Table 3 Prevalence of symptoms of intrusion, avoidance and arousal per year of university studies expressed as mean score (N = 151)

Symptoms of intrusion (M)

Intrusive thoughts about clients

3.10

3.38

3.24

2.69

2.70

Disturbing dreams about clients

1.97

2.50

1.82

1.85

1.82

Sense of relieving clients’ trauma

2.47

2.44

2.76

1.90

1.94

Cued psychological distress

1.93

2.16

2.18

1.51

1.70

Cued psychological reaction

2.07

2.16

2.59

1.67

1.70

Symptoms of avoidance (M)

Avoidance of clients

2.13

2.53

2.71

1.90

1.97

Avoidance of people, places, things

1.70

2.34

1.88

1.38

1.58

Inability to recall client information

1.90

2.03

2.35

1.54

1.79

Diminished activity level

2.40

2.56

2.41

2.13

2.39

Detachment from others

1.87

2.16

2.00

1.77

1.58

Emotional numbing

2.83

3.06

2.47

2.28

2.52

Foreshortened future

2.33

2.56

2.53

1.95

2.15

Symptoms of arousal (M)

Difficulty sleeping

2.63

2.78

2.35

1.97

1.94

Irritability

2.50

2.84

2.47

2.08

2.18

Difficulty concentrating

2.67

2.97

2.82

2.41

2.39

Hypervigilance

2.03

2.50

2.47

1.90

2.00

Easily startled

2.63

2.88

2.65

2.44

2.55