Victims Of Traumatic Events Research Articles

Protective Factors as Mediators Between Trauma and Internalizing Difficulties Among Male and Female Young Adults

The goal of this study was to examine the indirect effect of protective factors (i.e., resilience, coping, and self-esteem) on the association between exposure to traumatic events in childhood and internalizing difficulties for men and women. We surveyed 583 young adults aged 18 to 25 years about past exposure to traumatic events and current internalizing difficulties. The results suggest that there is a significant indirect effect of protective factors on the association between lifetime traumatic event exposure and internalizing distress. Furthermore, there was a gender difference between groups for the indirect effect of protective factors; protective factors had a mediating effect for women but not for men. This study highlights the importance of protective factors in understanding why some individuals experience internalizing difficulties after exposure to traumatic events. When working with victims of traumatic events, it is essential to consider their sex and the presence of protective factors such as coping, resilience, and self-esteem.

The Centrality of Humiliation in Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

ABSTRACT Victims of traumatic events that involve repeated interpersonal aggression and low or no chance of escape frequently report intense Self-Conscious Emotions (SCEs), such as Shame, Guilt, and Humiliation. Humiliation is the reaction to a forced loss of status and is hypothesized to have unique contributions to the development and maintenance of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD). However, previous studies did not include humiliation or did not simultaneously probe the relative contribution of each SCE to posttraumatic symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the dynamics between specific SCEs and trauma-related symptomatology in the general population who suffered a form of complex trauma. Four hundred forty-nine people (77.11% women) exposed to domestic violence and sexual abuse answered an online survey. We investigated whether each emotion would accurately predict probable PTSD and CPTSD levels above the proposed cutoff. We estimated a network model to understand the dynamics of their interactions and whether the traumatic event type would moderate relationships between SCEs and posttraumatic stress symptoms, comparing networks of two types of complex trauma. No SCE predicted PTSD, but humiliation was a predictor of CPTSD while controlling for Shame and Guilt. Humiliation was also the most central SCE domain in the networks of both traumatic events. Our results stress the relevance of Humiliation to understanding posttraumatic stress symptoms and the necessity to consider humiliation when studying the emotional processing in complex trauma.

Psychological demands of health professionals in the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic

Recent literature emphasizes how the specific stressors of the COVID-19 outbreak affect the general population and frontline professionals, including those conducting support or backup activities in health units, which can lead to vicarious traumatization. Vicarious traumatization has been used to describe negative emotional reactions in mental health professionals who assist or treat victims of traumatic events. Thus, the aim of this article is to report the actions used in the face of the psychological demands of professionals in a hospital, who were not on the frontline of COVID-19. We collected their sociodemographic information and checked the psychological impact using the depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS-21), which was followed by a psychoeducational program (topics related to COVID-19 control and prevention), and individual psychological care for the most severe cases. A total of 118 professionals participated in this study; they were between 20 and 67 years old. Mild to moderate anxiety was observed in 36.5% of the medical teams, 83.3% of the administrative staff, and 65.7% of general service workers, while stress symptoms were observed in 80.2%, 83.3%, and 59.9%, respectively. Depressive symptoms (35.3%) were more frequent in general service workers. The medical teams reported the benefits of primary psychological care, while the other professionals demanded more institutional support services related to the prevention and use of personal protective equipment. This study highlights relevant psychological demands that have repercussions on the daily lives of professionals. The psychoeducational program was considered positive regarding clarification actions. However, it was not perceived as effective in reducing fear, which may result from vicarious traumatization and requires other intervention modalities.

Carnivalizing Other’s Misery: From Human Ice Cream Sundae to Polar Plunge to Ice Bucket Challenge

Reflecting on Shing-Ling Chen’s experience of being a Leukemia child’s mother encountering others’ seemingly hurtful support of her misery, the authors address the ethics of having fun activities as fundraisers for victims of traumatic events. The authors question the adequacy of hosting entertaining activities to fundraise for victims of Asian Tsunami, or patients of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; that is, the ALS ice-bucket challenge) and cancers (e.g., polar plunge), and so on. The social dynamics and communication processes involved in these events are analyzed.

