Introduction to Corrections Practice Test 2026 - Free Corrections Practice Questions and Study Guide

Secondary trauma happens when you absorb the traumatic experiences of others through your work, and it can lead to trauma-like symptoms in yourself. This is often described as vicarious trauma or secondary traumatic stress, because the impact comes from being exposed to others’ trauma, not from your own direct experience.

The option that mentions vicarious trauma and exposure to others’ trauma matches this idea exactly. The other descriptions point to related but separate phenomena: emotional exhaustion from prolonged helping aligns with burnout or compassion fatigue rather than the trauma that comes from hearing others’ traumas; being on edge and always ready to react describes hypervigilance, a symptom that can occur in trauma but isn’t the definition of secondary trauma; thoughts of ending one’s life refer to suicidal ideation, which is a personal mental health risk not a description of secondary trauma.