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Paralleling the growth of the U.S. criminal justice system in recent decades, American families have increasingly experienced a social disaster of parents, and subsequently their children, undergoing imprisonment. Adopting a life course perspective to examine the likely drivers of the intergenerational transmission of offending and incarceration, we contextualize the development of antisocial behavior in an era of mass imprisonment. In doing so, we draw from the literature on the sociology of disasters to examine how traumas related to intergenerational incarceration may be both understood and ameliorated through appropriate policies and interventions. We argue that it is possible to better frame how risk factors for antisocial behavior, such as prenatal maternal stress, exposure to trauma, and deviant peer groups, may be integrated with factors that promote resilience and recovery. This includes improving safety, self-efficacy, and connectedness to prevent intergenerational offending and incarceration and facilitate desistance. By framing mass incarceration as a social disaster, a multifaceted, comprehensive approach takes on new urgency so as to reduce the prevalence of intergenerational offending and incarceration among millions of families in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tests the assumptions of the The Childhood Trauma Model, which proposes that marginalized populations are both more likely to have traumatic childhoods and more criminalized than those in the upper echelons of society. It hypothesizes that traumatic childhood experiences increase risk of being sanctioned for violent behavior, and risks are amplified for minority and disadvantaged groups. The study finds that experiencing three or more traumas had a 200% to 370% increased chance of being arrested for a violent felony as youth who experienced a single traumatic event, and Blacks had up to 300% increased risk than Whites with equal trauma scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem analysis conducted by a university-based research partner can provide communities with data-driven options to address the local drivers of serious youth and gang violence. Situated in Worcester, Massachusetts, this article describes how subsequent to early childhood trauma being identified as a potential driver of adolescent and young adult violence; problem analysis using local data confirmed that being the victim or witness of a traumatic incident before the age of 12 years was significantly correlated with involvement in violence in adolescence or young adulthood. Although there is a robust literature on the relationship between early childhood trauma and later delinquency, local decision makers did not consider this knowledge actionable until the research partner used the city's own police records to demonstrate the extent of the problem in the city. Rigorous problem analysis, conducted collaboratively between practitioners and an academic research partner, helped to compel local change and ensured that strategies addressed the right risk factors and directed service to the appropriate target population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how individuals use online coping strategies after experiencing a negative life event. Many studies have shown that online coping is of rising importance. However, these studies have not provided all pieces of the puzzle because they tend to focus on one particular online venue (e.g., an online support group or social network site [SNS]) and on a limited number of coping strategies. This article aims to provide a more complete picture, by simultaneously examining multiple online and off-line coping strategies, using a survey administered to a representative sample of the 16+ population of the Netherlands. Furthermore, we analyze what kind of Internet activities are related to online coping and whether online coping is associated with well-being. Some 57% of our sample mentioned some form of online coping. Using the Internet for mental disengagement, active coping and planning were the most reported online coping strategies, whereas strategies aimed at emotional coping were reported less frequently. Online coping encompassed several activities: online gaming, which was associated with mental disengagement; searching for information, which was associated with problem-focused coping; and SNS and online support groups, which were associated with mental disengagement, problem-focused coping, and socioemotional coping. Finally, we examined the correlations between online coping and well-being. Controlling for off-line coping, we found online mental disengagement and online socioemotional coping to be inversely related to life satisfaction, self-esteem, and optimism, whereas correlations between online problem-focused coping and well-being were nonsignificant. The implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the prevalence of childhood trauma in a sample of male sexual offenders (N = 679) using the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) scale. Compared with males in the general population, sex offenders had more than 3 times the odds of child sexual abuse (CSA), nearly twice the odds of physical abuse, 13 times the odds of verbal abuse, and more than 4 times the odds of emotional neglect and coming from a broken home. Less than 16% endorsed zero ACEs and nearly half endorsed four or more. Multiple maltreatments often co-occurred with other types of household dysfunction, suggesting that many sex offenders were raised within a disordered social environment. Higher ACE scores were associated with higher risk scores. By enhancing our understanding of the frequency and correlates of early adverse experiences, we can better devise trauma-informed interventions that respond to the clinical needs of sex offender clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about correspondence between parents’ and children’s narratives after a child’s exposure to trauma. We examined 24 parent and child narratives of a child’s recovery using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count, a software program that yields the percentage of words that fall into linguistic categories (e.g., personal pronouns) and psychological categories (e.g., emotion words). Analyses revealed significant parent–child associations for number of words, rate of cognitive processing words, and rate of anxiety words. No associations were found for anger or sadness words. With both similarities and differences in parents’ and children’s narratives, the current findings encourage further research in the domain of posttrauma narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the impact of childhood trauma on children in schools and the importance of implementing trauma-informed practices. Topics discussed include several trauma-informed practices such as the development of a safe environment, peer support, and positive interactions, several considerations in supporting traumatized children such as strengths-based approaches and vicarious traumatization, and its impact on students with emotional and behavioral disorders.

