This article was downloaded by: [North Dakota State University] On: 13 October 2014, At: 20:58 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
Journal of Child & Adolescent Mental Health Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcmh20
Treating Traumatized Children: Risk, Resilience and Recovery Lameze Abrahams Published online: 12 Nov 2009.
To cite this article: Lameze Abrahams (2009) Treating Traumatized Children: Risk, Resilience and Recovery, Journal of Child & Adolescent Mental Health, 21:1, 81-82 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.2989/JCAMH.2009.21.1.12.814
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2009, 21(1): 81–82 Printed in South Africa — All rights reserved
Copyright © NISC Pty Ltd
JOURNAL OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH ISSN 1728–0583 EISSN 1728–0591 DOI: 10.2989/JCAMH.2009.21.1.12.814
Book Review Treating Traumatized Children: Risk, Resilience and Recovery
Downloaded by [North Dakota State University] at 20:58 13 October 2014
Danny Brom, Ruth Pat-Horenczyk and Julian D Ford (editors) 2009, Routledge, 27 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2FA, UK; 270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA 304 pages Paperback, ISBN: 978-0-415-47150-3, ZAR397 Hardback, ISBN: 978-0-415-42636-7
Treating Traumatized Children: Risk, Resilience and Recovery focuses on children’s vulnerability and resilience in the wake of psychological trauma. It endeavours to offer new perspectives on prevention, as well as evidence-based treatments designed to bolster resilience in victimised and high-risk groups of children, youth, families and communities. The editors of the book are Danny Brom, founding director of the Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma at Herzog Hospital; Ruth Pat-Horenczyk, Director of the Child and Adolescent Clinical Services at the same center; and Julian D Ford, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Health Centre, and founding director of the Center for Trauma Response, Recovery and Preparedness. The book’s authors include several leading figures in the field of trauma and resilience, as well as of working with children and families, and are engaged in ongoing international discourse in this area. The book is well written and provides the target audience with a thorough overview of the field. Throughout there is reference to the particular challenges in identifying and diagnosing children with trauma-related symptoms requiring intervention, while accounting for age-specific phenomenology. There is also an acknowledgement of the multilayered, dynamic and biopsychosocial mechanisms and processes involved in the prevention and treatment of trauma. In introducing the volume (Chapter 1), the editors draw attention to the need for more focus on the varied responses that children can have following trauma. They outline several critical questions raised by these varied responses, which the expert clinicians and researchers that have contributed to the book address. The authors in Chapter 2 identify seven specific trajectories of functioning that may occur following a child’s exposure to psychological trauma. They unpack five content domains relevant to designing wellness-oriented public health interventions and draw on the Conservation of Resources (CoR) theory to illustrate the implications that interweaving these five elements holds for designing and implementing wellness-oriented interventions. The book is then organised into three parts, which are briefly summarised below: Part 1: Risk and protective factors (Chapters 3–7) Chapter 3 reviews the existing research on the responses of children to a variety of traumatic experiences which are viewed within a developmental framework, and identifies risk and protective factors with an accompanying understanding of underlying processes. Chapter 4 explains the mechanisms by which parents may mediate the effects of trauma on their children, offering various
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theoretical perspectives and supporting evidence in this regard. Chapter 5 examines how infants can become functionally impaired due to direct or indirect insults to their physical and emotional integrity, and stress the developmental and relational aspects of PTSD in infancy during assessments and treatments. Chapter 6 reports a pilot study conducted with 40 Sudanese unaccompanied minors in Boston, where demographics, exposure to trauma, psychological symptoms, coping, skills and behaviour was assessed. Chapter 7 outlines new findings from a high-risk London sample of young people aimed at identifying positive experiences which promote resilience and reduce psychological disorders. Part 2: Resilience (Chapters 8–11) Chapter 8 defines the concept of resilience related to cognitive processing of the traumatic experience, and introduces the model of minimal learning which can help define the end-state of resilient processing. Chapter 9 utilises CoR theory as a backdrop to frame an understanding of the impact of mass casualty situations on children and families, and place it in context that can lead to intervention strategies. Chapter 10 attempts to integrate ecological resilience into psycho-social programming. Limitations of this approach including current lack