The breadth of interpersonal violence is continuously expanding. According to Broman-Fulks et al. (2006), current epidemiological studies estimate that between 50% and 70% of individuals in the United States have experienced some form of interpersonal violence during their lifetime. The occurrence of "traumatic incidents may create powerful affective responses in those who rescue, care for, and counsel the individuals directly affected" (Wilson & Lindy, 1994, p. 333). This emotional reactivity is especially prevalent among those that work with survivors of violent traumatic events (McCann & Pearlman, 1990). The variety of issues that mental health professionals encounter are multidimensional and include their work context, characteristics of their clients, and therapist variables. Due to such complexity, it is critical to consider the broad ramifications and scope of professional quality of life when addressing the outcomes of trauma work on mental health professionals. The purpose of this study was to analyze, through qualitative methodology, the professional quality of life of mental health professionals directly involved in the recovery efforts after the campus shootings that occurred at Virginia Tech on April 16th, 2007. A phenomenological research design was used to gather information regarding the experiences and perceptions of various mental health professionals. Two in-depth interviews were conducted to examine therapists' experiences regarding the vicarious exposure and growth potential involved in this work. Analysis from the data revealed two primary themes; changed perception due to shared traumatic exposure and the costs and benefits derived from trauma work. These themes depicted the professional consequences for mental health workers who have been directly affected by traumatic events and serve clients exposed to the same event. Findings indicate that self-awareness is a critical component to enhancing therapeutic lenses and professional and personal wellness. Further research considering the influence of shared exposure to trauma on mental health professionals could further our understanding of the professional and personal consequences of such work. This research could provide a guide for preparing current and future counselors and supervisors when working during times of crisis. / Ph. D.

<p dir="ltr"> How does the experience of political violence by members of the host community influence attitudes towards refugees? I draw on theories from social psychology and comparative politics to demonstrate the impact of political violence on preferences for migrants. Specifically, I shed light on how an individual's past experience with civil war shapes their attitudes towards refugees. Existing work suggests that exposure to conflict will lead to prosocial behavior. I test my argument using a conjoint experiment embedded in a survey where I ask respondents to evaluate three pairs of refugee profiles, including their reasons for migration. Respondents then decide which of those profiles should be granted refugee status based on the attributes presented. My analysis shows that those exposed to civil war are more prosocial and show a much higher support for refugees in comparison to those who were not exposed to conflict. However, contrary to the expectations set by post-traumatic growth theory that those with a similar experience as refugees will show a higher preference for those refugees with whom they share an experience, I do not find that individuals exposed to civil war show a significant preference for refugees fleeing conflict over other category of migrants. These results ask us to question the implication of different refugee categorizations on attitudes and behavior towards migrants. Although relevant for public policy and resource distribution, for the ordinary person, migrant categories might not much of an effect, especially if all migrants are perceived to be the same. Furthermore, these results inform policy approaches for reducing prejudice, increasing prosocial behavior towards refugees and promoting social cohesion.</p>

Background: Until recently, qualitative researchers have avoided interviewing participants with brain injuries because of the ethical and practical dilemmas which may arise and because it has been argued that they may not be able to reflect and accurately report upon their experiences. Therefore, little research has been produced which explores the personal experience of living with a brain injury. Recently, however, some researchers have challenged the view that people with brain injuries are unsuitable as interviewees in qualitative research and have, through their own research, highlighted the importance of understanding their views and perspectives in order to provide them with the best care and rehabilitation. Aims: With this in mind, and in line with current calls for more research gaining the brain injured person’s perspective, this study attempted to gain an in depth understanding of what it is like from the brain injured person’s perspective, to live with an acquired brain injury. The study focussed upon the experience of gaining consciousness following a brain injury, the experience of living with permanent memory loss, the experience of gaining awareness of deficits, the experience of losing an identity and adjusting to a new identity, the impact on relationships with friends and family and experiences as an inpatient in a Brain Injury Unit. Sources of strength and coping mechanisms were also explored. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six individuals who had severe acquired brain injuries and were inpatients in a post-acute neuro-rehabilitation unit. The verbatim transcripts of the semi-structured interviews were then analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results: The analysis produced four master themes. These were: ‘Piecing together the past and becoming aware of the present’, ‘The transition from old self to new self’, ‘Sources of strength and survival’ and ‘Experiences in rehabilitation’. A description of these themes is presented with the corresponding subordinate themes. Conclusions: The clinical implications of the research and guidance for future research are discussed. The study produced a valuable insight into the personal experience of living with a severe acquired brain injury that could be used to inform rehabilitation interventions. The results also indicated that people with acquired brain injuries may experience Post Traumatic Growth.

