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Introduction: Recent developments in the study of trauma responses have shown how some people may experience positive and life altering changes following traumatic life events which have been described as posttraumatic growth. Research is beginning to examine the role of trauma treatments in the facilitation of posttraumatic growth. Aim: This study sets out to explore participants’ experiences of posttraumatic growth during Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, and the role of the therapeutic relationship in facilitating posttraumatic growth. Method: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with participants to examine their phenomenological experiences. Methodology: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed to consider emergent meanings and themes within a hermeneutic circle of interpretation. Participants: Seven participants were interviewed who had received Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy within National Health Service primary care psychological therapy services for posttraumatic stress disorder. Findings: Four superordinate themes emerged from the analysis of the participant accounts including: (i) Safe and secure; (ii) Taking back control; (iii) Reconstructing the self; and (iv) Journeying beyond trauma to the future. Conclusions: Person-centred conditions and client-therapist attachment were important elements of the therapeutic relationship which provided participants with the safety, trust, and relational depth necessary for the facilitation of experiences of posttraumatic growth during Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy. Implications: The findings emphasise the importance of a clinical focus on the quality of the therapeutic relationship as a facilitative therapeutic environment allowing affective-cognitive processing and the emergence of posttraumatic growth.

This master's thesis focusses on long-term effects of the Holocaust on the generation of survivors as well as on their offspring. Firstly, the theoretical part defines the terms 'stress' and 'trauma'. This is followed by an outline of possible reactions to severely stressful situations as well as questionnaires that can be used to measure the levels of traumatization. Afterwards, attention is focused on the phenomenon of posttraumatic growth, mainly based on the perspectives of L. G. Calhoun and R. G. Tedeschi who identify five domains of growth. The possibility of facilitating posttraumatic growth is briefly mentioned alongside with one inventory that can be used to measure the extent of positive change following traumatic experiences. Furthermore, the complexity of the Holocaust is discussed and generations of the Holocaust survivors and their offspring are characterised. In conclusion, attention is drawn to the studies that are concerned with the transgenerational transmission of trauma. The empirical component of the thesis is dedicated to the mapping of specific aspects of posttraumatic stress and growth in Holocaust survivors and their offspring. This data was collected by using a PTSD CheckList (PCL-C) and a Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), and afterwards was processed by quantitative...

The objective of the diploma work "Psychological Trauma and its Effects on Human's Life" is to find out the impact of an unexpected traumatic experience which appears in one's life. The theoretical background characterizes briefly the topic of psychological traumatic experiences, their origin, features and forms. It also discusses stress phenomenon, adaptation, defence and managing mechanisms, the ones which help people to deal with strain and difficulties. In the context of extreme stress impacts, the main part focuses on posttraumatic stress disorder as one of the most frequent diagnostic categories. This disorder appears as a consequence of insufficient treatment of a serious traumatic experience which manifests itself by persistence of mental and somatic problems. The work also deals with other consequences of trauma in the psychological and social sphere including posttraumatic growth. The thesis also deals with different trauma reactions and risk and protective factors influencing trauma processing and trauma reactions. The research project (Methodological analysis) provides with case studies and show trauma progress, processing and coping with a traumatic experience. It evaluates and confirms negative and positive impact and influence of psychical trauma on human's life.

Women with histories of interpersonal trauma (physical, sexual, or psychological abuse experienced during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood) are more likely to experience posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and to develop physical health problems than women without trauma histories. In fact, PTSS and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been established in the literature as mediators of the relation between interpersonal trauma and physical health outcomes (e.g., Resnick et al., 1997; Schnurr & Green, 2004). What remains to be determined is a clear understanding of the various mechanisms explaining why individuals with trauma histories, and subsequently PTS symptoms, go on to develop physical health problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of health risk behaviours, specifically sexual risk taking and substance use, as possible mechanisms through which interpersonal trauma and PTSS might influence physical health. These relations were examined, through structural equation modelling, in a sample of 475 women currently attending university. Models were tested separately for sexual traumas (childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault experienced during adolescence and adulthood) and nonsexual interpersonal traumas (physical and psychological maltreatment by parents in childhood, witnessing violence between parents, and intimate partner violence in their own relationships). Results indicated that PTSS severity partially mediated pathways from both types of interpersonal trauma, sexual and nonsexual, to adverse health outcomes, contributing to the existing theory that one’s psychological response to a trauma may be more important in determining physical health outcomes than the trauma itself. Furthermore, a significant indirect pathway was found to link nonsexual trauma to risky sexual behaviours through PTSS severity. In addition, PTSS severity fully mediated the relation between nonsexual trauma and substance use behaviours. These latter findings suggest that the likelihood of engaging in substance use and/or risky sexual behaviours may be greater in trauma survivors who are suffering from posttraumatic stress symptoms. Contrary to hypotheses, no significant pathways were found from risky sexual behaviours or substance use to physical health outcomes in the context of trauma variables and PTSS severity. Consequently, these health risk behaviours were not found to operate as mechanisms explaining the link from PTSS severity to physical health outcomes. Limitations and alternative hypotheses are presented. Implications for clinical interventions and recommendations for future research are discussed. / Graduate / 0621 / 0622 / 0384

