Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

In Their Own Words: Healing From Traumatic Childbirth, Jennifer L. Brammer

Masters Theses

Trauma related to childbirth is seldom addressed despite the incidence of women who experience traumatic births. Birth trauma, like other traumatic events, can have a lasting impact on women and can effect their attachment to their infants. This study gives voice to women's birth trauma and describes what women find helpful in their healing processes from traumatic birth. This study is based on the narratives of 14 women who graciously shared their birth stories and healing journeys in semi-structured qualitative interviews. Their traumatic birth experiences occurred 3 ½ to 26 years ago.

A post-positivist approach and narrative theory informed this …

Stuck In The Trauma Story: The Construction And Consequences Of Narrative Liminality In A Domestic Violence Center In Cape Town, South Africa, Annie Arnzen

Senior Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Firefly Song, Lasantha Rodrigo

Theses and Dissertations

Chethiya is a brown, gay, disabled (ultimately), abused young man from Sri Lanka, who comes to the U.S. on a full scholarship. His dream is to be a Broadway star, but after coming out of his first relationship with an emotionally abusive, alcoholic man, he is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a chronic, degenerative neurological disease that results in demyelination, causing progressive debilitation. The story is divided into six chapters that narrate his life under various marginalizations he is subjected to, culminating in traumatization. The story, however, ends on a positive note of redemption with the narrator looking forward to his …

The Collaboration Of Faith And Social Work In Creating A Gateway Of Helping, Breanne M. Bambrick

Honors Program Projects

When tragedy occurs, trauma follows. In crises, emergency response professionals are called upon in order to aid survivors. While the majority of professionals involved have received formal education on crisis management or disaster relief, the faith community is often called upon to assist without such prior knowledge. However, based on their mutual commitment to serve those in need, the social work profession and faith community represents a natural partnership in preparing for the disaster management process. Therefore, social workers can assist faith leadership in order to empower the faith community to be involved in crisis response. Specifically, this research addresses …

Laboring To Mother In The Context Of Past Trauma: The Transition To Motherhood, Berman Helene, Robin Mason, Jodi Hall, Susan Rodger, Catherine C. Classen, Marilyn K. Evans, Lori E. Ross, Gloria Alvernaz Mulcahy, Leonarda Carranza, Fatmeh Al-Zoubi

Journal Articles

The occurrence of interpersonal trauma is a reality for many women, with effects that often persist long after the traumatic events end. The purpose of this feminist grounded theory study was to examine how past trauma shaped the lives of women as they became new mothers. We recruited a purposive sample of 32 women from two Canadian communities and conducted semistructured, dialogic interviews during the second trimester of pregnancy. We analyzed data using thematic content analytic methods, including open coding whereby we read transcripts line by line and applied codes to portions of text that illustrated concepts or themes. The …

Coming Of Age During The Sixties: A Narration Of Lives Through Music And Battle, Jennifer L. Oliveri

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis has been written based on my retrieved memory, as it concentrates on autobiographical memories and the lives of two politically opposing men, from the American sixties. I discuss the effect of music and the war in Vietnam as it was experienced by these men--a moderately angry veteran and a "hippie." I examine how their stories were "retold" to me, which in turn created new memories. This is a study in the memory of memories.

Stolen Future, Broken Present: The Human Significance Of Climate Change, David A. Collings

Bowdoin Scholars' Bookshelf

This book argues that climate change has a devastating effect on how we think about the future. Once several positive feedback loops in Earth’s dynamic systems, such as the melting of the Arctic icecap or the drying of the Amazon, cross the point of no return, the biosphere is likely to undergo severe and irreversible warming.

Nearly everything we do is premised on the assumption that the world we know will endure into the future and provide a sustaining context for our activities. But today the future of a viable biosphere, and thus the purpose of our present activities, is …

Trauma Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress, And Depression In A Community Sample Of First-Time Mothers, Mickey Sperlich

Wayne State University Dissertations

The adverse effects of posttraumatic stress and depression have separately been well-documented in the perinatal mental health literature. However, few studies have considered the comorbidity between trauma, posttraumatic stress and depression. This dissertation study brings attention to this comorbidity and explores implications of recent changes to diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder related to the ability to predict postpartum depression and impairments in mother/infant bonding. Following a conceptual framework which outlines the effects of violence and trauma on adverse childbearing outcomes, hypotheses were that many women with depression in pregnancy would endorse trauma and would be at risk for subthreshold …

We Need A Good War : Factors That Influence The Experience Of Racism In The United States Military, Sarah E. Chotkowski

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of the quantitative study was to explore the experience of racism in the United States military in the context of the historical evolution of racial integration policies. The present study aims to clarify how factors such as race, era of service, exposure to combat, rank and gender influence the experience of racism. A total of 112 veterans completed a survey online or in person through their local American Legion, VFW, or student center. The survey was a 22-item measure with six demographic questions and 14 Likert scale questions designed to solicit feedback about a wide range of experiences. …

Trauma-Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy : A Quantitative Study Of Intervention Effectiveness, Nakita Dziegielewski

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study uses a quantitative lens to examine if Natural Lifemanship's ® Trauma- Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy ™ (TF-EAP) model is effective in reducing the psychological, emotional, and/or behavioral problems in youth with a trauma history. Secondary data was collected on behalf of Spirit Reins, the organization that implements Natural Lifemanship's ® TF-EAP ™ model, and used to determine the effectiveness of their traumainformed treatment intervention. Through a pre and post-test research design, data analysis was conducted on 40 youths' Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) total scores to determine intervention effectiveness. Findings suggest that Natural Lifemanship's ® TF-EAP …

Trauma, Criminalization, And Movements For Healing Justice : A Theoretical Study Of Relational Theory And Transformative Justice Interventions In The Treatment Of Juvenile Sexual Offending, Megan E. Shaughnessy-Mogill

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical thesis explores the etiology and treatment of juvenile sexual offenders from the perspectives of psychoanalytic relational theory and the emerging grassroots theory of transformative justice, drawing together the often-disconnected spheres of the individual and the systemic in the study and treatment of child sexual abuse. This study traces the concepts of dissociation and reenactment to examine the role of unconscious traumatogenic phenomena and the apparent parallel process across the individual and systemic dimensions of juvenile sexual offending. Engaging two theories from outside the mainstream treatment model, this study asks what clinical understandings and treatment possibilities may be foreclosed …

Clinical Perspectives On Etiology, Assessment, Formulation And Treatment Of Imaginary Companions In Adolescents With Attachment Trauma, Kathryn M. Collins

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study explored the phenomenon of imaginary companions as they present within the lives of adolescents with histories of attachment trauma. The phenomenon and is origins were explored through a review of developmental, psychoanalytic and trauma research. Theoretical perspectives of narrative therapy and Winnicottian object relations were then introduced as lenses through which to conceptualize assessment and formulation of the phenomenon, with careful consideration paid to the social context within which the phenomenon emerges. These theoretical perspectives were then applied to a discussion of assessment, formulation and treatment within a specific case example, written by Proskauer, Barsh and Johnson …

Exploring Mental Dungeons And Slaying Psychic Dragons : An Exploratory Study, Michael S. Sargent

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study examined the experiences of participants with table-top roleplaying and with the gaming community. Specifically this study asked: In what ways do fantasy play and participation in the role-playing community benefit participants? This study aimed to address the lack of social work literature regarding the emotional and social benefits that roleplaying games provide consumers. Data were collected from interviews with six individuals who regularly engage in tabletop role-playing games. The study asked open ended questions regarding participants' experiences with the role-playing community, thematic and emotional content experienced within the fantasy setting, and benefits participants felt they'd gained from …

An Examination Of Experiential Avoidance As A Vulnerability Factor For Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms And Excessive Behaviors In Parent And Young Adult Child Dyads, Meaghan M. Lewis

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Experiential avoidance is receiving increasing conceptual and empirical review as an emotion regulation strategy and crucial factor in the development and maintenance of symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD; Kumpula, Orcutt, Bardeen, & Varkovitzky, 2011; Thompson & Waltz, 2010). It is also implicated in a variety of topographically dissimilar problem behaviors (Kingston, Clarke, & Remington, 2010; Mansell et al., 2009) and poor mental health outcomes. The transmission of effective emotion regulatory strategies (Duncombe et al., 2012) is increasingly important to understanding the development of these problems. Experiential avoidance may be a learned response style from one’s parent. This conceptual model …

Exploring Clinicians' Use Of Evidence-Based Interventions That Treat Attachment Problems Between Children, Five Years Of Age And Under, And Their Primary Caregivers, Jean Faucher

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory quantitative study was an attempt to address the dearth of research regarding the use of attachment-focused evidence-based treatments (AF EBT) in the clinical setting. Thirty-eight Master’s level or higher licensed mental health clinicians who work with children that are five years old and under, as well as with their primary caregivers, were surveyed via an anonymous web based questionnaire. The survey explored clinicians’ level of awareness, training, use, adaptation, and perceived effectiveness regarding four AF EBTs, as well as potential barriers that may have impeded their use. The AF EBTs were Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-UP …

