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Content Moderator Mental Health, Secondary Trauma, and Well-being: A Cross-Sectional Study
Ruth Spence1, Antonia Bifulco1, Paula Bradbury2
1Department of Psychology, Centre for Abuse and Trauma Studies, Middlesex University, London, United Kingdom.
Content moderators (CMs) face significant psychological distress and secondary trauma due to exposure to harmful online content. Supportive work environments, including peer support and role validation, can mitigate these negative mental health impacts.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Occupational Health
- Digital Well-being
Background:
- Content moderators (CMs) are essential for online safety, analyzing and removing harmful user-generated content.
- Jobs involving exposure to others' suffering are linked to increased secondary traumatic stress and mental health issues.
- Limited research exists on the baseline psychological symptoms experienced by CMs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate psychological distress, secondary trauma, and well-being in a sample of CMs.
- To explore the relationship between work characteristics and mental health outcomes in CMs.
- To identify potential protective factors mitigating negative mental health effects.
Main Methods:
- An online survey was administered to a sample of CMs.
- Data collected included measures of psychological distress, secondary trauma, and well-being.
- Regression analysis was used to examine the impact of work features on mental health.
Main Results:
- A dose-response relationship was found between the frequency of exposure to distressing content and psychological distress and secondary trauma.
- Well-being was not significantly affected by the frequency of exposure to distressing content.
- Supportive colleagues and feedback on role importance were found to ameliorate the negative effects of exposure.
Conclusions:
- CMs experience significant psychological distress and secondary trauma, with effects escalating with content exposure frequency.
- Workplace support systems, such as peer support and role validation, are crucial for mitigating adverse mental health outcomes.
- Recommendations for improving CM working conditions and support structures are discussed.
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