Predictors of Traumatization Among Humanitarian Aid Workers Working With Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Türkiye

Abstract

Refugees and asylum-seekers flee their countries due to conflict, violence or persecution and seek safety in another country. Professionals working with refugees in host countries are being exposed to the narratives of their traumatic experiences, an important risk factor for vicarious posttraumatic stress. The current study examined predictors for traumatic stress in humanitarian aid workers working with refugees and asylum seekers in Türkiye. We surveyed 156 participants (67.3% women) from various disciplines (psychologists, social workers, interpreters, lawyers etc.) to examine their traumatic stress, resilience and stress coping mechanisms. We used Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS), Adult Resilience Measure (ARM) and Coping Styles Inventory (CSI) for data collection. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected online from participants who were contacted through snowball sampling method, starting with the participants working with refugees at public agencies and NGOs. The regression analyses showed that the level of traumatic stress is predicted by feelings of fatigue, number of years worked with the refugees, presence of previous psychological problems and being a social worker. The “relational resources” subdimension of resilience and “helpless coping style” are also significantly associated with traumatic stress. Considering the rapidly developing phenomenon of migration all over the world, the findings of the current study could contribute to improve protective and preventive interventions for the psychological wellbeing of humanitarian aid workers.