The Resilient Turn: College Students' Perspectives - A Phenomenological Inquiry, Perah Kessman

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenology was designed to explore with a sample of undergraduate students in psychology-related majors their perceptions of psychological resilience and the factors they believe contributed to it. While previous studies have examined the construct of resilience in childhood and adolescence, relatively little is known about the phenomenon later in the lifespan. Thus, the rationale for the study stems from the researcher’s wish to fill this gap in knowledge by studying resilience among emerging adults. It was the researcher’s assumption that the knowledge generated from this study would both provide new insights into emerging adult resilience and inform higher …

Effects Of Narrative Writing And Post-Writing Processing Instructions On Ptsd, Laura Mcintire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Sex Trafficking : An Exploration Of Clinician Perspectives Of The Type And Efficacy Of Treatment Interventions, Jennifer Kung

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study investigates clinician perspectives on the type of clinical interventions used in therapy with sex trafficking survivors. Due to the absence of systematic evaluation of mental health treatment for this population, the limited current research recommends interventions that are used for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. This study's main research question is: what are the perspectives of clinicians who provide therapy for trafficking survivors on the type and usefulness of their treatment interventions? This study interviewed 11 clinicians who provided therapy for sex trafficking survivors. The major findings of this study show that the most commonly …

"I Know That I'M Strong" : Survivors Of Sexual Violence And Their Experiences With Pregnancy And Childbirth, Gretchen J. Davidson

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory study was to gain a deeper understanding of how women with a history of sexual violence experience pregnancy and childbirth. The study used semistructured phone interviews with eleven women to gather qualitative data about their experiences with pregnancy and childbirth and their reflections on the relationship between past sexual violence and childbearing. The findings suggest that most women experience negative effects of past sexual violence at some point in the childbearing year and that these effects manifest as emotional, physical, and relational trauma reactions. When these reactions occur women may have the opportunity to process …

Longitudinal Predictors Of School Problems In Youth Affected By Hurricane Katrina, Julia Elizabeth Thompson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, youth faced significant disruption to their lives due to the storm damage and, for many, long-term evacuation. One domain of functioning that faced significant threat because of this disruption was student engagement. The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of student engagement, as measured by the BASC-2-SRP School Problems scale, in youth affected by the Hurricane Katrina over four time points (3-7 months, 13-17 months, 19-22 months and 25-27 months post-Katrina). Participants included 426 youths living in New Orleans and the surrounding parishes at the time Hurricane Katrina made land-fall. Examined predictors …

A Preliminary Perspective For Identifying Resilience And Promoting Growth Among Survivors Of Sex Trafficking, Michelle Sobon

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This work offers an analysis of the existing literature on trauma, resilience, posttraumatic growth, and sex trafficking. It argues that the field tends to gravitate toward trauma and overlook resilience and the potential for posttraumatic growth amongst survivors of sex trafficking. This work recommends that the field should attend to both abuses endured as well as the courage and strength gained by survivors. Specifically, it argues that it is the task of the mental health professional to step into trauma trajectories with a strengths-based perspective to promote positive, resilient, and growth-oriented outcomes. Resilience and posttraumatic growth theories have been substantiated …

Childhood Trauma-Related Nightmares: The Impact Of Exposure, Relaxation, And Rescripting Therapy On Cognitive Functioning, Susan E. Ocean

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Trauma experiences are, unfortunately, a common part of childhood in the United States and are connected to serious health-related concerns throughout childhood and adulthood. A primary symptom of trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress is re-experiencing, which often occurs in the form of nightmares. Though cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) is currently the most well supported treatment model for trauma-exposure, it does not specifically address nightmares. Left untreated, trauma-related nightmares may become chronic, impairing quality and quantity of sleep, and exacerbating and perpetuating trauma symptoms. Quality sleep is a necessary element of healthy child development. Trauma experiences and inadequate sleep have been …

The Self Of The Field And The Work Of Donnel Stern, Daniel Masler

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

No study has taken an updated and comprehensive review of Donnel Stern’s writings. An investigation of his philosophical assumptions, locating Stern’s work socioculturally and historically, along with an elucidation of Stern’s background in traditional psychoanalytic literature and clinical practice, brings out the meanings and enigmas present in his theories of dissociation, enactment, unformulated experience, multiple self-states, and reflection. Stern has offered one of the best-integrated theoretical models in relational psychoanalytic theory. An examination of his theories within the theoretical traditions to which he makes claim (psychoanalytic, interpersonal, hermeneutic, postmodern, and democratic) helps elucidate the challenge posed by relational psychoanalysis to …

