“I think we feel a lot of their devastation”: social workers’ perspectives on primary and secondary psychological trauma in pediatric emergency rooms

This qualitative study used in-depth interviews with 23 pediatric emergency room social workers to explore the interplay of the primary trauma experienced by children and families and the secondary trauma experienced by social workers. The analysis used a grounded theory approach and developed a conceptual model of the cycle of primary and secondary trauma, whereby child and family trauma can lead to social workers’ secondary trauma, which can further lead to impacts on client care that may exacerbate the primary trauma. To interrupt this cycle, trauma-informed hospitals should address both primary and secondary trauma in pediatric emergency rooms.