The Unseen Scars of Experiential Learning
Secondary Trauma in Political Science Internships
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12379768 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Marty P Jordan (0000-0002-4255-0110, Michigan State University, corresponding author), Elizabeth Jordan (0000-0002-1624-9973, Innovations for Poverty Action), Elinor R Jordan (Michigan Poverty Law Program), Lauren S Foley (0000-0003-4641-1545, Western Michigan University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 191-198 |
| Publication date | 2025-09-10 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | PS Political Science & Politics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1049-0965 • E-ISSN: 1537-5935 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s104909652510142x |
| OpenAlex | W4414101019 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 22 |
Public service internships are a staple in contemporary political science curricula. Research shows that internships produce better thinkers, employees, and citizens. Yet, political science interns are on the frontlines in observing the firsthand trauma, stress, and mental health challenges of many people seeking support and services from government. In turn, students may internalize this stress and trauma, a phenomenon recognized as secondary traumatic stress (STS). This study addresses a significant gap in the discipline’s understanding of the frequency and severity of STS experienced by political science interns in their fieldwork. We relied on surveys and written assessments from students enrolled in internship courses at two public universities. We find that interns report increased exposure to STS at the end of the semester. Furthermore, STS vulnerability varies among interns, with higher incidence rates among those with a history of primary trauma, older students, and women. We outline coping strategies for students, propose adaptations to experiential learning to enhance support, and emphasize the need for further research on this issue
Experiential learning · Internship · Mental health · Phenomenon · Politics · Vulnerability (computing · Communication in Education and Healthcare · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Innovative Teaching Methodologies in Social Sciences
Ten Common Misunderstandings, Misconceptions, Persistent Myths and Urban Legends about Likert Scales and Likert Response Formats and their Antidotes
Prevalence and Predictive Factors of Secondary Trauma in College Student Affairs Professionals
Evaluating Pretest Effects in Pre–Post Studies
Preventing secondary traumatization in the undergraduate classroom
Compassion Fatigue among Criminology & Criminal Justice Interns
Development and Validation of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale
Productive Learning Through Labs
Time for a change
Vicariously Resilient or Traumatised Social Workers
Improving Anchoring Vignettes
Mental Health and Fieldwork
Career Preparation and the Political Science Major
Researching Under Fire
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |