An Investigation of Research on Shared Trauma

Abstract

Shared trauma, or clinician and client exposure to the same large-scale traumatic event, represents a unique and profound experience with a plethora of potential outcomes. While these experiences do not constitute a daily workplace occurrence, they are happening with greater frequency due to global traumatic events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. A small but growing number of researchers across the world have commenced studying this phenomenon using a multitude of methodologies. This chapter provides a synopsis of the current research on shared trauma, organized according to region, methodology, populations of focus, shared traumatic effects, and suggestions for future research on the topic. The chapter highlights several key studies and instruments used to explore shared trauma, as well as studies that have explored shared trauma but failed to name it as such. Overall, this chapter aims to inform readers about the various contexts that shared trauma has been researched within, its impact on our current conceptualizations of shared trauma, and in the process to inspire scholars to continue this vital research. Keywords: Shared Trauma, Shared Traumatic Reality, Research Methods, Disaster Mental Health