El Capitan as a Site for Male Healing from Trauma in Jeff Long’s The Wall and Tommy Caldwell’s The Push

Abstract
 Nature and mountains are often represented as places of healing in literature and the media, especially for white, healthy, and middleclass men. However, discussions on nature and gender in relation to trauma are rare, and a specific discussion on the representation of male mountain climbers’ traumas is missing. In this article, we are interested in how nature, particularly the famous mountain El Capitan, is represented in Jeff Long’s novel The Wall (2006) and Tommy Caldwell’s memoir The Push (2017) as a specific spatial location of healing for male rock climbers, who at the same time are both victims of traumatic events and partially responsible for the development of those events. More specifically, this article places ecofeminist and ecological masculinities scholarship in dialog with trauma studies and analyzes these texts with the aim of showing how representations of trauma relate to those of nature and masculinity. In this analysis, questions of how certain aspects of ecological and hegemonic masculinities relate to representing trauma, nature, and masculinity are central, as are issues of perpetrator trauma and the non-generic character of traumatic experience. Ultimately, we show how representations of nature, trauma, and masculinities in the primary texts converge and reflect a plurality of gendered responses to trauma and healing in nature.

Health outcomes of the July 14, 2016 Nice terror attack among hospital-based professionals and students: the \xab ECHOS de Nice \xbb health survey protocol

BackgroundThe terror attack of July 14, 2016, in Nice, France, resulted in 86 deaths, including children, and several hundred wounded, with a major psychological impact on the population. Hospital staff had to cope with exceptional circumstances which made them vulnerable to detrimental effects on their own health.This paper describes the method that was selected for the survey entitled “ECHOS de Nice 14 Juillet” which aimed to assess the impact of the attack on the psychological, psycho-traumatic and somatic health condition of the Nice University and Lenval hospital staff who were directly or indirectly exposed to the attack, and also to describe the support and care facilities they were offered.MethodECHOS de Nice 14 juillet is an observational, cross-sectional, multicentre study focusing on all the hospital staff and students of both institutions, i.e. 10,100 persons in June 2017. A web-based questionnaire based on the model developed by Santé Publique France (IMPACTS and ESPA 13 novembre 2015) was adapted to the contexts of the healthcare professionals and students employed in these healthcare institutions in Nice and published on line from June 21 to October 30, 2017. The paper describes the tools that were used to meet the aims of the study, i.e. identification of exposure categories (‘civilian’ exposure for those present during the attack and/or ‘professional’ exposure); indicators of psychological impact (anxiety, depression, burnout, compassion fatigue, suicidal states, tobacco and alcohol use, self-medications), psycho-traumatic and somatic impact; professional and social impact. Lastly, awareness of availability and use of psychological support and care-follow-up facilities by professionals were investigated. Respondents could include extensive qualitative comments on the various themes explored in the questionnaire, with text analysis complementing that of quantitative data.DiscussionThe benefits and limitations of the selected methodology are discussed, in view of contributing useful information to help anticipate and manage health issues among hospital staff who have been victims of traumatic events.

OVERCOMING PSYCHOEMOTIONAL TRAUMATIZATION PERSONALITY IN TERMS UNSTABLE PRESENT DAY

Events occur in Ukraine that go beyond the limits of everyday life and stability and bring lives to people, affecting the everyday meaning of human existence and giving it a certain boundary-existential context. Therefore, the existence of an individual in the midst of instability and unpredictability will raise the problem of helping victims of traumatic events throughout the country. If do not receive timely and proper professional social and psychological assistance, in victims, increases the level of trauma that could greatly complicate further their physical, psychological and social recovery. This begs the important task of developing effective programs to prevent and overcome the psychoemotional trauma of the personality. Working out quantitative results of research and their qualitative analysis concerning the primary indicators of our places of stay in psychoemotional traumatization, concerning the loss or destruction of physical or social danger, or psychological and social danger of an individual. Emotional psychotrauma can occur not only because of the impact of such critical cases as war or natural and social cataclysms, serious illnesses, but also due to the breakdown of relations, deep frustration in people or life, loss of an ideal, social or individual deprivation of personality. In general, the results indicate the main reasons and consequences of obtaining a psychotrauma by the subjects; determine the ways of self-correction that respondents use, as well as the lack of their focus on seeking help from professional psychologists. Also updated the question of the availability and professional support such aid and create conditions for broader prevention work with different groups of people.

Post-traumatic urbanism: Repressing Manshiya and Wadi Salib

Trauma is defined as a wound or an injury caused by an act of violence on one's body, or as a severe anxiety caused by an unpleasant experience. The victims of traumatic events may develop psychological stress disorder, which is manifested in several symptoms: post-traumatic stress disorder. The 1948 Arab-Israeli had caused both physical and psychological trauma. The symptoms of this trauma are still visible today in various Israeli cities. As a result of the war, Israeli cities had annexed formerly owned Palestinian villages and neighborhoods. Along the years, these vacated Palestinian houses were settled by Jewish immigrants, turned to slums and became the target of several urban renewal projects. These renewal projects mainly asked to erase all traces of the neighborhood's Arab past, and to introduce a new urban order. This research focuses on Al Manshiya in Tel Aviv-Jaffa and Wadi Salib in Haifa, two former Palestinian neighborhoods, which were vacated from their original inhabitants. This research surveys the re-planning process of both neighborhoods, its implementation and its current status. Asking whether one can depict symptoms of post-trauma in the urban scheme and in the buildings' architecture. Al Manshiya was torn down completely in the 1970's, in order to make place for Tel Aviv's new central business district. This project was never fully completed, as the symptoms of the post-trauma are manifested in the disconnected grand office buildings, the urban void and the parking lots surrounding them. The majority of Wadi Salib was torn down as well, as several decaying buildings are still standing in the cleared and empty neighborhood. The emptiness, neglect and oblivion emphasize the post-traumatic experience. In the recent years however, several projects asked to deal with the neighborhoods' past and heritage. Even then, the references remained superficial leaving the trauma unattended and not curing the neighborhoods' from their post-trauma symptoms.

Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of the PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview for Patients With Severe Burn in Taiwan.

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Post-traumatic Syndrome Scale-Interview (C-PSSI) for severe burn victims of the Formosa Fun Coast Explosion that occurred in Taiwan. A purposive sampling, cross-sectional, descriptive design study was selected. Participants were patients with severe burns from the Formosa Fun Coast Explosion, selected from teaching medical centers in Taiwan. They completed the C-PSSI and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Statistical analysis was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties, including reliability, construct validity (using confirmatory factor analysis), convergent validity, and criterion-related validity of the questionnaire. Data on 63 participants were analyzed. The Cronbach's α of the entire C-PSSI was .88, ranging from .73 to .82 for the three subscales of this instrument. The item-total correlation coefficient was from .42 to .81. Examining the convergent validity revealed that two subscores of the C-PSSI were significantly correlated with PHQ-9 total scores (ρ = .58, .44, P < .01). Criterion-related validity was confirmed because the PHQ-9 total scores were significantly correlated with the total C-PSSI scores (ρ = .54, P < .01). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the construct validity, with a good model fit. Integrated moderate to good psychometric properties were demonstrated and a three-factor model of the C-PSSI was verified in patients with severe burn in Taiwan. The C-PSSI exhibited adequate psychometric properties for posttraumatic stress disorder evaluation in patients with severe burn in Taiwan. The Chinese version of this scale can be used to assess the psychological problems of victims of traumatic events.

Зависимость характера преступления от типа травматизации преступника (на примере несовершеннолетних осужденных за насильственные преступления)

The article is devoted to psychological correction of juvenile offenders for violent crimes. The authors, based on the fundamentals polygeneration system of traumatology, hypothesize about the presence of a family history of juvenile offenders system traumas. The study was conducted in PKU Nakhodka educational colony GUFSIN Russia for the Primorye territory in January-February 2017. The study involved 23 minors convicted of violent crimes. All system traumas are divided into four types: existential trauma, trauma of losses, trauma of relationship and trauma family system. Conclusions about what the nature of the offence depends on the depth and type of traumatization of the perpetrator and his family system. All examined juvenile offenders are themselves victims of traumatic events in their own families. The main types of trauma from sex offenders are trauma of losses and trauma of relationship. Family convicted of murder filled with existential trauma, trauma of relationship and trauma family system. Convicted of intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm had an average degree of trauma. There are all kinds of trauma in their experience, with a predominance of existential trauma. Offered the main directions of psychological adjustment to each category of prisoners.

Autobiographical Memory Impairment in Female Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

Although the health consequences of intimate partner violence (IPV) have been amply described, as of yet, no study has focused on autobiographical memory (AM), despite the fact that AM dysfunction has been shown to have an impact on everyday life. We assessed AM using a cue-word task in 25 female victims of IPV and 22 control women who had never been exposed to a traumatic event. The IPV group also completed measures of psychotraumatic symptoms. AM was impaired in the IPV victims. When the effect of cue-word valence was analyzed, decreased AM specificity was observed with negative cue-words. This exploratory study demonstrates AM dysfunction among female victims of IPV for the first time. The pattern is consistent with the AM impairment observed in victims of traumatic events.

Padrão de vítimas e lesões no trauma com motocicletas

Introduction: In Brazil, at least one in nine hospitalized patients was a traffic accident victim. The impact of these numbers implies economic, social and administrative repercussions. Objectives: To raise epidemiological data on victims of traumatic events with motorcycles forwarded to a tertiary level hospital (Conjunto Hospitalar de Sorocaba) to describe the injuries and discuss the impact on quality of life of these victims. Method: Prospective study that included trauma victims from accidents with motorcycles, between April and September, 2013, referenced to a tertiary level hospital. For data collection, standardized form was drawn up with trauma scores, mechanism of trauma and description of injuries. Results: A total of 143 patients were analyzed: 83.2% men and 16.8% women, with the predominance of the age group between 20–29 years (49.6%). The use of helmets was reported in 98.5% of cases. The male gender accounted for about 86% in the category of the motorcycle driver. The main mechanisms of trauma were collisions (72.7%), followed by drop of motorcycle (15.4%). The most frequent injuries were bruises (72.9%) and cut- blunt injuries (13.8%). The most affected anatomical segments were the arms and legs, representing 83% of the cases. All patients were assessed for Revised Trauma Score (RTS); victims with RTS=12 amounted to 97.9%, suggesting relatively light gravity of most patients. Conclusions: The findings of this study, as the standard majority of victims of accidents involving motorcycles are compatible with the literature. The dominance of the economically active population of the country in as costly and disabling events such as motorcycle accidents implies the need for new strategies in traffic management and public health.

Capturing invisible dimensions of terrorist victimisation through photography and video: Theoretical background for a research in progress in the Basque country

Memorialisation is experienced by victims of traumatic events as a form of justice. Victims? and society right to memory is mentioned in the Basque Law 4/2008 on recognition and protection of terrorism victims and the Spanish Law 29/2011 on recognition and integral protection of terrorism victims. Drawing from critical victimology and memory studies, this contribution aims at addressing current criticism by some victims? organizations with regard to memory public policies in this field. It particularly addresses ways of restoration through memory linked to the meaning of spaces of victimisation by examining the work of different photographers on making aspects of those victimisations visible for the contested purpose of remembering. First the conceptual framework on space, victimisation and memory is presented. Then it is related to the results of qualitative research by the Basque Institute of Criminology. At the end the micro, meso and macro aspects of local intervention proposals on restorative memory, including ethical remarks are commented.

Occupational stress and UN peacekeepers.

Ireland has been actively involved in peacekeeping operations since the 1950s. The unique psychological stressors associated with this form of military activity have been under-recognised and under-researched. Aim The aim of this paper is to bring to the attention of mental health professionals, who have been caring for military and retired military peacekeeping personnel, the unique difficulties associated with peacekeeping and how they can impact upon the mental health of the peacekeeper. The nature of peacekeeping is outlined. There is a short review of the limited literature on the mental health effects of this kind of military deployment. There is also an outline of the positive outcomes for the majority of those who have served as peacekeepers. Both the negative and the positive mental health outcomes depend on the particular mission. Each mission is different and the nature of a mission also changes over time. Post-traumatic stress disorder rates can vary from 3% to 15% of a peacekeeping cohort, depending upon the nature of the violence associated with the mission. The vast majority of peacekeepers have found their peacekeeping deployments as an enriching experience. Peacekeepers are often witnesses as well as the victims of traumatic events. The restrictions placed upon their military role by the mission mandate can be a source of stress for them. Their mental health needs to be supported during the mission and after they have returned home.

