The spillover and crossover effects of secondary traumatic stress: a process model

This study proposes and examines a process model suggesting downstream effects of frequency of patient trauma on substance abuse counselors and their partners. In addition, this study evaluates the moderating effects that the counselors propensity to ruminate and supervisor support may have on these relationships. Using an ordinary least squares (OLS) regression-based path analytic framework, results suggest that frequency of patient trauma is related to secondary traumatic stress, which in turn, predicts counselor work interference with nonwork and perceived health, but not partner depressed mood or perceived health. Both the counselors propensity to ruminate and supervisor support are examined as potential moderators. The relationship between frequency of patient trauma and secondary traumatic stress is stronger for counselors higher in rumination propensity. Supervisor support is not a buffer the in relationship between frequency of patient trauma and secondary traumatic stress.