Boulder Crest Seeks Research Participants to Explore the Potential for Growth Among Professionals Working with Trauma

New study with Abilene Christian University examines Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth & the positive changes that may emerge from helping others.

BLUEMONT, VA, UNITED STATES, October 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- What happens to the people who spend their careers helping others through trauma, adversity, and life's most difficult experiences?

While considerable research has explored the emotional toll of this work, including burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress, a growing body of research is examining another possibility: that helping others navigate struggle can also lead to meaningful personal growth.

Boulder Crest is exploring these experiences not only among mental health professionals, but also among the wide range of professionals who work with people facing trauma and adversity, including healthcare workers, educators, first responders, and others.

Researchers at the Boulder Crest Institute for Posttraumatic Growth℠, the research and innovation arm of Boulder Crest Foundation, in partnership with Abilene Christian University's Department of Psychology, are seeking participants for a new study exploring Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth (VPTG) and the full range of experiences associated with working closely with people who have experienced trauma and adversity.

The study aims to advance scientific understanding of how professionals may be affected by their work, examining both the challenges they encounter and the potential for positive psychological change.

UNDERSTANDING VICARIOUS POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH
Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth (VPTG) describes the positive psychological changes that can emerge through empathetic engagement with people who have experienced trauma, adversity, or significant life challenges.

Unlike Posttraumatic Growth (PTG), which describes the positive psychological changes that may emerge through the struggle with one's own traumatic experiences, VPTG explores how bearing witness to the struggles and transformations of others may influence the people supporting them.

These changes may include a deeper appreciation for life, stronger relationships, an increased sense of personal strength, recognition of new possibilities, and shifts in personal meaning or purpose.

VPTG does not diminish the very real challenges associated with trauma-related work. Rather, it expands the conversation to recognize that distress and growth can coexist.

"We know that working closely with people who have experienced trauma and adversity can take a significant toll. But that may not be the whole story,” said Dr. Taryn Greene of the Boulder Crest Institute for Posttraumatic Growth. “Emerging research suggests that bearing witness to the struggles of others can also create opportunities for meaningful personal growth. Through this study, we want to better understand the full range of experiences among professionals who do this important work every day — both the challenges they face and the ways they may be changed by it. Their perspectives are essential to advancing this science.”

ADVANCING THE SCIENCE OF GROWTH
The study builds on an evolving body of research into Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth, including early work by Dr. Richard Tedeschi and colleagues exploring positive personal changes among clinicians working with trauma survivors.

More recently, a 2025 qualitative study led by Dr. Taryn Greene of the Boulder Crest Institute, in collaboration with Dr. Joshua Rhodes of Abilene Christian University and Dr. Gary Elkins and Dr. Skyla Renner-Wilms of Baylor University, examined the experiences of peer-support specialists who help others navigate traumatic events. The research identified experiences of vicarious growth that mirrored the five domains of Posttraumatic Growth, offering new insights into how supporting others through trauma may contribute to personal transformation, greater well-being, and a deeper sense of purpose.

The new study seeks to broaden scientific understanding by examining the experiences of professionals across a wider range of fields and settings.

By exploring both the difficulties and potential benefits of working with people affected by trauma and adversity, researchers hope to develop a more complete understanding of the experiences of those who support others.

RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS NEEDED ACROSS PROFESSIONAL FIELDS
The Boulder Crest Institute and Abilene Christian University are inviting adults whose professional responsibilities regularly bring them into contact with people who have experienced trauma, adversity, or other significant life challenges to participate in the study.

Participants may be eligible if they:
- Are 18 years of age or older.

- Work in a professional role that involves regular exposure to the experiences, stories, or aftermath of trauma, adversity, or significant life challenges.

- Researchers are seeking participants from a broad range of professional settings, including healthcare, mental health, peer support, first response, education, nonprofit organizations, academic and research institutions, chaplaincy and faith-based services, the military, and government.

Participation is voluntary and involves completing a single online survey through Qualtrics, taking approximately 20–30 minutes. The survey explores participants' experiences working with people affected by trauma or adversity, including challenges, resilience, and growth.

Participants do not need to have experienced Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth to take part. Experiences across the full spectrum are important to the research.

Eligible professionals interested in participating can learn more and access the survey HERE.

ABOUT BOULDER CREST FOUNDATION
Boulder Crest Foundation is the Home of Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) and a global leader in the development, delivery, study, and scale of PTG-based programs. Through its innovative, science-backed training programs, Boulder Crest helps veterans, service members, first responders, and their families transform struggle into strength and build lives of greater purpose, connection, and possibility.

The Boulder Crest Institute for Posttraumatic Growth℠ serves as the Foundation's research and innovation arm, advancing the science, understanding, and application of PTG through research, education, and professional training.

Learn more at www.bouldercrest.org.

Jen Grady
Boulder Crest Foundation
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube