This article proposes several conceptual perspectives designed to advance our understanding of the material and experiential conditions contributing to persistent disparities in rates of morbidity and mortality among groups unequal in their social and economic statuses. An underlying assumption is that these disparities, which are in clear…

In the school setting, children too often are victimized by peers, educators, and other school staff. The frequent and often unrecognized abuse in the school may cause pervasive emotional, social, and academic problems in children. This paper posits a theoretical construct, Student Alienation Syndrome (SAS), which may result from Posttraumatic…

A fawn at the edge of the woods watches for signs of threat. Any sudden movement is likely to startle and send the fawn darting into the woods. If, however, you don't approach and be still the fawn may ever so cautiously move a step closer.

In this article a historical overview of the evolution of the Women's Trauma Integrated Services model at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is presented. Milestones in women's services policy development at SAMHSA (1992-1998) and in trauma treatment development for four different trauma populations (1960-1998)…

Background: The present study investigated the extent to which heart rate (HR) levels soon after a traumatic event predicted posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity assessed 6 weeks and 6 months later in child trauma victims. Methods: Participants consisted of 82 children (56 boys, 26 girls) aged 8-18 who were admitted to a…

A growing body of literature demonstrates the co-occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder for females seeking substance abuse treatment. Nonetheless, relatively few trauma-specific treatments have been implemented or evaluated with this population. In this quasi-experimental study (N = 170), the Trauma Recovery and…

In this article, the author compares the arguments of Susan Swartzlander, Diana Pace, and Virginia Lee Stamler (1993) who note the contradiction between the "shockingly unprofessional" practice of asking students to write about their personal traumas in writing courses and the common occurrence of such assignments with Jeffrey Berman…

This article focuses on infants in the first year of life who have experienced single or very circumscribed episodes of trauma in the context of otherwise relatively normal developmental trajectories. Young infants who experience pain may show heightened reactions to pain even years later. Children may remember, and may even reenact, traumatic…

In this paper, I describe the first 2 years of intensive psychotherapy of a multiply traumatized 5-year-old girl. I explore some of the ways in which violent and traumatic experiences were re-lived in the therapy and how they impacted on both patient and therapist. Within the discussion and illustrated by clinical vignettes, I consider the…

The first edition of this indispensable book set the standard for high-quality intervention and prevention programs in early childhood practice. Since its publication, many new forces have impacted the landscape of early childhood education, presenting both great opportunities and great risks for today's emotionally fragile young children. Once…

Contemporary challenges serving immigrants and their communities require a reexamination of social services, social work practice, and social work curricula, as millions of people, particularly from non-European countries, have come to the United States in the last 40 years. Social work must develop a new field of specialization that addresses the…

Background: Comparatively little is known about the cognitive appraisals and coping styles of child road traffic accident (RTA) survivors that are associated with chronic post-traumatic reactions. Methods: Seventy-five children and young people aged 7-18 who were involved in a road traffic accident and attended an accident and emergency department…

Psychological First Aid is an evidence-informed modular approach to help children, adolescents, adults, and families in the immediate aftermath of disaster and terrorism. Psychological First Aid is designed to reduce the initial distress caused by traumatic events and to foster short- and long-term adaptive functioning and coping. Principles and…

Effectiveness of an integrated trauma-informed approach to treating women with co-occurring disorders and histories of trauma was evaluated. Baseline and 12-month assessments were completed by 136 intervention- and 177 comparison-group women. The intervention group received Seeking Safety, a trauma-specific group treatment focusing on safety and…

In this article, we attempt to bridge the gap between practice (service delivery) and philosophy (trauma theory, empowerment, and relational theory). Specifically, we identify 10 principles that define trauma-informed service, discuss the need for this type of service, and give some characteristics of trauma-informed services in eight different…