Objective: Secondary Traumatization is a common reaction among action forces in the aftermath of distressing missions. The present study was designed to assess the prevalence rate of secondary Traumatization among mountain rescue services in Bavaria and Tyrol. Further was analysed how the Sense of Coherence, coping strategies and other variables affected their secondary Traumatization symptoms and the mental health Method: All mountain rescuers (N=228) were surveyed using the Secondary Trauma Scale (STS), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13) and brief COPE. To measure the relations Pearson`s Correlation was used. Results: Although all mountain rescuers experienced at least one traumatic incident during a mission, only 1,8% suffered from secondary Traumatization symptoms. Sense of Coherence, maladaptive Coping as well as the number of distressing missions showed significant influence on secondary Traumatization symptom severity. Conclusion: The very low prevalence rate of secondary Traumatization found in the mountain rescue service, compared to other action forces could be explained through the high sense of coherence and the predominant usage of adaptive coping strategies. |