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Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth in Peer-Support Specialists: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis
Taryn C Greene1, Joshua R Rhodes2, Skyla Renner-Wilms3
1Boulder Crest Institute for Posttraumatic Growth, Bluemont, VA 20135, USA.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 30, 2025
Summary
Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth (VPTG) offers benefits for helping professionals working with trauma survivors. This study shows indirect trauma exposure can lead to personal growth and improved well-being, challenging negative outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Trauma Studies
- Mental Health
Background:
- Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth (VPTG) is under-researched in trauma-focused professionals.
- Negative outcomes like secondary trauma are known, but potential benefits are less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore peer-support specialists' perceptions of growth from indirect trauma exposure.
- To examine the relationship between these growth experiences and well-being.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis.
- Semi-structured interviews with 13 peer-support specialists.
- Independent coding and consensus-based theme development.
Main Results:
- VPTG may mirror Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) domains, involving challenges to beliefs and cognitive-emotional shifts.
- Participants reported growth, compassion satisfaction, hope, enhanced coping, and improved mental health.
- Experiences included both challenges and transformation from working with trauma survivors.
Conclusions:
- Indirect trauma exposure can contribute to VPTG and enhanced well-being in helping professionals.
- VPTG offers a potential pathway to positive transformation and resilience.
- Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms of VPTG.
Keywords:
burnoutpersonal growthpositive psychologyposttraumatic growthsecondary traumavicarious growthvicarious posttraumatic growthwell-beingMore Related Videos
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