<p>I have interrelated questions about trauma and personality factors, and how the latter can possibly contribute to the former.</p>
<p><strong>Second Hand Trauma?</strong></p>
<p>Is there any concept in publications that I can explore that discuss trauma, perhaps in the realm of even therapeutic exploration in addition to diagnoses, that one in a sense experiences second hand by witnessing another's trauma? For example, I recall two instances of childhood friends wailing while their parents physically abused them as punishment in front of me or within earshot for doing something (one crying for mercy while they were repeatedly slapped in the face and loudly yelled at).</p>
<p>I'm not sure how scientific it is to analogize that to something like survivor's guilt (different in this case since guilt in the &quot;witness&quot; isn't really a factor, even though one escaped/avoided something someone else experienced). Perhaps it's akin to shared traumatic experiences in a group setting? Since it's unequal experience though, perhaps it could be compared to even something like someone who accidentally witnessed a murder in an alleyway, who when retelling it to police authorities exhibited signs that they personally were traumatized by witnessing it.</p>
<p>I did discover something called Secondary Traumatic Stress, on <a href="https://www.nctsn.org/trauma-informed-care/secondary-traumatic-stress" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this page</a> by <strong>The National Child Traumatic Stress Network</strong>, but the examples given were for those who merely <em><strong>hear about</strong></em> another's trauma (like a therapist) and not those who were present <em><strong>during</strong></em> the traumatic event (as I am describing). Or maybe that's precisely an indicator that what I'm describing is in fact <strong>first hand trauma</strong> of a different sort, and that just because one did not receive the physical part of the additional trauma <em>witnessed</em> one was <strong>yet</strong> emotionally and mentally traumatized. So whether it should be considered primary or secondary trauma, is one factor to consider.</p>
<p><strong>Edit:</strong> One commenter mentioned &quot;Vicarious Trauma&quot; but I would want to know how that substantially differs from &quot;Secondary Trauma&quot; to consider it a clarifying / enlightening answer.</p>
<p><strong>Contributing / Compounding Personality Factors</strong></p>
<p>It seems possible to me that what is traumatic for one person is not necessarily traumatic for everyone. Thus I want to ask about personality traits along the lines of temperament that may play a role in such witnessing of others' trauma as described above. The personality question I have has to do with so called &quot;sensitive&quot; types (think &quot;sensitive children&quot;) versus those not (at least) overtly so. Essentially I'm asking how witnessing trauma in the manner described above affects those who are different in temperament.</p>
<p>On sensitivity, <a href="https://sensitivityresearch.com/the-relation-between-sensitivity-and-common-personality-traits/#:%7E:text=In%20children%2C%20sensitivity%20appears%20to,the%20other%20four%20personality%20traits." rel="nofollow noreferrer">one source</a> claims: &quot;In children, sensitivity appears to be associated only with Neuroticism, but not with any of the other four personality traits.&quot;</p>
<p>If an especially sensitive child witnesses something traumatic is it possible for them to internalize it in a way that sticks with them stronger than other personality types? If so is that an indicator on the scale of &quot;empathy&quot; or something else entirely? Neuroticism was mentioned above, though I don't know how that interplays with empathy with others in distress.</p>
<p>While these are topics that inherently involve emotions, I am very intellectually curious at what psychological insights might be available by exploring the topic soberly.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-23T09:22:02.300Z
Yes. It's called Vicarious Trauma https://psychology.stackexchange.com/a/19666/7604, https://psychology.stackexchange.com/a/19941/7604 and https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/19298/7604
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-23T09:25:05.600Z
Does this answer your question? [Named conditions that are the result of exposure to psychopathic behavior of another person?](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/19664/named-conditions-that-are-the-result-of-exposure-to-psychopathic-behavior-of-ano)
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-23T09:28:43.470Z
Trauma in group situations and witnessing a murder, for example, is personal (first hand) trauma though and not Vicarious.
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-24T18:51:42.373Z
Chris, that does indicate that there is such a thing as "vicarious trauma". Does the formal definition fit the scenario though of two people at the same event who experience somewhat different things? Also, the temperament aspect of the question would still need to be addressed, as to whether it is a factor or indicator in how (or even whether) the event is considered traumatic to the second party.
SeligkeitIstInGott
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-25T11:04:15.523Z
Pressing commitments prevent me from doing so for a while, but I will try and put an answer together in a next few days when I can.
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-26T07:54:50.933Z
Welcome! I think these are _two_ good questions. But, they are best asked as two separate questions. The recommended format for these Q&A sites is to stick to one question per post.
Steven Jeuris
<personality><therapy><trauma><emotional-expression>
Is there a concept explaining internalizing others' trauma?
SeligkeitIstInGott
# Is there a concept explaining internalizing others' trauma?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-03-23)

I have interrelated questions about trauma and personality factors, and how the latter can possibly contribute to the former.

