| The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experience of vicarious trauma for graduate students enrolled in a clinical psychology program. The literature on vicarious trauma indicates that therapists may experience lasting changes in their cognitive schema and belief system, as well as symptoms similar to those seen in individuals suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), including intrusive imagery, anxiety, and hyperarousal. Since the experience of vicarious trauma for psychology graduate students has not been examined exclusively in the literature, an exploratory qualitative approach was considered the most appropriate study design. Following two pilot interviews, nine female graduate students were interviewed. The interviews showed that a variety of emotional and physical reactions to trauma stories were experienced, including shock, stress, anger, sadness, dissociation, and physical discomfort. Participants also reported some changes in their view of the world, their own self-efficacy, and their therapeutic expectations. Results indicate that self-care strategies, support, and supervision are important aspects of managing vicarious trauma for student clinicians. Participants indicated that one of the most important aspects of support for them when working with trauma survivors was when supervisors asked about their reactions to the trauma stories and were then able to normalize and validate the reactions. Supervisors and educators should take these aspects into consideration when teaching and developing curriculum for psychology graduate students. |