Eye movement integration therapy (EMI) is a relatively new therapeutic modality, based on a neurobiological model of trauma. This article advances the empirical knowledge base of EMI, by assessing its utility with a cohort of 12 adolescents, aged 14 to 16 years, in South Africa. The results indicate a reduction in a range of trauma symptoms, based on the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children and post-EMI interviews with the children's care workers. A number of clinical practice issues regarding the utilization of EMI with children are discussed and illustrated with case material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the differential experiences of three groups of children: children living in homes with caregivers who had used methamphetamine, those living in homes with caregivers who used other drugs, and those in homes where there was no evidence of caregiver substance misuse. A random sample of 1127 children was selected from the public child welfare log of open cases in fiscal year 2005-2006. Results indicate that caregiver methamphetamine use was a robust correlate of trauma exposure, with interpersonal violence being the most prevalent form of trauma exposure. Practice and policy implications are presented for a wide range of professionals working with these children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experience of early traumatic exposure, obesity and finally the paradoxical forced behavioural intervention experienced by a small group of five different participants (three women and two men) who underwent bariatric surgery to "cure" a chronic disease such as obesity, were explored and structured around the prominent themes identified by the researchers from the "voices" of the participants. The aim was to arrive at a final "voice" that would reflect collectively on their stories. The research question was based on the interrelationship between prolonged traumatic exposures, morbid obesity and whether bariatric surgery acts as a form of remedial intervention for this small group of participants suffering from morbid obesity. A qualitative research paradigm and social constructivist epistemology were supported by the exploratory case study design as a systematic way of collecting data, analysing information through a process of thematic content analysis and finally reporting the results. The delineation of the themes resulted in the following collective sub-themes: Obesity was the result of psychological defences against the impact of prolonged childhood trauma; the symptom constellation of Complex Trauma seems paramount among the participants of this study; and the remedial effect of bariatric surgery on these patients seems complementary to the relief of the impact of early childhood traumatisation. Incidental findings includes: amnesia regarding "good" periods during childhood; obesity creates an "invisible" perception by others of the obese person; to lose weight causes more back pain due to less bodily support by those who had suffered from back pains prior to surgery; while the occurrence of stomach pains after "stressful periods" could be viewed as an unexpected finding from this research group. The research question is based on the interrelationship between prolonged traumatic exposures, morbid obesity and whether the remedial forced behavioural intervention such as bariatric surgery acts as a form of remedial intervention for this small group of participants suffering from morbid obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the efficacy of four EMDR sessions in comparison to a six-week wait-list control condition in the treatment of 27 children (aged 6 to 12 years) suffering from persistent PTSD symptoms after a motor vehicle accident. An effect for EMDR was identified on primary outcome and process measures including the Child Post-Traumatic Stress - Reaction Index, clinician rated diagnostic criteria for PTSD, Subjective Units of Disturbance and Validity of Cognition scales. All participants initially met two or more PTSD criteria. After EMDR treatment, this decreased to 25% in the EMDR group but remained at 100% in the wait-list group. Parent ratings of their child's PTSD symptoms showed no improvement, nor did a range of non-trauma child self-report and parent-reported symptoms. Treatment gains were maintained at three and 12 month follow-up. These findings support the use of EMDR for treating symptoms of PTSD in children, although further replication and comparison studies are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Witnessing community violence and experiencing abuse in the home are two examples of interpersonal trauma that can have a devastating impact on children and adolescents. Recent research on the treatment of children exposed to interpersonal violence has focused on cognitive-behavioral interventions, often delivered in school settings. We describe the application of a new manual-based psychotherapy protocol for treating pediatric trauma in a middle school. Two case studies illustrate the protocol application to children from an inner-city neighborhood. The Stanford Cue-Centered Therapy (CCT) is a short-term, multimodal therapy for youths who have experienced trauma, focusing primarily on exposure to trauma-related cues. These cases provide early data on the feasibility and effectiveness of providing CCT for high-risk youth within a school setting and training of school mental-health personnel in the use of the Stanford CCT Manual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When an intense transference relationship evolves during psychoanalysis, sensory and emotional experiences associated with trauma can arise spontaneously. Detailed clinical process material is presented from the psychoanalysis of a six-year-old boy whose severe trauma at age two and a half contributed to his conflicts about aggression and gender identity, impeding his development. A series of analytic sessions during which he spontaneously enacted fantasies, feelings, and defenses associated with the trauma in the immediacy of the transference relationship are used to illustrate how psychoanalysis provided him the safety to rework this overwhelming experience and its aftermath, thereby restoring progressive development. It is hypothesized that while work with trauma was only one feature in an otherwise complex treatment, psychoanalysis provided a sophisticated form of reexposure to developmentally primitive emotions, images, and fantasies that this child had not consciously connected with the trauma. Associated early childhood conflicts pertaining to aggression, separation, and gender identity, warded off with rigid defenses, had become intertwined with the trauma and its aftermath, rendering them otherwise inaccessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at various uses of music to improve the regulation of emotions and learning in children suffering from severe/chronic trauma. The relationship between emotions and the brain based on research is explained. The emotional and behavioral symptoms linked with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are tackled, which include dissociation, poor self-esteem and depression. Other topics discussed include the relationship between music and memory, the application of music therapy in classrooms and the role played by emotion in education.

Information on the long-term effects of early trauma and how such effects are manifested in treatment was obtained through interviews with thirty analysts who had treated an adult patient with a circumscribed trauma in the first four years of life. Childhood traumas fell into four categories: medical/accidental; separation/loss; witnessing a traumatic event; and physical/sexual abuse. Traumatic carryover was recorded in terms of explicit memories, implicit memories (somatic reliving, traumatic dreams, affective memories, behavioral reenactments, and transference phenomena), and global carryover effects (generalized traumatic affective states, defensive styles, patterns of object relating, and developmental disruptions). Linkages between the early trauma and adult symptomatology could be posited in almost every case, yet the clinical data supporting such linkages was often fragmented and ambiguous. Elements of patients' traumas appeared to be dispersed along variable avenues of expression and did not appear amenable to holistic, regressive reworking in treatment. The data did not support linear models of traumatic carryover or the idea that early traumatic experiences will be directly accessible in the course of an analysis. Factors that we believe help explain why traumatic aftereffects in our sample were so heterogeneous and difficult to track over the long term are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was designed to explore the relationship between five forms of childhood trauma and medically self-sabotaging behaviors (i.e., the intentional induction, exaggeration, and/or exacerbation of medical symptoms). Method: Using a cross-sectional sample of convenience, 120 psychiatric inpatients were surveyed about childhood sexual, physical, and emotional abuses, the witnessing of violence, and physical neglect, as well as 19 medically self-sabotaging behaviors (i.e., intentional behaviors that represent attempts to sabotage medical care). Results: As expected, in this sample there were high prevalence rates of trauma (62.5% emotional abuse, 58.3% witnessing of violence, 46.7% physical abuse, 37.5% sexual abuse, 28.3% physical neglect). Simple correlations demonstrated statistically significant relationships between sexual abuse and physical neglect and medically self-sabotaging behaviors. Using multiple regression analysis, only physical neglect remained a unique predictor of medically self-sabotaging behaviors. Conclusions: These findings indicate that among psychiatric inpatients there appears to be a relationship between physical neglect in childhood and the generation of medically self-sabotaging behaviors in adulthood. Perhaps physical neglect in childhood contributes to the generation of somatic behaviors in adulthood for the purpose of eliciting caring responses from others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before and after the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003, the fears of youth in grades 2-12 were examined using the American Fear Survey Schedule for Children and Adolescents (Burnham, 2005). In a pre-invasion and post-invasion comparison, results revealed significant age and gender differences between pre- and post-invasion samples. In addition, the post-invasion sample reported more war-related fears. Implications are discussed and potential resources for professional school counselors are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School counselors have a duty to formulate strategies that aid in the detection and prevention of child sexual abuse (American School Counselor Association, 2003). School counselors are charged with helping sexually abused children by recognizing sexual abuse indicators based on a child's symptomatology and/or behavior, and understanding how this trauma may affect children in the school setting. Mandated reporting issues, talking with children and adolescents about sexual abuse suspicions, and understanding trauma symptoms and their contribution to the difficulties that sexually abused children have in school are highlighted. In addition, how school counselors can collaborate with clinicians treating sexually abused children through role-appropriate advocacy, intervention, and aftercare strategies is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The war-related process of disintegration of a highly integrated and multi-ethnic community is described using a series of studies done in the city of Vukovar (Croatia) as a case example. After analyzing the key points of the community social breakdown, the three roots of ongoing ethnic division are explored: the feelings of being betrayed by important others at life-important situations; massive suffering and traumatization; and lack of compassion and acknowledgment of the victimhood. These also influence the inner dynamic of the divided community in which the strong social norm is not to cross the ethnic lines in public. When the schools became divided after the war so that the Serb and Croat children started going to separate schools, opportunity to meet each other across the ethnic lines became and remained severely limited. The implications for children that grow up in an ethnically divided community are documented in a study of children's and parental inter-ethnic attitudes and behaviors. The study included 1,671 students aged 12 to 16 and their parents. It showed that the children had more out-group biases and negative attitudes, and were more likely to choose discriminative behaviors towards their peers from the ether ethnic group. Consequences for the future community inter-ethnic relations in the post-war societies and life limitations the children face are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article I address and explore the importance of the use of a South African indigenous game (masekitlana) in child psychotherapy. I take the reader on the journey of a child whose mother and grandmother were killed in front of him but who managed to overcome the resultant trauma after several sessions of playing masekitlana. The participant refused to play and be assessed with the standardised tests that were available but chose masekitlana, which requires only two small stones. Data were collected through a literature review, clinical interviews, and play narratives. The observations were noted. In the case study masekitlana played a significant role in assisting the participant to come to terms with the fears to which he was vulnerable. The effectiveness of masekitlana as a therapeutic tool in child psychotherapy is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loss, separation and trauma experienced by looked after and adopted children can seriously affect their school life and ability to learn. A great deal has been written and researched on the low educational achievement of looked after children, but there is much less available on how adopted children fare. An attachment perspective can make a valuable contribution to understanding the learning needs of vulnerable children. Rena Phillips discusses a successful initiative by PACS, a small post-adoption support charity, in producing succinct and accessible publications to inform teachers, as well as families and professionals, about the types of difficult and challenging behaviour that can arise from attachment issues and why. The materials include practical suggestions about how schools can help to create a more understanding learning environment. Other developments that reflect the growing interest in attachment issues and education are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined whether adult attachment and cognitive distortion mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and psychological adjustment. The participants were 219 students (40 men and 117 women) enrolled in a university degree. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, which assessed retrospective accounts of childhood trauma; the Relationships Scales Questionnaire, which measured two dimensions of adult attachment (model-of-self and model-of-other) the Cognitive Distortions Scale, which measured internal attributions and perceptions of controllability; and the Trauma Symptom Inventory, which assessed posttraumatic symptoms and was used in this study to measure psychological adjustment. Results supported the hypothesis that model-of-self and cognitive distortion are related constructs. The influence of model-of-self on psychological adjustment however was only via its effect on cognitive processes. In other words, a negative model-of-self influenced cognitive distortion, which in turn influenced the expression of symptoms in adults reporting a history of childhood trauma. The implications for therapy were considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some enraged kids in clinical settings are youth who have been simply and narrowly judged as ‘bad kids’ by many of the adults in their lives. But most of these youngsters have suffered major and repeated losses, and in some cases traumatic losses. These losses were not recognized by others or grieved by the children, nor did the children receive support from the adults in their lives. This deep reservoir of unrequited sorrow is the smoldering emotional underbelly to their violence. Also in this deeper place in which the true essence of the child lives are their untapped human potential and redeeming qualities. The metaphor of ‘fawns in gorilla suits’ was introduced in previous writing to highlight the features of these foster care kids who have suffered severe losses and for whom modifications in the empirically supported treatment protocols are needed to adequately and safely undertake therapeutic exploration of their traumatic grief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article expands an earlier model of the tasks of grieving (1990, [1995], [2001]) by building on science based findings derived from research in attachment theory, neuroscience, interpersonal neurobiology, and childhood traumatic grief (CTG). The proposed treatment model is a prescriptive approach that spells out specific tasks to be undertaken by children suffering traumatic grief under the direction of a therapist who is trained in trauma-informed therapy approaches and draws heavily on the empirically derived childhood traumatic grief treatment model developed by Cohen and Mannarino (2004; Cohen, Mannarino, & Deblinger, 2006). This model expands on their work by proposing specific tasks that are informed by attachment theory research and the interpersonal neurobiological research (Schore, 2003a, 2003b; Siegel, 1999). Particular emphasis is placed on developing a coherent and meaningful narrative since this has been found as a crucial factor in recovery from trauma in attachment research (Siegel, 1999; Siegel & Hartzell, 2003). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the works of the scholarly analyst René Kaes, distinguished professor of psychology at the University of Lyon. Kaes deals with ideas ranging from the philosophically abstract to the complexities of clinical practice and the spadework of empirical research, with the psychoanalytic theory and practice of therapeutic work with groups as his specialty. Kaes focuses on the idea that individuals have incorporated aspects of the traumatic experiences of their parents beyond what has been explicitly passed on.

