scholarly journals Resilience: Safety in the Aftermath of Traumatic Stressor Experiences

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly Matheson ◽  
Ajani Asokumar ◽  
Hymie Anisman
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Historical Trauma ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Safe Place ◽  
Coping Responses ◽  
Biological Stress ◽  
Adverse Experiences ◽  
The Individual

The relationship between adverse experiences and the emergence of pathology has often focused on characteristics of the stressor or of the individual (stressor appraisals, coping strategies). These features are thought to influence multiple biological processes that favor the development of mental and physical illnesses. Less often has attention focused on the aftermath of traumatic experiences, and the importance of safety and reassurance that is necessary for longer-term well-being. In some cases (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder) this may be reflected by a failure of fear extinction, whereas in other instances (e.g., historical trauma), the uncertainty about the future might foster continued anxiety. In essence, the question becomes one of how individuals attain feelings of safety when it is fully understood that the world is not necessarily a safe place, uncertainties abound, and feelings of agency are often illusory. We consider how individuals acquire resilience in the aftermath of traumatic and chronic stressors. In this respect, we review characteristics of stressors that may trigger particular biological and behavioral coping responses, as well as factors that undermine their efficacy. To this end, we explore stressor dynamics and social processes that foster resilience in response to specific traumatic, chronic, and uncontrollable stressor contexts (intimate partner abuse; refugee migration; collective historical trauma). We point to resilience factors that may comprise neurobiological changes, such as those related to various stressor-provoked hormones, neurotrophins, inflammatory immune, microbial, and epigenetic processes. These behavioral and biological stress responses may influence, and be influenced by, feelings of safety that come about through relationships with others, spiritual and place-based connections.

scholarly journals The Traumatic Life Experiences and Ontological Well-Being: Insights from Narrative Psychology and Self-Memory Theory

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seçil Bülbül ◽  
◽  
Serin Işiaçik ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Narrative Psychology ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

Ontological well-being adopts a holistic perspective on well-being similar to the narrative psychology when analyzing life histories by referring to past, present, and future aspects of one's life. Relatedly, the self-memory view proposes that life events are self-evaluated. Based on the narrative psychology and self-memory approach, affective life events and emotions are processed in the memory and play a role in structuring self-perceptions and psychological well-being. Therefore, turbulent external conditions such as the pandemic, uncertain environments and socio-economic challenges may lead to traumatic experiences for individuals. Being exposed to traumatic events and experiencing post-traumatic stress harms mental health, well-being, and work performance. This study aims to examine the relationship between traumatic life experiences and ontological well-being within the period of COVID 19 pandemic. It is intended to reveal the impact of traumatic experiences on ontological well-being of individuals in work life. A cross-sectional study was utilized throughout an online survey with the participation of 270 employees working in various private organizations. Following the statistical analyses, the findings were evaluated and both conceptual and practical discussions were provided.

Abstract P222: Psychological Recovery After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage: The Role of Post-Traumatic Growth and Self-Compassion

Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne M Thorburn
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Haemorrhage ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Post Traumatic Growth ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
The Relationship

Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH), a subset of haemorrhagic stroke, is a potentially fatal condition with a mortality rate of approximately 50%. Of those that survive, some 60% will experience ongoing disability and impairment. Forty per cent of remaining survivors will experience what is deemed as a good neurological recovery. Despite good recovery, people have been found to experience negative psychosocial outcomes such as high levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depression and reduced levels of overall well-being. As a result, aSAH has been viewed as a traumatic life experience with the potential for ongoing psychological sequelae. More recently the literature has identified that traumatic experiences can also elicit an opportunity for growth. Post-traumatic growth (PTG) states that for some people, the experience of trauma may also result in positive psychological gains. PTG has previously been investigated as an outcome after natural disasters and in a range of medical conditions; however, no studies have investigated PTG after an aSAH. A recent study identified that PTG may play a psychologically buffering role after a diagnosis of breast cancer. It is possible that PTG may also play a protective role in recovery after an aSAH; however, this has not been investigated. This study comprised N = 251 adults who had experienced an aSAH, and were recruited from Australia, U.K., U.S.A., New Zealand, and Canada. This study examined whether people who have survived an aSAH experience PTG; if predictors including self-compassion (SC) and social support (SS) influence the development of PTG after an aSAH; and if PTG moderates the relationship between PTSS, and depression and subjective well-being. Regression analyses were utilised to analyse the data. Results showed that people experience PTG after an aSAH; SC predicted PTG; PTG was not found to moderate the relationship between PTSS and either Depression or SWB domains. Supplementary analyses were conducted with SC not a significant moderator between PTSS and either depression or SWB domains. However, SC was found to mediate the relationship between PTSS and Depression and PTSS and SWB domains.

scholarly journals Explanations for the increase in mental health problems in UK reserve forces who have served in Iraq

2007 ◽  
Vol 190 (6) ◽  
pp. 484-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tess Browne ◽  
Lisa Hull ◽  
Oded Horn ◽  
Margaret Jones ◽  
Dominic Murphy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iraq War ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Unit Cohesion

BackgroundDeployment to the 2003 Iraq War was associated with ill health in reserve armed forces personnel.AimsTo investigate reasons for the excess of ill health in reservists.MethodUK personnel who were deployed to the 2003 Iraq War completed a health survey about experiences on deployment to Iraq. Health status was measured using self-report of common mental disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), fatigue, physical symptoms and well-being.ResultsReservists were older and of higher rank than the regular forces. They reported higher exposure to traumatic experiences, lower unit cohesion, more problems adjusting to homecoming and lower marital satisfaction. Most health outcomes could be explained by role, experience of traumatic events or unit cohesion in theatre. PTSD symptoms were the one exception and were paradoxically most powerfully affected by differences in problems at home rather than events in Iraq.ConclusionsThe increased ill-health of reservists appears to be due to experiences on deployment and difficulties with homecoming.

scholarly journals Survival states as indicators of learning performance and biological stress in refugee children: a cross-sectional study with a comparison group

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Hahnefeld ◽  
Thorsten Sukale ◽  
Elena Weigand ◽  
Katharina Münch ◽  
Sigrid Aberl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Trial Registration ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Parent Rating ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Biological Stress

Abstract Background Our goal was to accurately detect young children at risk for long-term psychiatric disturbances after potentially traumatic experiences in the course of relocation. In addition to detailed assessment of parent-rated parent and child symptomatology, we focused on disruptive behaviors in the education environment summarized as survival states, as these frequently lead to clinical referral. Methods We screened 52 refugee children aged 3–7 (M = 5.14 years, SD = 1.17) for symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screening (CATS) in parent rating. The parents’ mental health was assessed using the Refugee Health Screener (RHS-15). Furthermore, the child’s educators were asked to evaluate the pathological survival states of the child and we made a general assessment of the children’s symptoms with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) rated by parents and educators. Children in the refugee sample completed a working memory learning task (Subtest Atlantis from the Kaufmann Assessment Battery for Children, KABC-II) and delivered saliva samples for testing of the cortisol level. Results The parental rating of their child’s PTSD symptoms was significantly related to their own mental well-being (r = .50, p < .001). Children with survival states in educator ratings exhibited weaker learning performance (F = 3.49, p < .05) and higher evening cortisol levels (U = 113, z = − 1.7, p < .05, one-tailed). Conclusions Survival states are promising indicators for children’s learning performance and distress level complementary to parent rating of child PTSD, which is highly intercorrelated with the parents’ own symptom load. Trial registration Trial registration number: DRKS00021150 on DRKS Date of registration: 04.08.2020 retrospectively registered

Childhood Maltreatment and Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 427-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karmel W. Choi ◽  
Kathleen J. Sikkema
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Child Outcomes ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Mood And Anxiety Disorders

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) compromise maternal and child well-being and may be influenced by traumatic experiences across the life course. A potent and common form of trauma is childhood maltreatment, but its specific impact on PMADs is not well understood. A systematic review was undertaken to synthesize empirical literature on the relationship between maternal histories of childhood maltreatment and PMADs. Of the 876 citations retrieved, 35 reports from a total of 26,239 participants met inclusion criteria, documenting substantial rates of childhood maltreatment and PMADs. Robust trends of association were observed between childhood maltreatment and perinatal depression, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder, but findings for anxiety were less consistent. Examining multivariate results suggested that childhood maltreatment predicts PMADs above and beyond sociodemographic, psychiatric, perinatal, and psychosocial factors, but may also be partially mediated by variables such as later victimization and moderated by protective early relationships. Future research should test mediating and moderating pathways using prospective cohorts, expanding to cross-cultural settings and other disorder outcomes. Treatment and prevention of childhood maltreatment and its sequelae may help mitigate risk for perinatal psychopathology and its impact on maternal and child outcomes.

European Commission Project: European Guideline for Target Group-Oriented Psychosocial Aftercare—Implementation

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 234-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stepan Vymetal ◽  
Albert Deistler ◽  
Robert Bering ◽  
Claudia Schedlich ◽  
Magda Rooze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Commission ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Psychosocial Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Target Group ◽  
European Guideline ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Psychic Disorders ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Post Disaster

AbstractAfter disasters, the individual health and well-being of first responders and affected population are affected for years. Therefore, psychosocial help is needed. Although most victims recover on their own, a minority of survivors, members of rescue teams, or relatives develop long-term, disaster-related psychic disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This subgroup especially should receive timely and appropriate psychosocial help. Many European countries offer post-disaster psychosocial care from a variety of caregivers (i.e., professionals and volunteers, non-governmental organizations, church or commercial organizations). Therefore, European standards for providing post-disaster psychosocial support currently is required. This article describes the project European Guideline for Target Group-Oriented Psychosocial Aftercare—Implementation, supported by the European Commission.

