Revolutionizing the Clinical Frame

Abstract

In this article, we discuss the role of individual and social advocacy as practices that promote resilience and enhance the ecological relationship between trauma survivors and their communities. Issues of access, comprehension, linguistic and social isolation, cultural disorientation and displacement, and feelings of powerlessness within governmental and non-governmental systems encompass common challenges that trauma survivors experience. We discuss two composite cases that explore what individual advocacy and social action entail, how these activities can change a victim's relationship with, inform and mobilize health-promoting competencies within the larger community that assist in the healing from trauma. Included in the article are guidelines and handouts intended to be useful for service providers who are interested in incorporating advocacy into their work settings.     

Interpersonal Violence,Recovery, and Resilience in Incarcerated Women

Abstract

Our first study focuses on interpersonal violence and characteristics of resilience (evaluated by the Multidimensional Trauma Resilience and Recovery [MTRR] interview and rating scales) in a sample of incarcerated women. The second study applies qualitative data analysis to a case study of one participant in group therapy for incarcerated women with a history of childhood sexual abuse. Despite extensive history of both frequent and severe abuse, the women displayed a high degree of resilience across multiple domains, including, in particular, the ability to derive meaning from traumatic events and to place the memories into context, ability to form meaningful relationships with others, and ability to regulate affect. These findings were replicated in study two, which illustrates the process of recovery from a poly-traumatic history.     

Exposure to Violence and Expressions of Resilience in Central American Women Survivors of War

Abstract

This article focuses on expressions of resilience in a sample of 30 women from El Salvador and Guatemala who survived multiple types of violence, including war trauma, before taking refuge in the US. Traumatic impact, recovery, and resilience were assessed using the Multidimensional Trauma Recovery and Resilience Interview (MTRR-I) and rating scale, MTRR-99. Exposure to violence was assessed by the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and the MTRR-I. The study established that the women had suffered multiple and extreme forms of violence prior to and en route to the United States and yet were highly resilient on multiple MTRR domains when compared with a US sample. Implications for future research for assessment of trauma exposure and resilience among war-afflicted populations are discussed.     

Finding the Gift in the Horror

Summary

This brief article proposes an analysis of the risks society faces in coping with terrorism, and suggests broad outlines of a plan to increase national resilience through creating a national strategy for enhancing psychosocial security. The analysis is based on survival mode theory, which posits two survival sub-systems in human beings: the threat detection system and the human bonding and attachment system. It proposes to redefine the concept of national security policy to go beyond the traditional military aspects of defense to include establishing psychological countermeasures that define maintaining psychological safety as a key marker of the defense against terrorism.     

Spirituality,religiousness, personality as predictors of stress and resilience among middle-aged Vietnamese-Born American Catholics

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to examine the predictive power of spirituality and religiousness in terms of well-being. Spirituality and religiousness were measured by the ASPIRES Scale. Participants in this study were 171 middle-aged Vietnamese-born American Catholics. Results indicated that both resilience and stress significantly related to Prayer Fulfillment, Religious Involvement, and Religious Crisis, and Universality related significantly to resilience. A series of hierarchical multiple regressions examined the incremental predictive validity of spirituality and religiousness over gender, religious status, and personality. Results demonstrated that spirituality and religiousness incrementally predicted stress overload and resilience in midlife over these other variables (Δ R² scores ranged from .02 to .06). These findings provided further support for the hypothesis that spirituality and religiousness are important resources for managing stress and maintaining resilience for middle-aged Vietnamese-born American immigrants.     

When seeking influences believing and promotes posttraumatic adaptation

Background: Theory and evidence link social support processes and self-efficacy appraisals in the promotion of adaptation following traumatic events. Dynamic causal processes, however, have not been examined longitudinally or in the context of mass-violence. This study tested whether quantity of social support seeking indirectly reduced distress severity among student survivors of mass university shootings. Hypotheses specified that the indirect effects of social support seeking on distress severity would occur through positively influencing perceived social support and self-efficacy, and that these effects would emerge and become stronger as posttraumatic stress symptom severity increased. Design: Path analysis via Mplus 7.2 was used to test the hypothesized moderated-serial-mediation model (conditional indirect effects). Methods: The sample (N = 1191) consisted of students enrolled at Virginia Tech during the 16 April 2007 shootings. Data were collected via online surveys at two time points, 3–4 months and 1-year post-shootings. Results: Hypotheses were supported, showing that the indirect effects of social support seeking on distress reduction occurred through perceived social support, which in turn influenced self-efficacy. These effects emerged and grew in strength as PTS severity increased. Conclusions: Clinical implications, including the need to consider contextual determinants of posttraumatic recovery, are discussed.     

Fostering Self-Determination and Resilience Through Sports Counselling: Psychosocial Development of Youth in Botswana

Sports can promote pro-social behaviors and confidence in physical abilities among participants. We conducted an extensive review of the literature on the ways in which youth in Southern African countries, severely affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other hardships may benefit from acquiring the pro-social skills often associated with athletics. This article reviews the current situation of sports in Botswana and offers recommendations for a culturally appropriate developmental sports counselling program in that country. The authors present arguments that support the development of psychosocial skills, self-determination, and resilience among Batswana Youth through sports counselling interventions.     

Women's mental health: coping mechanisms in the context of poverty

This study explored the coping mechanisms of women from an economically disadvantaged community in a South African setting. Data on symptoms of depression, prevalence of ego-resilience and demographics were collected from 60 women (African women aged 20–78 years) using a survey and individual interviews. The quantitative data were analysed using the Spearman's correlation coefficient and Mann–Whitney-U tests, while thematic analysis was used for the qualitative component. The results indicated protective factors of inner strength, peer relationships, religion and music, and community group participation as coping mechanisms for depressive symptoms in resource scarce environments. A sense of purpose was found in caring for children, and social participation was a crucial support mechanism.     

Mediated mutual reciprocity in the process of African children’s social ontogenesis

The paper highlights Nsamenang’s social ontogenesis theoretical stance in explaining how participatory pedagogies in socialisation impact not only development but children’s capacity to assume responsibilities for their own development. A synoptic review is presented of widely discussed challenges faced by African children, under the headings of redefining the African personhood and process of child development, poverty and malnutrition, changes in educational systems and poor access to quality education, child labour versus productive participation in the household economy, conflict and war, the HIV/AIDS pandemic and access to health care. Research evidence from Cameroon suggests that despite the challenges and adversities faced by these children, their ingenuity, resilience and cultural assets play an important role in mediating positive outcomes. Building on and expanding Nsamenang’s Africentric perspective on the sustaining power of African indigenous education processes, the paper presents a complementary theory of Mediated Mutual Reciprocity (MMR) that explains how children and learners are the main drivers of the learning process.     

Psychological Adjustment Among Adult Children of Alcoholics: A Cross-Cultural Study

In this study, we compared Hispanic and Caucasian college students identified as adult children of alcoholics in terms of psychological adjustment using the Diagnostic Inventory of Personality and Symptoms (DIPS; Vincent, 1985). Results of the study suggested that, among college students, Caucasian men seem to be at a greater risk for using alcohol and drugs than Caucasian women or Hispanic men and women.