Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress in the Human Services: A Comparison of Public and Private Sectors

This study examines the extent to which empowerment is associated with secondary traumatic stress (STS) and whether there are differences in this association between private and public practitioners. Of the 152 social workers surveyed, those who reported higher psychological empowerment and who worked in the nonprofit sector had lower STS compared to social workers who reported lower empowerment and who worked in private practice. Providing supports at the organizational level for nonprofit practitioners and for individuals in the private sector can enhance empowerment in the workplace and help protect against STS so that workers are supported to best serve their clients.