Exploring the Use of an Integrative and Ecological Framework When Treating Children with Trauma

ABSTRACT

Children’s clinical symptoms can often only be understood within their individual and family contexts. However, contemporary research has pointed to the importance of also working with children’s social identities and macrosystem environment when attempting to understand and treat clinical problems. The case of a 10-year-old Dominican-American girl who presented with a significant trauma history, oppositional behavior, and difficulties interacting with her peers is examined using a developmental ecological framework. Attachment theory, cognitive behavioral therapy, narrative therapy, and multicultural family systems therapy, with a focus on trauma responses, are integrated when exploring the case. Additionally, the benefits of exploring the influence of social identities (race, ethnicity, immigration status/perceived immigration status, and class) are explored via an approach that focus on transformation and healing from oppressive systems by integrating sociopolitical realities in therapy.     

Mind the gap: evolutionary psychological perspectives on human thriving

The amount of psychological literature focusing on human thriving and flourishing has grown in recent years, but this topic is currently subject to much conceptual ambiguity. Evolutionary psychology, though often not included in discussions on optimal human development, provides a framework that benefits considerations of human thriving. Humans exhibit a high degree of niche construction by which they alter their environment, in turn affecting their offspring. Such niche construction is enabled by unique human capacities, but these same capacities are then required to ‘mind the gap’ between human nature and the altered environmental niche. As such, thriving may in part be understood as the ability of the individual to navigate difficulties resulting from a mismatch between their nature and niche. Three unique features of the human species that are used to both create and navigate this gap are considered as they relate to the existing literature on human thriving.     

A Comparison of Underage,Young, Middle,and Late Adults in Indicated Prevention Following Impaired Driving

The authors examined age differences in baseline features and program response in individuals completing indicated prevention (Prime For Life^®) for impaired driving. Risk perception, substance use, and support differed by age at baseline and, despite improvements, continued to differ postprogram.     

The Impostor Phenomenon in Mental Health Professionals: Relationships Among Compassion Fatigue,Burnout, and Compassion Satisfaction

Imposter phenomenon is defined as a sense of intellectual fraudulence and an inability to internalize success and competency. Although imposter phenomenon has been noted in several populations, literature is sparse that focuses on mental health professionals. In addition, little is known about the relationships between imposter phenomenon, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction for mental health workers. Using a survey design with a convenience sample of 158 mental health workers, this study found that imposter phenomenon was positively associated with compassion fatigue, as well as negatively associated with compassion satisfaction, when controlling for years of work and age. Further, the combination of lower levels of compassion satisfaction and higher levels of burnout predicted higher levels of imposter phenomenon. Implications and preventative measures are discussed.

     

Experiencing Job Burnout: The Roles of Positive and Negative Traits and States

Extending recent research efforts on the effects of personality and moods at work, this study examined the impact of personality traits and mood states in job burnout. Specifically, the field study examined the role of 2 personality traits and positive and negative moods (states) in burnout among nurses working at 2 hospitals. Results indicate that extra-version significantly predicted the diminished accomplishment component of burnout, and neuroticism significantly predicted the exhaustion and depersonalization components. Thus, the findings indicate that personality dimensions predict burnout components differentially. Further, positive moods mediated the relationship between extraversion and accomplishment, while negative moods partially mediated between neuroticism and exhaustion. Thus, moods exhibited both direct and mediating effects. Implications for management and suggestions for future research are offered.     

Multiple risk expert systems interventions: impact of simultaneous stage-matched expert system interventions for smoking, high-fat diet, and sun exposure in a population of parents.

Three stage-based expert system interventions for smoking, high-fat diet, and unsafe sun exposure were evaluated in a sample of 2,460 parents of teenagers. Eighty-four percent of the eligible parents were enrolled in a 2-arm randomized control trial, with the treatment group receiving individualized feedback reports for each of their relevant behaviors at 0, 6, and 12 months as well as a multiple behavior manual. At 24 months, the expert system outperformed the comparison condition across all 3 risk behaviors, resulting in 22% of the participants in action or maintenance for smoking (vs. 16% for the comparison condition), 34% for diet (vs. 26%), and 30% for sun exposure (vs. 22%). Proactive, home-based, and stage-matched expert systems can produce significant multiple behavior changes in at-risk populations where the majority of participants are not prepared to change.     

An investigation of neuronal integrity in severe paediatric traumatic brain injury.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) and its association with neuropsychological functioning was examined in the chronic injury phase of paediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI). Fifteen children, aged 10-16 years, with severe TBIs were compared with 15 controls, matched for age and gender. The TBI group was found to have significantly lower levels of -acetyl aspartate (NAA) and Choline (Cho) in the right frontal lobe and generally displayed reduced performances on neuropsychological tests. A correlation between metabolites and reaction times was also obtained. Findings indicate a role of proton MRS as a measure of neuronal integrity following severe paediatric TBI and suggest a potential association of MRS with specific neuropsychological impairments.