Secondary trauma and impairment in clinical social workers.

Background: Secondary traumatic stress (STS), symptomatology resulting from indirect exposure to trauma, is one potential negative effect from engaging in clinical social work. Yet, little is known about the relationship between STS and workers' distress and impairment due to their work.

Objective: The purpose of this paper was to explore STS in a national sample of clinical social workers (N = 539).

Development and Initial Validation of the Self-Care Practices Scale.

Self-care is regarded as essential for effective social work practice, offsetting occupational stress and promoting well-being and resiliency among practitioners. However, the literature reveals a notable absence of psychometrically sound instruments to measure self-care. The purpose of the present study was to describe the development, refinement, and construct validity of the Self-Care Practices Scale (SCPS).