Dr. Bradford is Emeritus Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Levin is a forensic psychiatrist in private practice in London Ontario, Canada.
J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2020 Sep;48(3):315-318. doi: 10.29158/JAAPL.200025-20. Epub 2020 Jun 30.
In their article about countertransference and vicarious trauma in work with sexual offenders, Barros and colleagues highlight the importance of awareness of risk for vicarious trauma in forensic psychiatrists and psychologists. This commentary supports the need for more research related to the risk of vicarious trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in forensic experts. Also, forensic mental health professionals need to be aware of the level of risk to which they are exposed in their work evaluating and treating sexual offenders. As more knowledge has developed about PTSD and the diagnostic criteria have evolved between the fourth and fifth editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, there is also more awareness of the effects of traumatic exposure on different professional groups and laypeople. For example, judicial authorities in Canada have recently become aware of the traumatic impacts of evidentiary material on jurors, including testimony, print, and video material. Workplace exposure to trauma in inpatient psychiatric centers has received limited research focus. Actual or threatened death or sexual violation in these settings can result in compassion fatigue and burnout. Exposure to video material in the workplace, particularly in forensic settings, can result in PTSD.
在他们关于反移情和替代性创伤的文章中，Barros 及其同事强调了法医精神病学家和心理学家对替代性创伤风险的认识的重要性。这篇评论支持了需要进行更多与替代性创伤和创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）相关的研究，在法医专家身上。此外，法医心理健康专业人员需要意识到他们在评估和治疗性犯罪者的工作中所面临的风险程度。随着 PTSD 的知识不断发展，以及《精神障碍诊断与统计手册》第四版和第五版之间的诊断标准不断演变，人们也越来越意识到创伤暴露对不同专业群体和非专业人士的影响。例如，加拿大的司法当局最近意识到证据材料对陪审员的创伤影响，包括证词、印刷和视频材料。在住院精神病中心工作场所暴露于创伤的情况受到的研究关注有限。在这些环境中实际或威胁到的死亡或性侵犯可能会导致同情疲劳和倦怠。在工作场所（特别是在法医环境中）接触视频材料可能会导致 PTSD。