This brief review traces the evolution of clinical understanding about borderline syndromes during the last three decades of the 20th century. The focus shifted from descriptive phenomenology in the 1970s to documenting linkages with childhood trauma in the 1980s. In the 1990s, effective and teachable techniques for emotional containment in these conditions were developed and evaluated for efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous theoretical and empirical work leads to a prediction that the developmental sequel of childhood trauma may be risk factors in the development of transliminality. 106 undergraduate students completed the Revised Transliminality Scale and the Survey of Traumatic Childhood Events. In support of the prediction, scores on the Revised Transliminality Scale correlated .39 (p <.001) with the total scores on the index of childhood trauma. Follow-up analyses suggested that various sorts of childhood trauma could be interpreted for this group as related to transliminality: having one's house destroyed, robbed, or vandalized; being struck by someone within or outside the family; being yelled and screamed at by a caregiver; witnessing the physical abuse of a parent; and sexual abuse. Longitudinal study is required to sharpen evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological debriefing is routinely provided as part of a crisis-stage intervention for adults involved in traumatic events. Although common with adults, comparatively few studies have reported the use of psychological debriefing with children and adolescents. The historical origins and process of debriefing are described and the studies undertaken with children reviewed. The limited data available do not indicate that debriefing prevents psychological distress, although it may reduce trauma-related symptomatology. There is a need to undertake methodologically sound trials to determine the effectiveness of psychological debriefing with children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes expert witness work with refugee children carried out by the Child & Family Team at the Traumatic Stress Clinic affiliated to University College, London. These children are referred by solicitors acting for their parents in relation to claims for asylum. The children have usually survived multiple traumatic experiences and often have significant post-traumatic symptomatology. Many speak little English and have had little preparation for the assessment. This article briefly summarizes the law relating to human rights and refugees that is relevant to these children and the questions posed by their solicitors. It then describes the way in which the team approaches the assessment and the clinical and legal issues raised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the second article in a series of experimental writing exploring childhood trauma and its subject. Here, the author examines or narrates herself within the particular social context of her family history. Through this experimental writing method, the author explores a repetitive, nonlinear way of knowing and speaking the world that both complements and challenges more traditional sociological ways of knowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reprints the article 'Reactions and Guidelines for Children Following Trauma/Disaster' from the periodical 'PsycNET 2001.'

Objective: This review examines the clinical outcomes associated with exposure to chronic intrafamilial trauma and explores the treatment of the psychological, biological and cognitive sequelae. Method: The existing research literature on the subject was collected, using Index Medicus/MEDLINE, Psychological Abstracts and the PILOTS database. The research findings were supplemented with clinical observations by the authors and other clinical writings on this topic. Results: Children with histories of exposure to multiple traumatic experiences within their families or in medical settings usually meet criteria for numerous clinical diagnoses, none of which capture the complexity of their biological, emotional and cognitive problems. These are expressed in a multitude of psychological, cognitive, somatic and behavioural problems, ranging from learning disabilities to aggression against self and others. Conclusions: Exposure to intrafamilial violence and other chronic trauma results in pervasive psychological and biological deficits. Treatment needs to address issues of safety, stabilise impulsive aggression against self and others, promote mastery experiences, compensate for specific developmental deficits, and judiciously process both the traumatic memories and trauma-related expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of children traumatized under the age of 3 years has presented particular challenges. The cognitive immaturity, lack of verbal fluency and uncertain memory capacities of very young children have made it difficult to know how traumatic events are represented internally and how their effects may be alleviated. Addressing these difficulties, this article describes the psychotherapeutic treatment of a 3-year-old boy traumatized at 22 months of age by a medical illness and its associated treatments. The goals of the therapy were to relieve symptoms and help the child integrate the traumatic experience, while promoting the parents' crucial role in the child's recovery. The case material illustrates the usefulness of active structuring of the child's play as a vehicle for understanding the child's experience of a trauma. It also documents the child's impressive memory for the medical events and his comprehension of their implications, as well as the influence of the rapid developmental changes occurring in early childhood on the processing of the trauma. Lastly, the case highlights the disruptive impact of traumatically induced anger on children's development and the importance of facilitating its appropriate expression so that a traumatic experience can be resolved fully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the relationship between the severity of childhood trauma and proneness to victimization in adulthood in a sample of 155 Australian women. A tendency for both violent and nonviolent revictimization was observed. The classical "repetition compulsion" theory of revictimization is less able to accommodate these findings than theories that implicate an effect of childhood abuse on self-concept. Additionally, the factors of peritraumatic dissociation, coping styles, and attachment styles were examined as possible intervening variables in the revictimization relationship. The findings of the study suggest that some coping styles mediate the relationship between childhood abuse and victimization in adulthood, whereas aspects of attachment styles may serve to moderate this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the linkages of trauma exposure and protective factors with important aspects of mental health and behavioral functioning in a sample of youth presenting serious clinical difficulties. Link between violence exposure and adolescent criminal offending; Connection between sexual abuse and psychiatric comorbidity.