Developmental Differences in Response to Trauma

2012 ◽  
pp. 37-48
Author(s):  
LaDona R. Wiebler
Keyword(s):  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Environmental Hazards ◽  
Developmental Differences ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Community School ◽  
Developmental Level ◽  
Adverse Experiences ◽  
The Individual

How people perceive and deal with traumatic experiences can vary widely, even within the same community, school, or family. Perhaps Jon Allen said it best when he defined trauma as “the subjective experience of the objective events.”1 It is how a person responds to what happens that decides what is and what is not considered traumatic by that individual. How one responds to environmental hazards and adverse experiences depends on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) age, previous experiences, resources, resilience, and developmental level. In this regard, the existence or degree of trauma is decidedly unique to the individual. This chapter will focus specifically on general developmental differences in students’ responses to adverse experiences.

The Effects of Similarity Versus Dissimilarity of Spouses' Traumatic Childhood Events on Psychological Well-Being and Marital Quality

2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 737-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Lev-Wiesel ◽  
Marianne Amir
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Marital Quality ◽  
Sexually Abused ◽  
Adult Survivors ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Child Survivors ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Holocaust Child Survivors

This study compared spouses who had experienced similar versus different childhood trauma in terms of post-traumatic symptomatology, psychological symptoms of distress, and marital quality. The sample comprised two groups: Holocaust child survivors who were sexually abused during the Holocaust and are married to Holocaust child survivors ( n = 44) who were also sexually abused, and adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse married to nonsurvivors of sexual abuse ( n = 43). All participants were administered the post-traumatic stress disorder, Symptom Checklist 90-Revised, and Enrich Scale for Marital Quality questionnaires. The results revealed that compared with survivors married to partners with different past traumatic experiences, survivors who shared similar past traumatic experiences with their spouses had higher levels of PTSD, anxiety, depression, somatization, phobic-anxiety, and hostility but also expressed greater levels of marital quality.

scholarly journals When it counts the most: Trauma-informed care and the COVID-19 global pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 172-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delphine Collin-Vézina ◽  
Denise Brend ◽  
Irene Beeman
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Event ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Trauma Informed Care ◽  
Vulnerable Families ◽  
Trauma Informed ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Individual

CONTEXT: Evidence from the COVID-19 crisis suggests that children and youth are more likely to be subjected to maltreatment and exposure to family violence, while experiencing limited access to the usual services that support vulnerable families and provide targeted services to meet their needs. The current global pandemic itself can also be experienced as a traumatic event. Trauma-informed care draws attention to the potential impacts, from the individual to the global, that myriad traumatic experiences can illicit and proposes using these understandings as foundational to the development and implementation of policy and practice. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this opinion paper is to offer insights to guide practices and policies during this unprecedented global crisis through a discussion of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2014)’s six trauma-informed care principles: trustworthiness and transparency; safety; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empowerment and choice; and cultural, historical and gender issues. FINDINGS: Specific recommendations based on these six principles and applied to the current situation are presented and discussed. These principles can serve both in the immediate crisis and as preventative measures against unforeseen future traumatic contexts. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 renews the imperative to maintain and strengthen trauma-informed practices and policies. We argue that never before has trauma-informed care been so important to promote the health and well-being of all and to protect our marginalized populations at greatest risk.

scholarly journals The influence of intense stress on the formation of aggressive reactions and ideas of revenge in the population of the post-war region

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 ◽  
pp. 09005
Author(s):  
Islam Khazhuev ◽  
Aslanbek Saidov
Keyword(s):  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Empirical Results ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
The Individual ◽  
High Level ◽  
Aggressive Reactions

The article presents the results of a study of the specifics of the formation of aggressive reactions and ideas of revenge in the context of experiencing high-intensity stress among people who have experienced traumatic stress in a long-term emergency. The empirical study involved 100 respondents, characterized by the presence of various traumatic experiences, mainly of military etiology. The empirical results of the study indicate the presence of statistically significant relationships between the signs of post-traumatic stress and various forms of aggressive behavior. The empirical results of the study indicate the presence of statistically significant relationships between the signs of post-traumatic stress and various forms of aggressive behavior. Thus, the experience of post-traumatic stress at a remote stage of an extreme situation is accompanied by an increase in suspicion, resentment, anger and irritation reactions, as well as a decrease in the ability of the individual to compromise. In addition, it is also found that persons who have a predominant rate of aggressive reactions, manifested in the form of suspicion and a tendency to attack the style of behavior and communication, characterized by a high level of fixation on the ideas of revenge.

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