The Encyclopedia Of Trauma And Traumatic Stress Disorders

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.

Presents numerous entries covering all aspects of trauma, traumatic stress disorders and related topics.

The Encyclopedia of Psychological Trauma is the only authoritative reference on the scientific evidence, clinical practice guidelines, and social issues addressed within the field of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder. Edited by the leading experts in the field, you will turn to this definitive reference work again and again for complete coverage of psychological trauma, PTSD, evidence-based and standard treatments, as well as controversial topics including EMDR, virtual reality therapy, and much more.

Presents numerous entries covering all aspects of trauma, traumatic stress disorders and related topics.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Despite the growing interest in the role of psychological trauma in the genesis of psychiatric disorders, few volumes have addressed these issues from a multidisciplinary and international perspective. Given the complexity of reslience and posttraumatic disorder, and given ongoing trauma and violence in many parts of the world, it is crucial to apply such perspectives to review existing knowledge in the field and provide directions for future research. This book has a broad scope. A key focus is PTSD, because of its clinical and health importance, its obvious link with trauma, and its interest for many clinicians and researchers. However, the book also examines resilience and a range of mental health consequences of trauma, because it has become increasingly clear that not all individuals react to trauma in the same way. It is important for mental health professionals to be aware of the broad range of potential responses to trauma, as well as of relevant evidence-based treatments. The book includes chapters that address a wide range of topics on trauma-related disorders, including nosology and classification, epidemiology, neurobiology, pharmacotherapy, and psychotherapy. Each chapter comprises a critical review of the existing literature, aimed at being useful for the practitioner. This is followed by selected commentaries from other authorities on the topic, representing diverse geographical locations and points of view, who refine some of the perspectives offered in the review, provide alternative views, or suggest important areas of future work.

With contributions from prominent experts, this pragmatic book takes a close look at the nature of complex psychological trauma in children and adolescents and the clinical challenges it presents. Each chapter shows how a complex trauma perspective can provide an invaluable unifying framework for case conceptualization, assessment, and intervention amidst the chaos and turmoil of these young patients' lives. A range of evidence-based and promising therapies are reviewed and illustrated with vivid case vignettes. The volume is grounded in clinical innovations and cutting-edge research on child and adolescent brain development, attachment, and emotion regulation, and discusses diagnostic criteria, including those from DSM-IV and DSM-5. See also Drs. Courtois and Ford's edited volume Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders (Adults) and their authored volume, Treatment of Complex Trauma: A Sequenced, Relationship-Based Approach.

Chronic childhood trauma, such as prolonged abuse or family violence, can severely disrupt a person's development, basic sense of self, and later relationships. Adults with this type of history often come to therapy with complex symptoms that go beyond existing criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This important book brings together prominent authorities to present the latest thinking on complex traumatic stress disorders and provide practical guidelines for conceptualization and treatment. Evidence-based assessment procedures are detailed, and innovative individual, couple, family, and group therapies are described and illustrated with case vignettes and session transcripts.