The Neurophysiology of Secondary Trauma: A Research-to-Practice Fellowship Project

Abstract

The purpose and need for this project was established in an earlier phase of related research, when Drs. Knight and Ellis conducted a statewide community needs assessment in rural nontribal and tribal Montana. They completed in-depth, semi- structured, qualitative interviews and focus groups, as well as ethnographic participant observation, with victim service providers. The intent was to develop a long-term agenda to inform policy and improve research-informed victim service provision in Montana. Studying ST [secondary trauma] was not an original goal of the research, but interviewees repeatedly emphasized stories of intense work stress, limited resources, and feelings of extreme isolation. This theme appeared to cut across participants from community-based nonprofits and government organizations, male- and female-dominated professions, tribal and nontribal communities, and volunteer and professional staff. As a result, Knight and Ellis focused their research on ST and its health consequences. The long-term goal is to improve assistance and service delivery to victims of crime by strengthening the individual providers and organizations who work with them. As this research on ST developed, the primary importance of the neurophysiology of primary trauma emerged. Knight and Ellis hypothesized that advances in the understanding of the neurophysiology of trauma may help to reduce the impact of secondary trauma. The project’s practitioner partners agreed that an in-depth understanding of the neurophysiology of secondary trauma (NST) would be helpful to them and to the victim service field. As such, the research team applied for the R2P fellowship to obtain the support needed to seed the development, implementation, and evaluation of a two-day training course on topics related to NST that could be administered to victim service providers affiliated with the team’s partner organizations. The R2P fellowship project has helped the team move in that direction. [The Center for Victim Research (CVR) funds and supports local-level Research-and-Practice (R/P) Fellowships. SPIRIT was part of the 2018 cohort]. (Author Text)