Migration and preterm birth in war refugees: a Swedish cohort study

Migration and preterm birth in war refugees: a Swedish cohort study

Post-traumatic stress disorder among homeless adults in Poland: Prevalence and predictors

BACKGROUND: Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have often been found in studies on homeless people, due to high rates of traumatic experiences. Most research on homelessness has been conducted in North America and Western Europe. However there are many social and cultural factors which can impact the prevalence and number of PTSD symptoms. AIMS: This study sought to determine the prevalence and predictors of trauma and PTSD symptoms among homeless adults in an Eastern European nation (Poland). METHOD: Randomly chosen residents of shelters were interviewed (N = 200). The respondents were asked about symptoms of PTSD, alcohol abuse/dependence, depression symptoms and perceived social support. RESULTS: The data indicated that 30% of the homeless sample were victims of traumatic events, 22% showed at least one PTSD symptom, and 7% met criteria for a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD. Symptoms of PTSD were the most common among those who had symptoms of alcohol abuse/ dependence and depression. CONCLUSION: The study’s findings support the need to attend to mental disorders such as PTSD when addressing the array of needs of homeless people.

Trauma and Religiousness

Victims of traumatic events who experience re-traumatization often develop a highly ambivalent relationship to God and all religiosity as extremely conflictual. On the one hand, they may choose to blame God for not having protected them, for having left them to feel so alone, for having been indifferent to them or they may even turn their wrath upon God, as the source of cruelty. Often though, the traumas experienced by individuals prompt them to turn to God and religion in search of help. This gives reason for the need of new and up-to-date research that can help elucidate why some people choose to seek help in religion and others turn away from it.

Time to End Mind-Brain Split

Time to End Mind-Brain Split

The clinical significance criterion in DSM-IV post-traumatic stress disorder

The DSM-IV definition of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) requires that the syndrome cause clinically significant distress or impairment. The impact of the clinical significance criterion on the lifetime prevalence of PTSD among civilian victims of traumatic events has not been evaluated. Data from two community-based samples were examined, the 1996 Detroit Area Survey of Trauma (n=2181) and the Mid-Atlantic Urban Youth Study (n=1698). The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WHO CIDI) was used to ascertain DSM-IV PTSD. The inclusion of the clinical significance criterion in DSM-IV reduces the conditional probability of PTSD given exposure to trauma by approximately 30%. Cases with clinically significant syndrome showed more pervasive and persistent disturbance and an excess in impaired activity days. The consistency of the findings between the two studies strengthens the evidence on the impact of the clinical significance criterion in the diagnosis of PTSD, and the construct validity of its measurement. There is a need for greater research effort on the definition and measurement of the clinical significance criterion.

Der Zusammenhang zwischen Trauma und Dissoziation: Eine kritische Betrachtung

Dissociation is often considered to be a psychological defense mechanism used by victims of traumatic events (e. g., sexual abuse, physical punishment, or emotional abuse). Evidence for this view comes from studies that found a connection between self-reported traumatic childhood experiences and high levels of dissociation. However, there are some problems with this causal interpretation. The aim of this review is to summarize evidence that casts doubts on the commonly voiced view that the connection between self-reported trauma and dissociation is a simple and robust one. First, we briefly summarize studies that looked at the link between trauma and dissociation as well as studies that identified factors that may modulate this link. Second, we review studies that explored the psychological correlates of dissociation. Over the past few years, our knowledge of these correlates has increased considerably. Some of these correlates (e. g., fantasy proneness, suggestibility, and frontal lobe dysfunction) are especially relevant because they may undermine the accuracy of retrospective self-reports of trauma. Finally, we conclude that the link between trauma and dissociation is more complex than many clinicians seem to assume. In particular, the possibility that dissociation acts as an antecedent of self-reported trauma warrants serious attention.