Does Personal Therapy and Supervision Protect Against Burnout and Secondary Traumatization? A Cross-Sectional Study Among Danish Child Protection Workers

Little is known about moderating factors associated with indirect exposure to child abuse cases and the development of symptoms of secondary traumatization. This study tested the relationship between personal therapy and supervision on secondary traumatization and burnout and whether these factors moderate the effect of personal trauma history and exposure to child abuse cases, respectively, on secondary traumatization and burnout. Participants (N = 667) were recruited as part of a cross-sectional study among professionals working with child abuse cases in Denmark. Data were collected through online surveys. Analysis included bivariate and multivariate regressions and group-specific regression coefficients to test for moderation effects. Having attended personal therapy was associated with lower levels of secondary traumatization and emotional exhaustion. Case supervision was associated with lower levels of emotional exhaustion, whereas receiving supervision on the personal impact of working with child abuse cases was associated with higher levels of all outcomes. There was a significant moderating effect of case supervision on the relationship between exposure to child abuse cases and secondary traumatization and emotional exhaustion. There was no difference in this relationship depending on whether the participants had received supervision on the personal impact of the job, and the differential relationship between personal trauma history and the outcomes depending on whether the participants had attended personal therapy was not statistically significant. Case supervision may protect employees working closely with child abuse cases against developing burnout and secondary traumatization by moderating the effect of indirect exposure.

Automated summary

Personal therapy and supervision are associated with lower levels of secondary traumatization and burnout. Case supervision is associated with lower levels of emotional exhaustion, while supervision on the personal impact of working with child abuse cases is associated with higher levels of all outcomes. Case supervision moderates the relationship between exposure to child abuse cases and secondary traumatization and emotional exhaustion.