Foster and Adoptive Parenting

CWTI logo with man and child photo

Session 4

Unit Three: Impact of Child Maltreatment on
Development and Attachment

An Ecological View of Trauma and Recovery

An ecological analysis of trauma provides a framework for thinking about trauma in a more holistic way. It places all of us in the experience as part of the environment, even if we were not witnesses to a particular experience. This is our opportunity to support individuals' resilience to trauma and to reduce further incidents from happening through a collective response. It also helps us understand why people respond to trauma so differently.

From: “An Ecological View of Trauma and Recovery,” Journal of Traumatic Stress, Vol.9, No. 1, 1996, Mary R. Harvey.

Graphic: trauma connected to person, events, environment, connected to trauma response, which could lead to therapy or no therapy, which leads to recovery or no recovery

Now let's look at some of the ways trauma might manifest, or show up, in people's lives. You must always remember, though, that these are just a few of the responses; you learned earlier that we all respond differently, according to who we are and where we have been.

If you find you need more space or you don't have access to a printer, remember that you can use your Resource Guide or plain paper to complete these questions.

Trauma Principles Activity

As you read each of the trauma principles, write down any examples you can think of for each. If you can not think of an example, leave it blank.
	Feeling of Helplessness: The feeling of helplessness reorganizes the lives of trauma victims; memories and cues maintain the helpless feeling.

	Safety: Trauma destroys the victim’s sense of safety; if it happened once, it can happen again. Victims of trauma may expect the worst and view the world that way.

	Why did it happen?: A victim of trauma may be driven to search for an explanation of why it happened to them: What could I have done differently? Did I deserve it? Could I have stopped it? Can I prevent it from happening again?

	Post Traumatic Stress Responses: Many survivors of trauma develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) similar to war veterans - e.g., flashbacks, hyper-vigilance, startle responses, etc.

	Changes in CNS: The experience of trauma may temporarily or permanently change the central nervous system; may result in “hyper” behavior seen sometimes in adults and children who have been traumatized.

	Sensory Experience: Trauma is primarily a sensory experience.

	Attachments may be severed: Trauma can threaten to or actually eliminate attachments; children wonder why the person who is supposed to protect them is hurting them; trust is lost.

	Shame-based: Trauma is shame-based; trauma victims feel that they should have been able to prevent it.

	Contagious: Trauma is contagious; people who hear details of the trauma may experience similar responses, as though they themselves experienced the trauma; other children may get hooked into the ‘post-trauma’ play of the child victim.

	Perspective: The experience of trauma can be put into perspective; people develop strengths that carry them through life. Therapy may be helpful for many people, but others rely on resources and supports from friends, family, and other types of service providers.

Print out your responses to share with the trainers. Or, if you didn't have access to a printer, email this page. Type your name in the blank below and then hit the email button.