Reliability and Validity of the Vicarious Trauma Organizational Readiness Guide ( VT ‐ ORG )

The Vicarious Trauma Organizational Readiness Guide ( VT ‐ ORG ) is an assessment of an organization's readiness to address vicarious trauma ( VT ), which is exposure to the traumatic experiences of people served. This study reports on the psychometric properties of the VT ‐ ORG . Employees of first responder agencies (e.g., law enforcement, fire, emergency services) and victim assistance agencies are at a high risk for vicarious traumatization, which can lead to PTSD , substance use, and suicidal ideation, among other negative impacts. Organizations that do not address VT may see such effects as employee turnover, reduced efficiency, and negative work environments. The VT ‐ ORG is an assessment tool designed to help organizations complete the first step of organizational change—conducting a needs assessment. Study participants were 3,018 employees across 13 first responder and victim assistance agencies who completed the 67‐item VT ‐ ORG and additional measures for evaluation of its validity and reliability. The VT ‐ ORG was found to have excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .98). A structural equation model demonstrated that the subscales of the VT ‐ ORG predicted criterion measures of turnover intention, compassion satisfaction, and organizational resilience, with an overall model fit of CFI  = .99, RMSEA  = .053. This study found the VT ‐ ORG to be a reliable and valid assessment of organizational responses to vicarious trauma.