The Effects of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Vicarious Trauma on Significant Relationships in First Responder Populations

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cityu.schoolSchool of Health and Social Sciences
cityu.siteEdmonton
cityu.site.countryCanada
dc.contributor.authorThornley, Ryan
dc.date.accessioned2021-12-10T19:52:07Z
dc.date.available2021-12-10T19:52:07Z
dc.date.issued2021-10
dc.description.abstractPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a well-known reaction to trauma. Vicarious trauma is a subsequent reaction to indirect trauma. This literature review explores PTSD and the vicarious effects of trauma on the significant relationships of public safety personnel (PSP). Public safety personnel, such as police, firefighters, corrections officers, and paramedics, are regularly exposed to traumatic events in their lines of work and are thus at higher risk for developing PTSD. The occupational stressors of front-line work permeate the personal lives of frontline workers and affect their significant relationships. This literature review examines the current gold standard treatments for trauma, including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), trauma-focused cognitive behaviour therapy (CF-CBT) and exposure therapy. This review suggests opportunities for including the significant partners of first responders in treatment and argues for individual specialized treatment for partners. This review reveals a gap in research regarding treatments for vicarious trauma in this vulnerable population, and suggests several recommendations for counselling practice. Finally, this review expands the view of the trauma lens to recognize the permeability of PTSD and its vicarious effects on those in proximity, further advocating for inclusive treatment. Future research recommendations include resilience factors for significant partners, gold standard treatment methods for vicarious trauma, and significant partners' inclusion within therapy for PTSD in first responder populations.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11803/1597
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisher.institutionCity University of Seattle (CityU)
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
dc.rightsopenAccess
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/
dc.subjecttrauma
dc.subjectPTSD
dc.subjectvicarious trauma
dc.subjectfirst responder
dc.subjecttrauma therapy
dc.subjectpublic safety personnel
dc.subjectposttraumatic stress disorder
dc.subjectcouples therapy
dc.titleThe Effects of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Vicarious Trauma on Significant Relationships in First Responder Populations
dc.typeCapstone
thesis.degree.disciplineCounselling
thesis.degree.grantorCity University of Seattle
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Counselling
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