The master's thesis examines the role of work experience on the experience of secondary trauma among social workers employed at social work centres in Slovenia.
The theoretical part describes concepts such as trauma, secondary trauma, compassion fatigue and burnout, and presents risk factors and protective factors that influence the development of secondary trauma. Special attention is also given to the role of work experience in the development of professional competencies and emotional resilience.
The empirical part is based on qualitative research involving nine social workers, divided into three groups according to their length of employment at social work centres across Slovenia: beginners (up to 5 years), moderately experienced (6–15 years) and more experienced (16 years or more). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using the method of qualitative content analysis. The findings show that social workers experience secondary trauma simultaneously on emotional, physical and cognitive levels, and that it frequently extends beyond working hours and into their personal lives. Work experience plays a dual role: on the one hand it strengthens emotional resilience, self-reflection and the ability to set boundaries, while on the other hand prolonged exposure to difficult content causes a cumulative emotional burden that knowledge and experience alone cannot prevent. Systemic factors such as administrative burdens, staff shortages and legislative constraints are recognised as a direct source of emotional strain. Colleague support, supervision, self-reflection and self-care are highlighted as key protective factors. The thesis concludes with proposals for systemic and organisational measures that would reduce the risk of secondary traumatisation among social workers.
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