From the day their child is diagnosed, parents of children with special needs are traveling on a journey of extremes. The stress parents experience can lead down many paths filled with stress, worries, and concerns as their constant companion. These conditions exert extreme pressure on parents and can lead to life-altering changes. Parents who are resilient and able to cope with continuous change will ultimately weave through the unknown to a place of positive growth known as post-traumatic growth. The research project was based on qualitative data obtained from interviews with eleven parents of children with special needs. One of the many service professionals these parents interact with on a regular basis is service coordinators. Service coordinators know many personal details related to each family and are in a position to support parents positively to encourage post-traumatic growth. Separate interviews were conducted with nine service coordinators to collect qualitative data for this project. The researcher also conducted an analysis of peer-reviewed research articles and discovered the key factor related to parent’s resilience is encouraging social support provided by peer parents. This increases their resilience and is a critical factor towards achieving positive post-traumatic growth. During research analysis, the researcher found Family-Centered Care to be the most promising method for service coordinators to interact with families and increase the factors of resilience in parents. The current focus at Regional Centers is person-centered thinking. While this practice is beneficial for the clients served, it lacks the holistic consideration of the client and their family together. Future practice recommendations for service coordinators would include policy changes within the Regional Centers to focus on parent’s strengths to discern the supports required to provide the highest quality of care for their children. Training for service coordinators to promote resilience and increase post-traumatic growth in parents would provide additional support in a parent’s life. Support is the key factor in supporting post-traumatic growth. When parents feel supported, they can achieve more and join in stronger collaboration with service coordinators.

In this thesis, I share my personal story of finding healing—post-traumatic growth—after experiencing intimate partner violence seven years ago. Written in Scholarly Personal Narrative format, I dig into my own past, draw upon research and scholarship to better understand and make meaning of and from my experiences, and finally, make connections with other survivors, advocates, and educators through my narrative. I discuss how survivors of intimate partner violence can move closer to healing; provide practical tips on how individuals and educators can support survivors and better understand the complexities of abusive relationships; and explain how educators can use writing, specifically the Scholarly Personal Narrative format, as an avenue for healing and growth for their students in a classroom setting. My thesis is an example of how, when given the opportunity, educators can encourage students to experience post-traumatic growth within the American University.

Traumatic incidences happen all around the globe. Some of the people who experience trauma develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while some do not. Even more interesting is that some also experience growth afterwards (post-traumatic growth; PTG). The purpose of this paper is to look at neural aspects of why some people develop PTSD and others PTG after a traumatic event. To fulfill the aim, both PTSD and PTG will be reviewed to create an image of the existing research in behavioral and neurological terms. In addition to looking at the constructs separately, a chapter will also look at studies where both PTSD and PTG are acknowledged collaterally in participants. When looking deeper into the theories of PTSD divisions occur, and more research is needed to establish the most prominent explanation of PTSD. PTG on the other hand has only been studied for a short period of time but yields important insights into trauma-related outcomes. These fields need to be submerged and new multidisciplinary definitions are needed for future research. The key to PTSD is suggested to emerge within the new field.

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / This study explored Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) among lay trauma counsellors in Cape Town, South Africa, with a secondary focus on the implications for task shifting. The study supplemented a broader project, which sought to determine correlates between age, gender, and the constructs of ProQOL, using a triangulation design to combine nomothetic and idiographic methods. The current study acted to supplement the primary study with qualitative data, but can be treated as a stand-alone qualitative study.

An Unbearable Illumination of Truth is a series of sculptures created to explore the connection between trauma and healing. The sculptural exhibition addresses economic, occupational, childhood, sexual, and gender-based trauma. These sculptures incorporate familiar motifs and visual metaphors to express narratives of varying types of traumas. A broad range of sculptural materials (such as wood, fabric, and found objects) and methods are used to create these symbolic, objective forms. The juxtaposition of shelters with other forms and materials visually enacts the themes of vulnerability and intrigue that characterizes traumatic incidents. Shelters are referenced throughout this entire body of work as an allegory for identity. Ultimately, this work is intended to induce empathy and raise awareness of important, underlying social issues that revolve around trauma. This message is especially important today due to a dramatic increase of trauma related issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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