found that lawyers had significantly higher levels of cognitive disruptions than noncriminal law solicitors on the Trauma and Attachment Belief Scale and on the Vicarious Trauma Scale. Maguire and Byrne (2017) noted that although both lawyers (M = 39.86, SD = 7.81) and mental health professionals (M = 33.13, SD = 6.96) had moderate symptoms on the Vicarious Trauma Scale, lawyers had significantly higher levels of cognitive alterations. The authors also reported that emotional stability negatively correlated with symptom severity.…”

‘Momma bear wants to protect’: Vicarious parenting in practitioners working with disturbed and traumatised children

“…While differences may exist between VT and secondary trauma, for the purpose of this study we will use the terms interchangeably. First linked to psychotherapy work, it is now recognised that VT can occur in any area of health and social care (Devilly, Wright, & Varker, 2009) or in anyone working with trauma survivors or sufferers such as lawyers (Maguire & Byrne, 2017).…”