Self-reported vicarious trauma in asylum evaluators: a preliminary survey

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• Clinicians performing asylum evaluations document torture and persecution.
• These evaluations pose a risk of vicarious trauma (VT) to clinicians.
• Limited research exists on VT in physicians, especially asylum evaluators.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of vicarious trauma (VT) among asylum evaluators.
• To identify specific clinician characteristics associated with higher VT risk.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to Physicians for Human Rights asylum network members in Spring 2012.
• Data collected included reported experiences of vicarious trauma and demographic/professional factors.

Main Results:

• The majority (65%) of survey participants denied experiencing vicarious trauma.
• Being female, a mental health professional, and conducting more evaluations were associated with a higher likelihood of reporting VT.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary data suggest vicarious trauma is a concern for asylum evaluators.
• Training and support services are essential for clinicians involved in asylum evaluations to manage VT symptoms.
• Developing and sharing resources for identifying and managing VT is recommended for recruiters and trainers.