The Stress and Coping of Israeli Emergency Room Social Workers Following Terrorist Attacks

Abstract

The authors of this qualitative study analyze Israeli hospital social workers' emotional responses to working with civilian casualties in the wake of an unprecedented surge of terrorist violence. Data are based on four focus groups conducted with 38 hospital social workers in relation to their experience with clients in the emergency room. Three themes were identified: (a) Restoring a lost sense of personal security as a necessary stepping-stone toward resuming professional performance, (b) Meeting the families'pain and responding to it, and (c) Disconnecting emotionally in the service of the professional self. The authors discuss the findings in light of the literature on peritraumatic dissociation among helpers.

Mental Health Practitioners’ Experiences During the Shared Trauma of the Forced Relocation from Gush Katif

“…They described feelings of confusion, sadness, crying, sleeping problems, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, a sense of loss, and a break in the narrative of their lives. These feelings are similar to the experiences of students (Baum 2004;Tosone et al 2003) and workers following mass traumatic events such as 9/11 (Eidelson et al 2003) andterror in Israel (Itzhaki andDekel 2005;Somer et al 2004) and supports existing literature concerning secondary traumatization of welfare workers due to their exposure to work with trauma victims.…”

“…These workers reported extensive difficulties and great distress in the process of carrying out their job. These examples, while extreme, are similar to those of other workers, who describe their difficulties in performing their jobs before they know that their families are safe following terror (Somer et al 2004;Saakvitne 2002), war (Loewenberg 1992) or natural disasters (Jordan 2007;Plummer et al 2008) when they personally know and are exposed to the same uncertainties as their clients (Shamai 1998). …”

“…The first is the loss of boundaries between the personal and professional selves, and the need to navigate between these identities (Somer et al 2004). Tosone (2006) mentioned that she was astonished at the extent to which the events of 9/11 became an equaling experience.…”

Helping Direct and Indirect Victims of National Terror: Experiences of Israeli Social Workers

“…Whereas Dekel and colleagues (2007) and Somer and colleagues (2004) focused their study solely on hospital social workers, the present study explored social workers from all types of agencies who intervene after terror attacks. Another explanation for the difference between the studies could be the different methodologies used; for example, Dekel et al (2007) used quantitative methodology, and Somer et al (2004) conducted a focus group shortly after a terror attack, when the social workers might still have been experiencing some secondary traumatic stress. Even if their symptoms were not severe, they were still being deeply affected by the terror event.…”

The Compassion Fatigue Scale: Its Use With Social Workers Following Urban Disaster

“…and their social support efforts on behalf of traumatized clients (Figley, 1995). Yet, social support and coping assistance are the kinds of care these workers provide in clinical and organizational settings.Past researchers have raised concerns about the mental health status of service professionals who work with AIDS patients (Wade, Beckerman, & Stein, 1996), oncology patients (Simon, Pryce, Roff, & Klemmack, 2006), the elderly (Leon, Altholz, & Dziegielewski, 1999), child welfare clients (Bride, Jones, & MacMaster, in press;Bride, Jones, MacMaster, & Shatila, 2003;Conrad & Kellar-Guenther 2006;Daley, 1979;Dane, 2000;Jayaratne, Chess, & Kunkel, 1986;Rycraft, 1994) Peled-Avram, & Ben-Yizhack, 2004), clients who have committed suicide (Ting, Sanders, Jacobson, & Power, 2006), child sexual abuse victims, and social workers working with a variety of clients (Bride, Robinson, Yegidis, & Figley, 2004;Deighton, Gurris & Taue, 2007). Bride (2007) concludes that social workers engaged in direct clinical practice are likely to be secondarily exposed to traumatic events through their work with traumatized populations, and that a significant minority (15%), likely meet the diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), conclusions that are consistent with an earlier report by the same author (Bride, 2004) and with Siebert's (2004) finding that 19% of social workers in North Carolina meet study criteria for depression.…”