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Vicarious Trauma: The Impact on Solicitors of Exposure to Traumatic Material

Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia, lil.vrklevski{at}email.cs.nsw.cs.gov.au

John Franklin

Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia

This study explored vicarious trauma in the legal profession. A random sample of male and female criminal law (n = 50) and noncriminal law (n = 50) solicitors completed a research pack containing the following questionnaires: a demographic questionnaire; Vicarious Trauma Scale; Satisfaction With Work Scale; Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales; Impact of Event Scale—Revised; and Trauma and Attachment Belief Scale. Criminal lawyers reported significantly higher levels of subjective distress and vicarious trauma, depression, stress, and cognitive changes in relation to self-safety, other safety, and other intimacy. No significant differences were found between the two groups on measures of satisfaction with work or coping strategies in relation to work-related distress. Multiple trauma history was associated with higher scores on measures of symptomatic distress.

Key Words: vicarious trauma • solicitors • depression • anxiety • stress • cognitive changes

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