Determinants of the Negative Consequences of Secondary Exposure to Trauma in Caregivers of Holocaust Survivors Living in Poland.

The aim of the present study, involving 50 caregivers of Holocaust survivors, was to determine the degree of exposure to secondary traumatic stress (STS) and identify the mechanisms of its development. Several standardized measurement tools were used. It was found that a probable diagnosis of STS could be ascertained in 44% of caregivers. The multiple regression analyses model explains 72% of the total variance of STS. The strongest predictor, explaining 37% of the variability, turned out to be disruptions in beliefs about the meaning of life, spirituality and self-worth as a person. In order to reduce STS symptoms in caregivers, attention should be paid primarily to their cognitive functioning, including possible disruptions in basic beliefs.