Unit 7 Flashcards
general findings of relational impacts of trauma
- expectations of harm leading to difficulties developing trust
- confusion about what/who is safe
- avoidance of relationships as a protective strategy
- aggression as a defence strategy
- difficulty experiencing positive emotions or closeness in relationships
- lack of healthy boundaries (or difficulty interpreting other ppls boundaries)
- sexual dysfunction
marital/romantic relationship impacts
- sleep problems, dissociation, sexual dysfunction may impact relationship satisfaction (Goff et al)
- nontraumatized partner may attempt to compensate for trauma by exaggerating role in the relationship (weakened boundaries, rigid boundaries, altering closeness and intimacy) - Henry et al
trauma relational impacts: REVICTIMIZATION
- poor affect regulation may increase risk of involvement in dysfunctional relationships
- victim may identify with relationships that feel “familiar” leading to reenactment of old traumas
- resulting psychiatric pathology may increase vulnerability
- impulsive behaviour, substance abuse
trauma relational impacts: VICTIMIZING OTHERS
- victim to victimizer cycle
- trauma can have negative impacts on parenting behaviours potentially influencing intergenerational transmission of trauma
- when not treated/addressed, trauma hx has been shown to be a significant predictor of abuse potential, punitiveness, psychological aggression and physical means of discipline
-males who have been victim of sexual abuse will become perpetrators themselves is an exaggerated belief - some evidence suggests male survivors of abuse more like to externalize behaviours (victimize others) while females more likely to internalize and act in self-destructive ways
trauma relational impacts: VICTIMIZING OTHERS
RISK FACTORS
- lack of recognition of abuse or trauma in early life has been identified as risk factor for later perpetration of violence or abusive behaviour
e.g., normalizing physical abuse as means of punishment
- justifying the experience or lacking insight into the experience as traumatic or abusive is a risk factor for repeating behaviours
idealization of the perpetrator
- victim blames themselves or external factors for abuse and idealizes perpetrator
- allows for maintenance/ preservation of the relationship
- certain relationship dynamics may perpetuate this: perpetrator’s positive or apologetic behaviour following abuse makes victim feel loved and allows them to rationalize or minimize the extent of the abuse
- intense experiences and extreme feelings tends to bond people in a special (yet dysfunctional) way
Patrick Carnes definition of victim bonding
dysfunctional attachments that occur in the presence of danger, shame or exploitation
- occurs on a continuum of severity
what two conditions are necessary for trauma bonding to occur (Dutton & Painter)
- severe power imbalance causing the victim to feel helpless and vulnerable
- intermittent abuse that alternates with positive or neutral interactions
“trauma bonding develops when the abuser instills terror in the victim as well as gratitude for being allowed to live
preoccupation with hurting/harming the perpetrator
- can signal an attempt to regain a sense of control/power after being victimized
- a form of fantasizing - putting an end to ones emotional pain, effects of the trauma, creating a “new ending”
- occurs on a continuum of intensity
- overall level of risk for “retaliation” is low, however may cue the RPN to assess risk for harm to others
early studies: high risk environmental factors
- Rutter et al reported an increase in the probability of children exhibiting a behaviour disorder as a function of multiple family stressors
- experiencing one of these family stressors was not associated with an increased likelihood
- but when TWO or more stressors were present, the risk of child behaviour problems was found to increase 2-4 FOLD
- studies show stressful life events play a significant role in the development of depression, anxiety, suicide and psychosis in adulthood
links between homelessness & trauma (contributing factors to statistics)
- many individuals become homeless as a result of fleeing trauma
- the experience of homelessness itself can be traumatic
- being homeless increases the risk of further victimization & retraumatization
Hopper, Bassuk & Olivert
links between homelessness & trauma (stats)
- 97% of homeless women have experienced physical & sexual abuse
- 87% experienced this abuse both in childhood and adulthood
GOODMAN ET AL
3 BC COMMUNITIES:
- 51% reported childhood sexual abuse
- 57% reported physical abuse
- 60% reported neglect
- 58% reported emotional abuse
- 57% met the criteria for current PTSD
intergenerational trauma
- the ways in which trauma experienced in one generation is transmitted or impacts the health and wellbeing of the subsequent generations
NEGATIVE EFFECTS:
- mental health symptoms/disorders
- greater vulnerability to stress
- reduced coping abilities
why does intergenerational trauma occur
- child-parent attachment (parent unable to provide sense of stability, security)
- parental engagement problems; detachment from children
- family communication problems e.g., secrecy, silence
- overprotectiveness or parent-child role reversal
- greater family conflict; less family cohesion
- intergenerational conflict rooted in cultural differences between parents & children
- transmission of trauma burden
historical trauma
“the experience of communities and ethnic groups exposed to large scale or repeated traumatic events and accompanying stresses” CRAWFORD
- the term captures the way collective experiences are perpetuated into the future of a cultural group and can persist across generations
- collective distress that is both psychological and social, affecting multiple levels of the individual, family and community
- historical trauma response includes depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, anger, alexithymia, difficulty with affect regulation, somatic symptoms, death wishes, suicidal behaviours, substance misuse, victim identity, survivor guilt
colonialism in canada
- a practice of domination involving the subjugation of one people to another
- usually involves the transfer of a population to a new territory where the arrivals lived as permanent settlers while maintaining political allegiance to their country of origin
- often specifically refers to the process of European settlers and political control over the rest of the world i.e. americas, Australia & parts of Africa and Asia
race based trauma, racial trauma or race-based traumatic stress (RBTS)
refers to the mental & emotional injury caused by encounters with racial bias and ethnic discrimination, racism & health crimes
- addresses the unique psychological & emotional distress that black, indigenous, & POC suffer as a result of racism and discrimination
- root causes may be individual, systemic, direct, vicarious, intergenerational, historically based
what is cultural safety
an outcome based on respectful engagement that recognizes and strives to address power imbalances inherent in the hc system
results in an environment free of racism and discrimination where ppl feel safe receiving health care
what is cultural humility
a process of self-reflection to understand personal and systemic biases and to develop and maintain respectful processes and relationships based on mutual trust
cultural humility involves humbly acknowledging oneself as a learner when it comes to understanding another experience
according to Matheson et al., the most common type of trauma amongst participants were
witnessing the distress of a loved one
whereas rates of experiencing other forms of trauma were roughly equal, with just over a quarter of the sample experiencing each type. There were no gender differences in trauma types experienced.
findings from Matheson et al. Traumatic Experiences, Perceived Discrimination, and Psychological Distress Among Members of Various Socially Marginalized Groups
- Indigenous participants were most likely to encounter traumatic events of every type
- lacks or Jews to report at least one traumatic event, and in particular, both the sudden or unexpected death of a loved one and assault
- Indigenous participants perceived the most explicit discrimination, and reported the most severe depressive and posttraumatic stress symptoms, whereas Jewish participants were least likely to report discrimination or distress symptoms. Black participants and the diverse sample of women in Study 4 fell in between, although Blacks were not significantly different from Indigenous participants in reported depressive symptoms.