of evidence to guide the field, is also discussed. Chapter 11 encourages evidence-based interventions, discussing some of the latest research on resilience. The author identifies schools as the best settings to provide these interventions. At the same time he recognises the need for both political leadership and public commitment to bolster the resilience of victimised children. Part 3: Recovery: Empirically based systemic interventions for traumatized children (Chapters 12–17) Chapter 12 focuses on a theoretical model of post-traumatic self-regulation that emphasises trajectories of change and describes how the model has been operationalised clinically. Chapter 13 surveys a range of interventions that makes use of the parent-child relationship to repair the developmental disruptions that follow trauma. Chapter 14 describes a 16-week group intervention (structured psychotherapy for adolescents responding to chronic stress – SPARCS) for chronically traumatised adolescents which addresses complex PTSD. Chapter 15 summarises the evidence concerning the effects of traumatic stress on family systems (including the effects on multiple generations), the efficacy of family-based treatments for treating post- traumatic stress, and describes an innovative family based approach for treating child and family trauma that is currently being evaluated. Chapter 16 describes a treatment model developed to engage children and caring adults to work together to rebuild (or build) attachments and reduce traumatic stress. Chapter 17 concludes that prevention and treatment programmes for traumatised children should be part of a conceptual continuum and that integration among different perspectives is essential in developing the field. However, the role of parents in keeping children resilient is emphasised as having no other competing factor of the same importance. What seems lacking is a challenge to the complacent acceptance of exposure to traumatic experiences as the norm and comment on societal and political responsibility in this regard. However, I would strongly recommend this book to all those working with traumatised children and communities, as it offers researchers and professionals a detailed overview of current, updated discourses in the field of traumatology related to children and youth, with its emphasis on utilising resilience to meet the needs of traumatised children and families. The authors do recognise that this volume only serves as a base for beginning investigations and innovations, and hope that this book stimulates further research in the area.
Lameze Abrahams Senior clinical psychologist, Child and Family Unit, Lentegeur Hospital, Mitchell’s Plain e-mail: [email protected]
Journal of Child & Adolescent Mental Health Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcmh20
Treating Traumatized Children: Risk, Resilience and Recovery Lameze Abrahams Published online: 12 Nov 2009.
To cite this article: Lameze Abrahams (2009) Treating Traumatized Children: Risk, Resilience and Recovery, Journal of Child & Adolescent Mental Health, 21:1, 81-82 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.2989/JCAMH.2009.21.1.12.814
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2009, 21(1): 81–82 Printed in South Africa — All rights reserved
Copyright © NISC Pty Ltd
JOURNAL OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH ISSN 1728–0583 EISSN 1728–0591 DOI: 10.2989/JCAMH.2009.21.1.12.814
Book Review Treating Traumatized Children: Risk, Resilience and Recovery
Downloaded by [North Dakota State University] at 20:58 13 October 2014
Danny Brom, Ruth Pat-Horenczyk and Julian D Ford (editors) 2009, Routledge, 27 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2FA, UK; 270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA 304 pages Paperback, ISBN: 978-0-415-47150-3, ZAR397 Hardback, ISBN: 978-0-415-42636-7
Treating Traumatized Children: Risk, Resilience and Recovery focuses on children’s vulnerability and resilience in the wake of psychological trauma. It endeavours to offer new perspectives on prevention, as well as evidence-based treatments designed to bolster resilience in victimised and high-risk groups of children, youth, families and communities. The editors of the book are Danny Brom, founding director of the Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma at Herzog Hospital; Ruth Pat-Horenczyk, Director of the Child and Adolescent Clinical Services at the same center; and Julian D Ford, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Health Centre, and founding director of the Center for Trauma Response, Recovery and Preparedness. The book’s authors include several leading figures in the field of trauma and resilience, as well as of working with children and families, and are engaged in ongoing international discourse in this area. The book is well written and provides the target audience with a thorough overview of the field. Throughout there is reference to the particular challenges in identifying and diagnosing children with trauma-related symptoms requiring intervention, while accounting for age-specific phenomenology. There is also an acknowledgement of the multilayered, dynamic and biopsychosocial mechanisms and processes involved in the prevention and treatment of trauma. In introducing the volume (Chapter 1), the editors draw attention to the need for more focus on the varied responses that children can have following trauma. They outline several critical questions raised by these varied responses, which the expert clinicians and researchers that have contributed to the book address. The authors in Chapter 2 identify seven specific trajectories of functioning that may occur following a child’s exposure to psychological trauma. They unpack five content domains relevant to designing wellness-oriented public health interventions and draw on the Conservation of Resources (CoR) theory to illustrate the implications that interweaving these five elements holds for designing and implementing wellness-oriented interventions. The book is then organised into three parts, which are briefly summarised below: Part 1: Risk and protective factors (Chapters 3–7) Chapter 3 reviews the existing research on the responses of children to a variety of traumatic experiences which are viewed within a developmental framework, and identifies risk and protective factors with an accompanying understanding of underlying processes. Chapter 4 explains the mechanisms by which parents may mediate the effects of trauma on their children, offering various
82
Abrahams
Downloaded by [North Dakota State University] at 20:58 13 October 2014
theoretical perspectives and supporting evidence in this regard. Chapter 5 examines how infants can become functionally impaired due to direct or indirect insults to their physical and emotional integrity, and stress the developmental and relational aspects of PTSD in infancy during assessments and treatments. Chapter 6 reports a pilot study conducted with 40 Sudanese unaccompanied minors in Boston, where demographics, exposure to trauma, psychological symptoms, coping, skills and behaviour was assessed. Chapter 7 outlines new findings from a high-risk London sample of young people aimed at identifying positive experiences which promote resilience and reduce psychological disorders. Part 2: Resilience (Chapters 8–11) Chapter 8 defines the concept of resilience related to cognitive processing of the traumatic experience, and introduces the model of minimal learning which can help define the end-state of resilient processing. Chapter 9 utilises CoR theory as a backdrop to frame an understanding of the impact of mass casualty situations on children and families, and place it in context that can lead to intervention strategies. Chapter 10 attempts to integrate ecological resilience into psycho-social programming. Limitations of this approach including current lack of evidence to guide the field, is also discussed. Chapter 11 encourages evidence-based interventions, discussing some of the latest research on resilience. The author identifies schools as the best settings to provide these interventions. At the same time he recognises the need for both political leadership and public commitment to bolster the resilience of victimised children. Part 3: Recovery: Empirically based systemic interventions for traumatized children (Chapters 12–17) Chapter 12 focuses on a theoretical model of post-traumatic self-regulation that emphasises trajectories of change and describes how the model has been operationalised clinically. Chapter 13 surveys a range of interventions that makes use of the parent-child relationship to repair the developmental disruptions that follow trauma. Chapter 14 describes a 16-week group intervention (structured psychotherapy for adolescents responding to chronic stress – SPARCS) for chronically traumatised adolescents which addresses complex PTSD. Chapter 15 summarises the evidence concerning the effects of traumatic stress on family systems (including the effects on multiple generations), the efficacy of family-based treatments for treating post- traumatic stress, and describes an innovative family based approach for treating child and family trauma that is currently being evaluated. Chapter 16 describes a treatment model developed to engage children and caring adults to work together to rebuild (or build) attachments and reduce traumatic stress. Chapter 17 concludes that prevention and treatment programmes for traumatised children should be part of a conceptual continuum and that integration among different perspectives is essential in developing the field. However, the role of parents in keeping children resilient is emphasised as having no other competing factor of the same importance. What seems lacking is a challenge to the complacent acceptance of exposure to traumatic experiences as the norm and comment on societal and political responsibility in this regard. However, I would strongly recommend this book to all those working with traumatised children and communities, as it offers researchers and professionals a detailed overview of current, updated discourses in the field of traumatology related to children and youth, with its emphasis on utilising resilience to meet the needs of traumatised children and families. The authors do recognise that this volume only serves as a base for beginning investigations and innovations, and hope that this book stimulates further research in the area.
Lameze Abrahams Senior clinical psychologist, Child and Family Unit, Lentegeur Hospital, Mitchell’s Plain e-mail: [email protected]
