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Journals / İstanbul Ticaret Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi / 2025 / Cilt: 24 Sayı: 54

The Silent Burden of Trauma Among Mental Health Professionals: Dynamics of Secondary Traumatic Stress, Burnout, and Psychological Capital

Ruh Sağlığı Çalışanlarında Travmanın Sessiz Yükü: İkincil Travmatik Stres, Tükenmişlik ve Psikolojik Sermaye Dinamikleri

Gurbet Arslan(İSTANBUL TİCARET ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SOSYAL BİLİMLER ENSTİTÜSÜ)0009-0007-6085-4621
Yasemin Kuş(İSTANBUL TİCARET ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0003-3288-0367
Pages
907–934
Publication Date
2025-12-29
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings indicate that the negative effect of secondary traumatic stress on burnout is weakened through psychological capital.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study examines the mediating role of psychological capital in the relationship between mental health professionals' perception of secondary traumatic stress and their level of burnout.
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Key Findings & Data:Participants consisted of 283 mental health professionals working in Türkiye.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings indicate that the negative effect of secondary traumatic stress on burnout is weakened through psychological capital.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:ikincil travmatik stres · tükenmişlik · psikolojik sermaye

Abstract

This study examines the mediating role of psychological capital in the relationship between mental health professionals' perception of secondary traumatic stress and their level of burnout. The original value of the present study lies in its consideration of secondary traumatic stress as a risk factor for burnout among mental health professionals and its investigation of the role of psychological capital in this relationship. Participants consisted of 283 mental health professionals working in Türkiye. Data were collected using a demographic information form, a secondary traumatic stress scale, a burnout scale, and a psychological capital scale. The research was designed within the scope of a correlational survey model, and mediation analysis was applied to test the indirect effects between variables. SPSS was used for descriptive statistics and correlation analyses in data analysis, while the PROCESS macro plug-in (Model 4) was used for mediation analysis. Correlation analyses show a strong and positive relationship between secondary traumatic stress and burnout, and a strong and negative relationship between psychological capital and burnout. The mediation analysis revealed that psychological capital plays a mediating role in the relationship between secondary traumatic stress and burnout. The findings indicate that the negative effect of secondary traumatic stress on burnout is weakened through psychological capital. The cross-sectional design of the study, combined with its focus on mental health workers only, limits the causal inferences that can be drawn from the findings and their generalizability to other occupational groups. The results indicate that it is important to develop interventions aimed at strengthening psychological capital to reduce burnout among mental health professionals.

Özet

Bu çalışma, ruh sağlığı çalışanlarının ikincil travmatik stres algısı ile tükenmişlik düzeyi arasındaki ilişkide psikolojik sermayenin aracı rolünü incelemektedir. Mevcut çalışmanın özgün değeri, ikincil travmatik stresi ruh sağlığı çalışanlarında tükenmişlik için bir risk faktörü olarak ele alması ve bu ilişkide psikolojik sermayenin işlevini araştırmasıdır. Katılımcılar, Türkiye’de görev yapan 283 ruh sağlığı profesyonelinden oluşmaktadır. Veriler demografik bilgi formu, ikincil travmatik stres ölçeği, tükenmişlik ölçeği ve psikolojik sermaye ölçeği aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Araştırma, ilişkisel tarama modeli kapsamında desenlenmiş ve değişkenler arasındaki dolaylı etkileri test etmek amacıyla aracılık analizi uygulanmıştır. Veri analizinde tanımlayıcı istatistikler ve korelasyon analizleri için SPSS, aracılık analizi için ise PROCESS makro eklentisi (Model 4) kullanılmıştır. Korelasyon analizleri, ikincil travmatik stres ile tükenmişlik arasında güçlü ve pozitif yönde; psikolojik sermaye ile tükenmişlik arasında ise güçlü ve negatif yönde bir ilişki olduğunu göstermektedir. Aracılık analizi sonucunda, psikolojik sermayenin ikincil travmatik stres ile tükenmişlik arasındaki ilişkide aracı rolü bulunmuştur. Bulgular, psikolojik sermaye aracılığıyla ikincil travmatik stresin tükenmişlik üzerindeki olumsuz etkisinin zayıfladığını ortaya koymaktadır. Araştırmanın kesitsel desende yürütülmesi ve yalnızca ruh sağlığı çalışanlarıyla gerçekleştirilmiş olması, bulguların nedensel çıkarımlarını ve farklı meslek gruplarına genellenebilirliğini sınırlandırmaktadır. Sonuçlar, ruh sağlığı çalışanlarının tükenmişliğinin azaltılmasında psikolojik sermayeyi güçlendirmeye yönelik müdahalelerin geliştirilmesinin önemli olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Arslan, G., Kuş, Y. (2025). The Silent Burden of Trauma Among Mental Health Professionals: Dynamics of Secondary Traumatic Stress, Burnout, and Psychological Capital. İstanbul Ticaret Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, Cilt: 24 Sayı: 54, 907–934. https://doi.org/10.46928/iticusbe.1730952

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