Encyclopedia of Trauma: An Interdisciplinary GuideCharles R. Figley Trauma is defined as a sudden, potentially deadly experience, often leaving lasting, troubling memories. Traumatology (the study of trauma, its effects, and methods to modify effects) is exploding in terms of published works and expanding in terms of scope. Originally a narrow specialty within emergency medicine, the field now extends to trauma psychology, military psychiatry and behavioral health, post-traumatic stress and stress disorders, trauma social work, disaster mental health, and, most recently, the subfield of history and trauma, with sociohistorical examination of long-term effects and meanings of major traumas experienced by whole communities and nations, both natural (Pompeii, Hurricane Katrina) and man-made (the Holocaust, 9/11). One reason for this expansion involves important scientific breakthroughs in detecting the neurobiology of trauma that is connecting biology with human behavior, which in turn, is applicable to all fields involving human thought and response, including but not limited to psychiatry, medicine and the health sciences, the social and behavioral sciences, the humanities, and law. Researchers within these fields and more can contribute to a universal understanding of immediate and long-term consequences–both good and bad–of trauma, both for individuals and for broader communities and institutions. Trauma encyclopedias published to date all center around psychological trauma and its emotional effects on the individual as a disabling or mental disorder requiring mental health services. This element is vital and has benefited from scientific and professional breakthroughs in theory, research, and applications. Our encyclopedia certainly will cover this central element, but our expanded conceptualization will include the other disciplines and will move beyond the individual. |
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activities Acute Stress Disorder adults African Americans American amygdala anxiety assessment associated behavior brain caregivers child childhood client clinical cognitive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy cognitive restructuring combat comorbidity compassion fatigue context coping cortisol countertransference critical incident cultural death depression diagnosis disaster dissociative dissociative identity disorder distress effects EMDR emotional ethnic experienced fear feelings functioning Further Readings genocide grief hippocampus human Hurricane Katrina impact increased individual’s individuals injury interpersonal intervention involved Journal levels longterm loss memory mental health military one’s outcomes patients perpetrators person physical posttraumatic stress disorder prevention problems professionals psychiatric psychological trauma PTSD rape reactions recovery relationship reported resilience result role Secondary Trauma sexual abuse social support stress disorder PTSD stressors studies suicide therapeutic therapist therapy trauma survivors traumarelated traumatic event traumatic experiences Traumatic Stress Traumatology treatment understanding veterans victims violence women York