Ferreira, Elisabete Gonçalves2026-03-042026-03-042024-12-09http://hdl.handle.net/10400.24/2903Domestic violence (DV) is a critical public health issue impacting both victims and the professionals who support them. The vulnerability of these professionals, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, raises significant concerns about their mental health. The present research investigates the impact of working with DV victims on professionals' mental health and explores their narratives about this theme. The first study (Chapter 2) of this dissertation used a cross-sectional design to assess mental health, coping strategies, and self-care among 251 DV professionals. Results showed moderate levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS), with mild symptoms of depression and anxiety. Avoidant coping strategies were found to negatively affect mental health, while self-care practices helped to mitigate burnout and STS, highlighting the need for effective coping strategies.engDomestic Violence ProfessionalsMental HealthCoping and Self-careBurnoutSecondary Traumatic Stressdoctoral thesis