Impact of counselor wellness on positive and negative consequences of COVID-19 shared trauma

ABSTRACT

This study sought to explore how the shared trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Texan counselors both positively and negatively, as well as the mediating or moderating effect of counselor wellness. Negative consequences of stress such as secondary traumatic stress, burnout and compassion fatigue were explored, but also positive consequences such as compassion satisfaction and post-traumatic growth. Measures such as the Five Factor Wellness Inventory (FFWEL), the Shared Traumatic and Professional Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (STPPGI), and the Professional Quality of Life Measure (ProQOL) will be utilized in addition to demographic questions and COVID-19 stress related questions mirroring Park et al. (2020). Surprises included the low overall experience of COVID-19 related shared trauma, and overall positive correlations between wellness and negative consequences. Wellness was found to mediate only the relationship between COVID-19 stress and compassion satisfaction. Expected results included the lack of stress surrounding counselor job security as well as the positive correlation between COVID-19 stress and negative consequences and post traumatic growth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)