Workers in alcohol and other drug (AOD) services do not receive adequate trauma training despite high mental health risks involved with dealing with traumatised clients, a study led by researchers from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at UNSW, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review, has found.
Surveying 412 workers in the AOD services sector across Australia, the study found that one in five participants met criteria for secondary traumatic stress (STS). This condition is caused by exposure to an individual's trauma history through assessment and treatment, and has symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The risk of STS is significantly increased by dealing with clients suffering from trauma exposure and PTSD – a common experience of AOD workers, who reported the majority of their clients being traumatised. However, less than two-thirds workers surveyed ever received trauma training.
“The findings highlight the importance of providing adequate trauma training and clinical supervision to AOD workers in order to maintain their health and welfare and ensure optimal treatment to clients with PTSD,” said lead author, NDARC research officer and clinical psychologist Philippa Ewer.
Click here for the full article: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dar.12204/full