The Meta-Analytic Relationship Between Secondary Traumatic Stress and Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth in Adults

Despite continued growth in the literature on vicarious posttraumatic growth (VPTG), inconsistencies continue to present in terms of its relationship with secondary traumatic stress (STS), sometimes referred to as vicarious trauma (VT). This meta-analysis aimed to explore the linear relationship between STS and VPTG. Systematic literature searches were conducted using the CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, PTSD Pubs, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases, resulting in the inclusion of 19 relevant studies involving 4,682 participants vicariously exposed to trauma. A random effects model meta-analysis determined a small significant positive effect size (r = .26), suggesting that STS may be positively associated with VPTG. Further research is required to determine what factors may modify this relationship.