People all over the world do experience some kind of trauma during their lives. Some may experience more than one trauma, and some may experience more intense trauma, but sooner or later we all experience trauma. Sadly, our children are not excluded. The first aim of this study, was to investigate the influence of trauma on the lives of children in their mid childhood years. The following questions were asked: · What are the specific developmental tasks for middle childhood, regarding their physical, cognitive, affective, social, religious, moral and esthetical development? · What about trauma is so traumatic? · Are there any recognisable and predicted effects, present in children who experienced trauma? · And last, but not least, how do children understand and experience a traumatic death? The second aim of this study was to develop a trauma counselling program for children who experienced a trauma. The program had to focus on the specific needs of children in their mid childhood years. In order to do this, the following points were looked at: · What is the current understanding of trauma? Are there any counselling programs for children available, and how do they work? · There are a vast majority of intervention techniques available, the most popular techniques – playtherapy, bibliotherapy, grouptherapy, arttherapy and narrative therapy, were briefly discussed. · Finally a graphic presentation of a new trauma counselling program was included. To see whether this trauma counselling program could help children to overcome posttraumatic symptoms and prevent posttraumatic stress-disorder, it was implemented during two case studies. · The first case study was a girl that had been bitten by dogs twice. As a result of this trauma, she developed an unnatural fear of dogs. The trauma counselling program was implemented, and after a few weeks the girl was able to conquer and control her fear of dogs. · The second case study was a boy who needed to accept his father’s suicide. The trauma counselling program was adapted to suit his specific needs, and once again the program helped the boy to understand and accept his father’s suicide. The success of these two case studies, lead to the acceptance of this study’s hypothesis, namely, that if one developed a trauma counselling program that are compatible with the needs of children in their mid childhood years, it will help children to accept and overcome trauma. Therefore posttraumatic stress symptoms will be reduced and post-traumatic disorder will be prevented. / Dissertation (MEd (Learning Support, Guidance and Counselling))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Every day people are exposed to crimes in Sweden, which can lead to both emotional and practical difficulties. Having the opportunity to get support and help after a traumatic incident can reduce the negative consequences of a crime, such as posttraumatic stress disorder and secondary victimization. In many communities in Sweden there are local support services for the crime victims, but in the district of Östra Norrbotten there are no support activities that specifically address this issue. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate if the police in Östra Norrbotten feel that they can offer the crime victim sufficient support or refer to such support. Eight police officers in the district were interviewed to learn about their experiences. The results show that the majority of respondents felt that there are gaps in the field they can´t provide the crime victims to a support that they deem as sufficient or refer to such support. The fact that crime victims do not receive support can lead to negative impact on the recovery from all events. / <p>Validerat; 20130317 (global_studentproject_submitter)</p>

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The purpose of the study was to gain insight into how psychologists experience resiliency, satisfaction, and personal growth despite the challenges (e.g., vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue) of working with trauma survivors. While it cannot be ignored that many psychologists experience negative effects related to working with traumatized clients, it is important to acknowledge the potential to experience resiliency and growth from their work with trauma survivors. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to explore the lived experiences of vicarious resiliency and growth in psychologists who work with trauma survivors. Data was collected through an in-depth individual semi-structured interview with six psychologists. The data generated was transcribed and analyzed using an interpretive phenomenological analysis (Smith & Osborn, 2003). Results revealed four major themes: privileging a shared journey, developing purpose and personal growth, deriving positive meaning, and serving humanity with an overarching theme of maintaining resiliency. The current study provided a valuable contribution to the limited literature on psychologists’ ability to foster positive outcomes for themselves through focusing on resiliency, satisfaction, and growth, despite the inherent risks of trauma work. Applications to practice and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Children in the child welfare system comprise a group characterized by their exposure to trauma via experiences of maltreatment, under circumstances presenting multiple risk factors for traumatic stress. High rates of posttraumatic stress have been observed in this population. However, there is currently no standard for the universal screening of children in child welfare for trauma exposure and traumatic stress. The purpose of this study was to analyze the trauma experiences of a sample of maltreated children and examine whether child welfare workers are effective screeners of traumatic stress symptoms with children from their caseloads. Method: A sample of children (N= 131) with trauma screenings completed by their child welfare workers and clinical measures of traumatic stress symptoms based on self or caregiver report was analyzed. Descriptive and correlational analyses were conducted. Hypotheses were tested with a series of four hierarchical regression models to determine whether workers’ screening information regarding child age, trauma exposure history and symptoms of traumatic stress were predictive of outcomes on the clinical measures completed. Results: Findings from the analyses revealed complex trauma exposure histories and high rates of traumatic stress symptoms among this generally younger sample of maltreated children. Additionally, the models tested supported workers’ efficacy in screening for symptoms of total posttraumatic stress and specific trauma symptoms of intrusion and avoidance. Workers were less effective in screening for the traumatic stress symptoms associated with arousal. Implications: These findings support the importance of identifying the trauma recovery needs of maltreated children and the utility of child protection workers in assisting with the trauma screening process. Implications are provided for associated practices, policies and training efforts regarding the implementation of a trauma screening protocol in child welfare. This would serve as a critical pathway for creating trauma-informed systems that better address the needs of maltreated children and their families.