Kean Researchers Explore Vicarious Trauma in Forensic Psychology
David Brandwein and his research team explored the impact of vicarious trauma on forensic psychologists.
A Kean University research team is examining how repeated exposure to traumatic legal cases impacts the mental health and resilience of forensic psychologists serving as expert witnesses.
David Brandwein, Psy.D., associate professor and chair of the department of advanced studies in psychology, is conducting the study with Kean doctoral students Mariah Laster, Amanda Palardy and Reuben Philip.
Their goal is to identify strategies that promote resilience and long-term well-being within the justice system by helping professionals recognize distress early and practice effective self-care.
“We are told things about other people's traumatic experiences,” said Brandwein, who also serves as an expert witness in clinical psychology and parent-child bonding across New Jersey. “Hearing about all these experiences day after day, year after year, can build up for forensic psychologists and cause some negative psychological effects.”
The study, published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, surveyed more than 80 expert witnesses nationwide through the American Psychology-Law Society. Participants, ages 28 to 73, came from diverse professional backgrounds, with most having testified in criminal cases.
The study highlights the importance of recognizing early warning signs such as mental fatigue, emotional exhaustion, reduced sense of personal accomplishment and the depersonalization of clients. When these symptoms begin to appear, the findings stress the need for implementing timely self-care strategies to protect both emotional well-being and professional integrity.
“I am incredibly proud of Dr. Brandwein and our Psy.D. students for shining a light on the mental health needs of those who serve in high-stress legal settings,” said Claire Mulry, acting dean of Kean’s College of Health Professionals and Human Services. “Their work supports the well-being of professionals who play a critical role in the justice system and advances the importance of mental health.”
Laster, who is currently completing an internship with the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Philadelphia, said the study also emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and self-care among mental health professionals.
“Psychologists are trained on the importance of self-awareness and self-care, and while we teach that to our clients, it can be difficult to practice what we preach,” Laster added. “When you're in the field, it is easy to forget to remember the foundational knowledge we were taught and how important is it take care of ourselves.”
Through her coursework at Kean, Laster has developed the tools to support incarcerated individuals with empathy and professionalism.
“My time at the Bureau of Prisons has helped me see the intersection of mental health and the justice system firsthand,” she said. “Kean has done a great job of giving me the tools to provide mental health services to inmates, think on my feet and approach my work with compassion.”