Promoting satisfaction and reducing fatigue: Understanding the impact of trauma‐informed organizational culture on psychological wellness among Direct Service Providers

Background Organizations supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are challenged with maintaining a viable workforce of direct support professionals (DSPs). Amid multiple factors, organizational culture based on trauma‐informed care may promote DSP retention through increased satisfaction and decreased fatigue. Method An online survey was used to gather data from DSPs (n = 380) across seven agencies and two online social media groups. Data were analysed using stepwise regression to identify the relationship between trauma‐informed organizational culture and professional quality of life (i.e., satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress). Results Trauma‐informed organizational culture was associated with increased DSP psychological wellness. Regression models explained 7.3%–40.5% of the variance in professional quality of life. Conclusions Although trauma‐informed initiatives have lagged in IDD services, this study provides preliminary evidence to bolster its justification, highlighting it as a possible partial response to the current workforce challenges.