Lecture 9 - Disaster and Child Trauma

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Questions and Answers

What is one of the primary goals of a Trauma Systems Therapy (TST) team?

To address both aspects of the trauma system (correct)

To ignore the underlying trauma

To intervene only at the individual level

To focus only on medication management

Which of the following is a key component of resilient coping strategies for traumatized children?

Avoiding any discussion of trauma

Withdrawing from activities they enjoy

Blaming others for their situation

Developing strong social networks (correct)

In the context of TST, 'Cat Hair' likely refers to which aspect?

An emotional connection to pets

A technical term for medical treatment

The barriers to addressing trauma (correct)

A method for ignoring trauma

What can be an observed symptom in children with post-traumatic stress?

Severe emotional detachment Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the four service elements in a trauma system?

Comprehensive education on trauma Signup and view all the answers

What is a common effect of exposure to natural disasters on children?

Traumatic stress reactions Signup and view all the answers

Which factor does NOT contribute to a child’s resilience in overcoming trauma?

Poor academic performance Signup and view all the answers

Which approach is key in treating children's trauma according to TF-CBT principles?

Integrating cognitive and behavioral interventions Signup and view all the answers

What does NOT characterize the psychological impact of being a child soldier?

Enhanced cognitive abilities Signup and view all the answers

How does hospitalization affect children differently at varying developmental stages?

Younger children have more intense reactions than older children. Signup and view all the answers

What role does psychopharmacology typically play in treating childhood trauma?

It can be a supportive component alongside therapy. Signup and view all the answers

Which is a significant challenge associated with child medical illness for the family?

Financial burdens related to medical expenses. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common misconception about children’s conceptualization of death?

Preschool children understand death as final. Signup and view all the answers

What is a crucial factor to consider when approaching a case using Trauma Systems Therapy?

The individual’s age in relation to trauma perception Signup and view all the answers

Which element is least likely to be included in the assessment of post-traumatic symptoms?

Financial stability of the household Signup and view all the answers

In the context of addressing trauma in children, which strategy is often overlooked?

Focusing solely on identified behaviors Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes the phase-based approach in Trauma Systems Therapy?

It considers different developmental stages over time Signup and view all the answers

What could be an unexpected benefit of music in trauma therapy for children?

It fosters emotional expression and connection Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately reflects a potential research finding related to children's exposure to war?

Exposure to violence in war can lead to long-term psychological issues. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of Medical Trauma, what is a primary effect of hospitalization on children?

Increased anxiety and fear of medical procedures. Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of resilience in children exposed to traumatic events?

Effective coping mechanisms to manage stress. Signup and view all the answers

What can be inferred about the role of psychopharmacology in treating childhood trauma?

It plays a supportive role in managing symptoms alongside therapy. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of treatment for children experiencing trauma is likely to be least effective?

Ignoring the child’s feelings during therapy. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is least likely to contribute to a child’s resilience when faced with trauma?

Exposure to similar traumatic events. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common misconception about refugee children and their families?

They experience minimal effects from displacement. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about children's conceptualization of death is generally accurate for developmental understanding?

Younger children often view death as temporary or reversible. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Lecture 9 - Disaster, War, and Displacement

Traumatic stressors related to child exposure to natural disasters include displacement, loss of home/property, disrupted schooling, economic hardship, and loss of loved ones.
Fifty percent of children experience post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), which can include recurring thoughts, hypervigilance, and difficulty sleeping or concentrating.
Long-term issues, like depression and anxiety, can persist for up to four years after a disaster.
PTSD symptoms may decrease, but depression can worsen after events such as the 2008 China earthquake.
Increased illnesses (such as diarrhea, fever, and respiratory problems) and vulnerabilities (thinner skin, fluid loss risks, and less heat retention) are common in children post disaster.
Educational disruption, including prolonged school closures and absenteeism, can also impact children, potentially leading to difficulties concentrating.
Key research (Challenger Study) highlights the impact of physical and emotional proximity on the severity of symptoms from the explosion during the Challenger space shuttle launch, which was televised.
Younger children exhibited more symptoms than adolescents. Key findings indicate that media exposure (live TV) was impactful as witnessing in person and emotional proximity (connection to victims) mattered more than physical proximity.
Emotional involvement and exposure level impact post-traumatic symptoms. Sub-threshold trauma symptoms are common, even with no full PTSD diagnosis.

Lecture 9B - War and Displacement

Trauma exposure in children during war involves violence (witnessing, victimization, or perpetration), food shortages, disease, torture, sexual assault, medical neglect, and loss of loved ones.
Sexual assault is a key war crime, used to dominate, instill fear, and displace populations.
Child soldiers are actively involved in roles like combatants, cooks, spies, and sex slaves, with girls comprising 40% of child soldiers.
Trauma in child soldiers includes risks such as rape, torture, substance abuse, PTSD, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.
35% of child soldiers surveyed in Uganda and DRC met PTSD criteria.
Post-war challenges include stigma, rejection by communities, and disrupted education, leading to severe psychiatric symptoms stemming from violent memories and fear.
Refugee children and families face stressors such as displacement, loss of home/community, poverty, cultural dislocation, discrimination, and both pre- and post-migration trauma.
Refugee children resettled in high-income countries show lower PTSD rates. Core stressors include acculturation (cultural conflicts), isolation, persistent emotional regulation problems, and environmental stressors.

Lecture 10 - Medical Trauma

Hospitalized children experience physical and emotional stressors like painful procedures, chronic pain, disrupted routines, recurrent separations from caregivers, anxiety and fear related to diagnosis.
Parental stress includes financial burdens, guilt, anxiety, and uncertainty about outcomes, with parental distress linked to higher PTSD risk in children.
Hospitalization impacts children's development across different stages.
Infants experience disrupted attachment, fearfulness, increased aggression, or withdrawal, with implicit trauma impacting parent-child bonding.
Toddlers exhibit exacerbated separation anxiety and struggle with understanding illness, potentially experiencing developmental regression and delayed language/motor skills.
Preschoolers display fear of mutilation and abandonment with potential for aggression.
School-aged children grapple with understanding mortality and may blame themselves for illness, possibly witnessing altered self-image and alienation from peers.
Adolescents process abstract concepts and demonstrate fear of peer alienation.

Challenges Associated with Child Medical Illness for the Family

Families face significant strain with financial pressure, guilt related to the child's illness, and marital strain due to social isolation.
Challenges include difficulty maintaining routines and fulfilling parenting responsibilities.
Hospital-based supports like child life programs offer therapeutic play, education, and recreational activities for children.
Family-centered care emphasizes family involvement and respectful partnerships with medical professionals.

11A Resilience and Treatment

Resilience is the capacity to bounce back, adapting positively despite adversity through internal and external factors.
A Developmental Psychology perspective emphasizes meeting age-appropriate milestones and developmental challenges.
Examples of resilience aspects include achieving milestones like speech, relationships, and education despite adversity and successfully resisting negative outcomes.

Additional Topics/Lectures

Additional details on various aspects of trauma, resilience, treatment, and the impact on children are provided in other lectures.

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Description

This quiz focuses on the effects of natural disasters on children, particularly the traumatic stressors they face. It explores the long-term impacts, including PTSD, depression, and educational disruption, as well as the related health vulnerabilities. Understanding these consequences is crucial for supporting affected children in recovery.