The Risk and Resilience Factors Associated with Secondary Traumatic Stress in School Personnel: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND:School personnel bear the emotional burden of students' trauma. Secondary traumatic stress (STS), resulting from indirect trauma exposure, impacts well-being and job performance through PTSD-like symptoms, making addressing STS in schools a critical priority. AIMS:This scoping review mapped and synthesized risk and resilience factors associated with STS in school staff and tabulated the instruments used to assess STS in this population. SAMPLE:A search across five databases yielded 1238 records; 48 studies met the inclusion criteria following dual independent reviews. METHODS:This review was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines for reporting. RESULTS:Key resilience factors included cognitive and emotional resources (e.g., metacognition) and leadership support within trauma-informed organizational climates. Conversely, student trauma exposure, personal trauma history, and specific professional demographics consistently increased STS risk. The Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) scale and Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS) were the most utilized measures. CONCLUSIONS:STS is an organizational issue as much as an individual one. Fostering personal cognitive-emotional resources and cultivating trauma-informed leadership are critical levers for mitigating STS. However, a considerable reliance on social work- and healthcare-derived STS measures was evident. These findings identify potential targets for interventions and policies aimed at improving well-being and can inform future meta-analyses.