Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Trauma studies'

The relationship between international development and psychological aid is a very complex one. The conversations regarding societal restoration, restorative justice and healing are full of theoretical frameworks aimed at centering on a plan for rehabilitation. The Great Lakes Region of Africa has endured longstanding conflict, famine and poverty and has been the focus of both psychological aid and international relief efforts. While much research focuses on the needs of the communities within the Great Lakes Region, there is a need for the voices of those who are carrying out the restorative work on the ground to be heard. This dissertation focuses on acknowledging the voices of those trauma counselors in Gulu, Uganda and Nakivale Refugee Settlement who have been trained to carry out a specific form of trauma counseling called Scripture Based Trauma Healing. These words reflect their stories.

Acute and/or complex trauma exposure during the vulnerable, critical developmental period of childhood places children at greater risks for developing emotional, psychological, behavioral difficulties. Currently, 60 % of children experience between one to four traumatic events and 25% of these children develop trauma symptoms consistent within full or partial PTSD diagnostic criteria. The greater the number of multiple and/or chronic traumatic experiences, especially within the caregiver system, the greater the risks for significant impairment, trauma symptoms and developmental difficulties. Utilizing Attachment Theory and Trauma Theory, this quantitative study explored the relationship between parent self-reported, child trauma (PTSD) symptoms, child trauma exposure, parental trauma exposure in childhood, parent burnout, parental attachment to their child, parent spirituality and parent PTSD trauma symptoms. Secondary, archival data was collected from a convenience sample including thirty-three parents/caregivers from a clinic population in the southeastern United States. The exploratory, quantitative research study focused on identifying potential systemic risks and resiliency factors that may serve to mediate child trauma (PTSD) symptoms. The results indicated potential risks factors of child trauma (PTSD) symptoms included both the number and specific types of parental adverse childhood experiences. In addition, the number of child trauma experiences predicted child trauma (PTSD) symptomology, while high parental attachment, low parent burnout and high spirituality served as potential systemic resiliency factors. Parent trauma (PTSD) symptoms and parent spirituality were not found to predict child trauma (PTSD) symptomology following child trauma exposure. This exploratory research study does not imply causality but highlights additional systemic, family assessment avenues for further research for decreasing the negative impact of child trauma (PTSD) exposure.

The enslavement and persecution of African and Native peoples has been occurring in the U.S. since the 1600s. There have been justifications, explanations and excuses offered as to why one race feels superior over another. Slavery, according to the Abolition Project, refers to "a condition in which individuals are owned by others, who control where they live and at what they work" (e2bn.org, 2009). Dr. Maria Yellow Horse Braveheart researched the concept of historical trauma as it relates to American Indians, whereby she found that trauma due to unresolved grief, disenfranchised grief, and unresolved internalized oppression could continue to manifest itself through many generations. This thesis will examine the intergenerational effects of historical trauma as they are depicted in selected African and Native bildungsromans. These specific works were chosen because they allow me to compare and contrast how subsequent generations of these two cultures were still being directly affected by colonialism, especially as it pertains to the loss of their identities. It also allows me to reflect on how each of the main characters, all on the cusp of adulthood, make choices for their respective futures based on events that occurred long before they were born.

Chapters One and Two highlight specific works from African American authors Toni Morrison and Alice Walker. Walker's novel, The Color Purple, depicts the life of an African American girl in the rural South of the 1930s. In this work I will examine how the loss of the male traditional role of provider and protector has affected the family dynamics and led to the male assuming the role of oppressor. In Morrison's Song of Solomon, I will examine the importance of identity and how one man's flight from slavery has affected the family structure of four subsequent generations. Both of the protagonists, Celie and Milkman, were born free, and yet still feel enslaved, just as their ancestors were, by their lack of choices as well as their quest for purpose and personal justice.