**Second Hand Trauma?**

Is there any concept in publications that I can explore that discuss trauma, perhaps in the realm of even therapeutic exploration in addition to diagnoses, that one in a sense experiences second hand by witnessing another's trauma? For example, I recall two instances of childhood friends wailing while their parents physically abused them as punishment in front of me or within earshot for doing something (one crying for mercy while they were repeatedly slapped in the face and loudly yelled at).

I'm not sure how scientific it is to analogize that to something like survivor's guilt (different in this case since guilt in the "witness" isn't really a factor, even though one escaped/avoided something someone else experienced). Perhaps it's akin to shared traumatic experiences in a group setting? Since it's unequal experience though, perhaps it could be compared to even something like someone who accidentally witnessed a murder in an alleyway, who when retelling it to police authorities exhibited signs that they personally were traumatized by witnessing it.

I did discover something called Secondary Traumatic Stress, on [this page](https://www.nctsn.org/trauma-informed-care/secondary-traumatic-stress) by **The National Child Traumatic Stress Network**, but the examples given were for those who merely ***hear about*** another's trauma (like a therapist) and not those who were present ***during*** the traumatic event (as I am describing). Or maybe that's precisely an indicator that what I'm describing is in fact **first hand trauma** of a different sort, and that just because one did not receive the physical part of the additional trauma *witnessed* one was **yet** emotionally and mentally traumatized. So whether it should be considered primary or secondary trauma, is one factor to consider.

**Edit:** One commenter mentioned "Vicarious Trauma" but I would want to know how that substantially differs from "Secondary Trauma" to consider it a clarifying / enlightening answer.

**Contributing / Compounding Personality Factors**

It seems possible to me that what is traumatic for one person is not necessarily traumatic for everyone. Thus I want to ask about personality traits along the lines of temperament that may play a role in such witnessing of others' trauma as described above. The personality question I have has to do with so called "sensitive" types (think "sensitive children") versus those not (at least) overtly so. Essentially I'm asking how witnessing trauma in the manner described above affects those who are different in temperament.

On sensitivity, [one source](https://sensitivityresearch.com/the-relation-between-sensitivity-and-common-personality-traits/#:%7E:text=In%20children%2C%20sensitivity%20appears%20to,the%20other%20four%20personality%20traits.) claims: "In children, sensitivity appears to be associated only with Neuroticism, but not with any of the other four personality traits."

If an especially sensitive child witnesses something traumatic is it possible for them to internalize it in a way that sticks with them stronger than other personality types? If so is that an indicator on the scale of "empathy" or something else entirely? Neuroticism was mentioned above, though I don't know how that interplays with empathy with others in distress.

While these are topics that inherently involve emotions, I am very intellectually curious at what psychological insights might be available by exploring the topic soberly.

**Tags:** personality, therapy, trauma, emotional-expression

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Yes. It's called Vicarious Trauma https://psychology.stackexchange.com/a/19666/7604, https://psychology.stackexchange.com/a/19941/7604 and https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/19298/7604  
> **username_1**: Does this answer your question? [Named conditions that are the result of exposure to psychopathic behavior of another person?](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/19664/named-conditions-that-are-the-result-of-exposure-to-psychopathic-behavior-of-ano)  
> **username_1**: Trauma in group situations and witnessing a murder, for example, is personal (first hand) trauma though and not Vicarious.  
> **username_0**: Chris, that does indicate that there is such a thing as "vicarious trauma". Does the formal definition fit the scenario though of two people at the same event who experience somewhat different things? Also, the temperament aspect of the question would still need to be addressed, as to whether it is a factor or indicator in how (or even whether) the event is considered traumatic to the second party.  
> **username_1**: Pressing commitments prevent me from doing so for a while, but I will try and put an answer together in a next few days when I can.  
> **username_2**: Welcome! I think these are _two_ good questions. But, they are best asked as two separate questions. The recommended format for these Q&A sites is to stick to one question per post.  

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