Feasibility And Perceived Efficacy Of The Neurosequential Model Of Therapeutics, Catherine F. Caplis

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Child abuse and neglect can have serious negative physiological and psychological effects on the developing brain. Children who suffer from early and ongoing abuse and neglect often develop further problems as they mature, even if they are subsequently in safe environments. Many trauma-based therapies have been created in order to help these children develop increased emotional and social regulation, and decrease their behavioral problems. The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) is a newer approach to working with traumatized children that has garnered great enthusiasm despite very limited outcome data. In this dissertation, I explore the promise of NMT and describe …

The Association Between Attachment And Posttraumatic Growth In A Sample Of U.S. College Students, Keith Alan Morgan

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between attachment and posttraumatic growth. Previous literature has suggested that securely attached individuals show more positive methods of coping with stress by activating their attachment system and facing the distress of a traumatic event. On the other hand, insecurely attached individuals display more negative methods of dealing with stress. Those with insecure attachment may avoid the distress of a traumatic event or not successfully activate the attachment system. Thus, it is expected that securely attached individuals will demonstrate higher levels of posttraumatic growth, or positive reactions to the experience of …

The Co-Occurrence Of Multiple And Overlapping Demands Among Women Leaving Prison, Jennifer Jo Schweitzer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The findings presented in this thesis result from an analysis of the experiences over a three-year period of thirteen women recently released from prison, all of whom simultaneously struggled with severe physical and mental health problems, drug and alcohol addiction(s), and histories of trauma. The purpose of this study was to better understand the strategies women with these multiple and overlapping vulnerabilities utilized as they attempted to reintegrate into the community. This group of thirteen women is a subsample of a population of 41 women whose reentry experiences were the focus of a larger, longitudinal research project. The data consist …

Violent Video Games And Symptoms Of Distress And Trauma, Brendan J. Mccollum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Much of the research involving detrimental effects of violent video games has focused primarily on aggression and desensitization of pain. To date there is no known research that examines whether video games can cause traumatic symptoms. However, there is research that suggests horror movies cause traumatic symptoms (Carleton et al., 2011). Given that video games can immerse people far more than a movie in terms of active participation, one could infer that traumatic symptoms would be even greater when playing a violent video game. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether violent video games could elicit symptoms …

The Relation Between Peer Victimization And Changes In Trauma Symptoms In Adolescents, Anh-Thuy H. Le

Theses and Dissertations

Peer victimization has been shown to negatively impact youth functioning and may be especially damaging during adolescence, given the increased importance of peers. However, there is a dearth of longitudinal research examining trauma symptomatology as an outcome of peer victimization with low-income, ethnic minority adolescents. The present study investigated this relation in a predominantly African American sample of 684 students assessed at five time points between the fall of their sixth grade and seventh grade school years. Growth mixture models grouped participants with similar victimization trajectories, and latent growth models related growth trajectories of physical and relational victimization to changes …

Understanding Peritraumatic Dissociation: Evolution-Prepared Dissociation, Tonic Immobility, And Clinical Dissociation, Laura A. Halvorsen

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Current literature on the relationship between posttraumatic symptoms and dissociation that occurs during the time of a trauma, or peritraumatic dissociation, appears to be contradictory and inconclusive. Conflicting findings in the empirical literature that disagree on the nature of this association (whether peritraumatic dissociation is a risk factor for PTSD or a neutral or even protective evolutionarily-derived phenomenon) may originate from the lack of conceptual clarity regarding the construct of dissociation, and lack of differentiation between peritraumatic dissociation and dissociation that persists after a traumatic event. This dissertation details a theory for differentiating clusters of peritraumatic dissociation based on distinct …

Ways Of Being In Trauma-Based Society: Discovering The Politics And Moral Culture Of The Trauma Industry Through Hermeneutic Interpretation Of Evidence-Supported Ptsd Treatment Manuals, Sarah Peregrine Lord

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

One hundred percent of evidence-supported psychotherapy treatments for trauma related disorders involve the therapist learning from and retaining fidelity to a treatment manual. Through a hermeneutic qualitative textual interpretation of three widely utilized evidence-supported trauma treatment manuals, I identified themes that suggested a particular constitution of the contemporary way of being—a traumatized self—and how this traumatized self comes to light through psychotherapeutic practice as described by the manuals. The manuals included: 1) a trauma focused cognitive-behavioral therapy for children; 2) an eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy for adults; and, 3) an early intervention and debriefing therapy series for post-traumatic stress …