Chapters Three and Four will discuss literary works by Native American authors Louise Erdrich and Sherman Alexie, both vocal advocates of educating the lost generations—those who were forbidden to learn of and practice their language or tribal rituals due to colonialism—as well as Anglo-Americans on the importance of preserving the culture and heritage of their people. In Erdrich's The Round House, young Joe Coutts' family is tragically ripped apart by a physically violent attack on his mother. In an attempt to discover the truth of what really happened and who harmed her, Joe embarks on a journey in which borders, both literal and figurative, jurisdiction, and justice will be defined. The choices made by Joe, the adolescent, will have a direct impact on the evolution of Joe, the adult. In Alexie's Flight, Zits is a fifteen year old boy who seemingly belongs nowhere and to no one. It is this lack of identity that initially leads him down a path of destruction and on a magical journey of self-discovery where he will learn that he has within himself the ability to overcome his own personal tragedies, define who he is, and find happiness. The final chapter introduces the concept of restorative justice, a legal term that emphasizes repairing the harm done to crime victims through a process of negotiation, mediation, victim empowerment and reparations. I will also briefly discuss how both African and Native people are reclaiming their cultural identities through naming, ceremony, and traditions. I will briefly define a new concept developed by Dr. Joy Deruy Leary, referred to as post traumatic slave syndrome, and will show that like historical response trauma, its symptoms can be traced back generations to the enslavement of African people. I will argue that justice, identity and the lack of choices are major themes identified in each of these works which tie them all together. I will also argue that these themes have a direct correlation to the signs and symptoms of both Historical Response Trauma and Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome as defined by Dr. Braveheart and Dr. Leary, and how ultimately each of these protagonists used some means of restorative justice to stop the cycle of trauma and begin the process of healing

This project served to locate a potential funding source and write a grant to secure funding for a program that provides mental health and psychological treatments, resources and information, and ultimately empowers Latina domestic workers who have survived trauma within and outside their scope of work. The program will be implemented by an MSW with Promotora community leadership. The program consists of a trauma focused intervention group with culturally sensitive and empirically supported curriculum as well as crisis mobilization services for female Latina domestic workers in the city of Los Angeles. If funded, this program will enable social workers and others to be able to advocate successfully and be informed about Latina domestic workers who face specific challenges in their work, including physical and mental health concerns, safety issues, a lack of labor protections, and overall health. Submitting this proposal for funding was not required to successfully complete this project.

This qualitative research study examines the effects of parental historical trauma on the educational aspirations and outcomes of second-generation Cambodian Americans. Twenty second-generation Cambodian Americans whose parents survived the Cambodian genocide (1975–1979) participated. The dissertation utilized the conceptual framework of historical trauma to navigate the research questions: 1). To what extent are children of Cambodian genocide survivors affected by the trauma their parents experienced and what form does this inherited trauma take? 2). What home experiences enhance or hinder academic aspirations and outcomes of the children of Cambodian genocide survivors? 3). What are the supportive networks and actions that foster hope and positive development for second-generation Cambodian Americans? The data were analyzed using qualitative methods and NVivo software. Three key themes were found. The first theme was unresolved trauma. As a result, parental guidance and an open relationship between parents and children were limited. The second theme was overprotection. It was a common behavior among parents who survived the genocide to want to shield their children from any unforeseen circumstances. The last key finding was a lack of communication between parents and children due to a language barrier.

Building on the findings of this study, it is recommended that schools with large Cambodian American populations should educate later generations about Cambodian history, including the Genocide, and provide dual immersion language classes. This would help to interrupt intergenerational trauma, reduce the language barrier, and allow students and their parents to find purpose and peace. Future research should explore the experiences of survivors, including survivors who lived through the genocide but did not suffer persecution. Such research could lead to truth and reconciliation.

This study examined the relationship between counselor ethnic-racial identity (CERI), counselor exposure to client trauma (CECT), counselor wellness (CW), and counselor burnout (CB). Ethical practice requires that counselors avoid impairment, in part, by increasing wellness. Therefore, understanding the factors that impact wellness and burnout is essential due to prevalence of trauma and the profession’s growing diversity. Participants (N = 138) completed the Ethnic Identity Scale (EIS-B), Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS), Counselor Burnout Inventory (CBI), and Five Factor Wellness Inventory (FFWel-A2). A path analysis was utilized to examine the simultaneous relationship between the variables. Differences between majority (n = 62) and minority participants (n = 76) were explored using subsequent path analyses. Results and recommendations for future research are discussed.

The purpose of this thesis was to obtain a grant to develop a Somatic Therapy Program for at-risk Jewish female adolescents attending Camp Extreme for Girls, sponsored by Project Extreme of New York. This population has unique needs, is underserved in residential style programs, and has been found to respond positively with measurable changes. The goal of the Somatic Therapy Program was to reduce the effects of traumatic experiences through lowering trauma induced anxiety, enhancing emotional health, and supporting enduring personal growth.

The Henry and Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Foundation was recognized as a suitable funding agency as this foundation supports youth development and promotes strategies that enhance positive results. The grant writer developed the Somatic Therapy Program in order to provide at-risk Jewish female teens quality, long lasting emotional changes within a therapeutic setting. The actual submission and/or funding of this grant was not a requirement for the successful completion of this project.