This article presents diagnostic, conceptualization and treatment issues in a case of adolescent depression. The case illustrates three points: (i) the complexity of adolescent psychopathology, particularly problem areas that commonly occur with depression during this specific period of development; (ii) the conceptualization process of an intricate adolescent case; and (iii) the implementation of a cognitive-behavioral strategy that the patient uses to manage depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes theoretical and treatment assumptions about trauma treatment that are in marked contrast with those attributed to trauma therapists by Miltenburg and Singer (1997). Contrary to their assertion that trauma therapists believe reliving of child abuse is necessary, mainstream trauma treatment focuses on ego building and integrative capacities. It has long been recognized that reliving traumatic experiences may lead to exacerbation of symptoms. However, it has been equally long observed that those trauma survivors who are able to synthesize, realize and integrate their traumatic memories will experience dramatic improvement in quality of life. Miltenburg and Singer present excellent therapeutic approaches to stabilization. But their sweeping generalizations misrepresent the nature of current trauma therapy and therefore create the risk of withholding the opportunity for many survivors to heal rather than having to rely on 'abnormal' defense or coping strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the theory of dissociation inspired by Janet, psychic processes are reified. The client is conceptualized as a victim-to-whom-things-happen. The development of the higher mental functions and control systems that enable people—including survivors of childhood abuse—to monitor their psychic functioning is ignored. Indeed, the Janetian trauma treatment is intended to break down the client's higher mental functions: by re-experiencing horror, automatic processes of dissociation are reinforced; the client's spontaneous compensatory system is destroyed. This can lead to the legitimizing of inhumane practices and cause iatrogenic damage. A Vygotskian therapeutic approach, together with current constructivist theories, provide an alternative. The development of the higher mental functions and 'abnormal' psychological tools are crucial for by-passing the original traumatic reactions and the development of human agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the range of trauma experienced by children in supervised visitation services. Purpose of supervised visitation; Themes in the development of the children's personalities; Recommendations on ways to structure supervised access services to help children feel psychologically safe in relation to visited parent.

Investigates the trauma and treatment histories of patients fulfilling diagnostic criteria for Dissociative Identity Disorder in Brisbane, Queensland. Performance of systematic assessments of patients with multiple personality disorders; Complexity of dissociative symptomatology; Identification of childhood developmental trauma.

Summary Eleven people who survived World War II as Jewish children in Europe were interviewed to investigate (1) psychological resistance to emotional trauma in children, and (2) the effect on adult adjustment of a trauma experienced during the growth process. All survivors described experiences and reactions that were attempts to cope in active ways with feelings of total helplessness during the war. As adults they continue to react to the effects of their earlier experiences by fighting helplessness and trying to integrate their feelings, thus continuing the process of active coping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article, based primarily upon interview data, explores child snatching and some of the attendant motivations and mechanisms surrounding such events. Findings include the fact that motivations for snatching, while always multifaceted, can be roughly categorized as child-focused (stemming from concern for the child) or as self-focused (originating in the snatcher's desire to satisfy personal needs). Suggested also are six dimensions of child snatching that are thought to be common factors associated in some manner with each child snatching event. These dimensions are (1) motivations, ranging from self-centered to child-centered; (2) planning, ranging from professional to amateurish; (3) hostility, from mild to violent; (4) trauma, from serious to devastating; (5) familial involvement, from supportive to antagonistic; and (6) agency involvement, from minimal to extreme, by both public and private groups. These six factors are seen as affecting child snatching at all stages of the process. Suggestions for future research are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]