Predictors of Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Workforce: An Examination of Risk and Protective Factors

Direct support professionals (DSPs) are essential in the continuum of care for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. DSPs provide a wide range of support including services to ensure the safety and welfare of individuals, support in the development of independent living skills and support in community integration. Existing literature has shown that as frontline workers, DSPs face various occupational hazards such as secondary traumatic stress (STS). The present study examined the relationships between STS and various risk and protective factors among members of the DSP workforce. This cross-sectional design used a convenience sampling method to recruit DSPs from 21 state licensed community-based agencies serving individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. The results from 406 participants indicated that exposure to client trauma, exposure to frequency of client challenging behaviors, and workers' own trauma history served as risk factors, whereas personal resilience and organizational support were protective factors in predicting STS among DSPs. Perceived supervisor support did not significantly impact STS in the regression model. Implications of the results are discussed.