The subject of this inquiry is the lived experience of the body healing from childhood interpersonal trauma. The questions driving this inquiry were designed to elicit the meaning body-based healing has brought to those who have endured childhood trauma and engaged in healing practices offered by the field of psychology, including both talk therapy and somatic psychotherapy and practices. The literature in psychology reveals scarce studies that privilege the lived experiences of persons who are in the process of transforming childhood trauma. Therefore, there is need for this study which foregrounds the mind, body, and spiritual lived experiences of trauma and its healing, in participant’s own words.

This study brings forth the stories of four participants who experienced interpersonal childhood trauma and also sought body-based healing modalities. Through the perspective of psyche, outcomes of this study were revealed from a deep, reflective, metaphorical standpoint. This theoretical foundation set the stage for the use of the qualitative method of narrative inquiry. Phenomenological analysis of interviews created a first-person subjective point of view into the experience of developing a deeper body consciousness.

Meaning derived from this study delineated four pathways of healing presented under the refrains of Seeking Healing, What Wants to Live, Living Within Trauma and Healing, and The Awakened Body. From here, the study provides a broader context to the experience of healing that includes the movement from dissociation to awareness in a context of uncertainty. This perspective provides a different consideration of what is happening in the healing process, important for psychotherapists, as well as trauma scholars and practitioners exploring treatments. Most importantly, the outcomes will be of interest to those who are healing from childhood trauma, sketching a trajectory of how body-based therapies and activities potentially transform many aspects of one’s life. Outcomes could guide further research related to the intersections of childhood trauma and long-term healing and transformation.

The prevalence of trauma for Black American youth is disproportionate to other cultural groups. Child and adolescent exposure to interpersonal trauma has been found to increase the risk for both immediate and long-term mental health impairment. Research of childhood trauma has made clear the adverse effects of childhood trauma, and its’ lifelong impact in domains of psychological, interpersonal, and cognitive functioning. Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment that has repeatedly proven to be efficacious in the treatment of childhood trauma. By offering culturally mindful recommendations for treatment, this dissertation lends a potentially useful supplement to providers utilizing TF-CBT with Black American adolescents.

With the outbreak of civil war in Somalia in the late eighties and early nineties, many Somali fled the country, often with young children in tow. This study used a qualitative method of individual interviews to explored the current ideology and socio-structural living situation of 8 Somali male youth 18 -23. This research focuses on exploring the social-psychological interactions between Somali refugees with forced migration experiences and their American born sons. This exploration was in service of determining trauma symptomology in the offspring of refugees with forced migration experiences. Participants completed measures of trauma-transmitted symptomology measuring, intrusion, avoidance and hyperarousal, as well as measures recording Primary Care Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, (PC-PTSD). The PC-PTSD scale is currently in use by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Participants were interviewed in English, and queried about subjects such as; initial knowledge of parents’ refugee status, knowledge of parent’s past trauma, current relationship with parents, and their views on how Somali’s refugee history might affect male Somali youth today. Data gathered from this study was analyzed using five multilayered stages according to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The results of this study uncovered concurrent themes among the participants to include: Communication, Transformative Identities, Faith, Acculturation/Integration, and Familial Ties. The results of this study revealed that a consistent optimistic family and community narrative was able to positively influence the current and future narratives and ideology of the youth studied. These findings coincide with Bowen’s theory of self-differentiation, and positive coping methodology (Gialadi & Bell, 2012).

The purpose of this project was to write a grant to create a workshop for service providers who work with veterans who suffer from complex trauma post-traumatic stress disorder (CT-PTSD) and locate a funding source. Since 2001, there has been an expansion as veterans have left the military. An issue facing veterans is how complex trauma interacts with PTSD. The agency chosen for the workshop is Veterans First in Santa Ana. The funding source is the Wounded Warrior Project. The project was designed to measure the skills and knowledge of service providers working with CT-PTSD. The workshop utilized pre and post surveys to monitor workshop effectiveness, provider understanding, and knowledge implementation. Currently, CT-PTSD is an under developed diagnosis that it is not recognized in the latest version of the DSM-5. With the help of workshops such as this, it is hoped that this will become a recognized veteran issue. Keywords: Veteran, Complex, PTSD, Grant Actual submission of and/or funding of the grant proposal was not required for successful completion of this project.