Impact of Trauma in Latino Families: Implications for Practice and Policy

Editor's Notes

• #3: Traumatic stress in childhood involves physical and emotional responses to exposure to extreme threat, injury or death. Traumatic events overwhelm a child’s capacity to cope and elicit feelings of terror, powerlessness, and out-of-control physiological arousal. A child’s response to a traumatic event may have a profound effect on his/her perception of self, the world, and the future. Ability to trust others Sense of personal safety Effectiveness in navigating life changes Varies according to the objective nature of the event The child’s subjective response to it Acute Chronic and Complex Something that is traumatic for one child may not be traumatic for another. Factors: age, development, perception of the danger faced, victim or a witness, relationship to the victim or perpetrator, past experience with trauma, secondary adversities and The presence of adults
• #7: Studies have identified childhood trauma and adversity as a major risk factor for many serious adult mental and physical health problems (Felitti, Anda, Nordenberg et al., 1998). The emerging epidemiological literature suggests that traumatic life events increase the risk of a range of psychopathological outcomes, including PTSD, substance abuse, depression and poor health outcomes (Groenjian, Pynoos, Steinberg, et al., 1995; Kilpatrick, Ruggiero, Acierno, et al., 2003; Putnam, 2003; Sameroff, 1998). The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) studies found that children who have 4 or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have an increased risk of four- to 12-fold for alcoholism, drug abuse and suicide attempts, and two- to fourfold for smoking, poor general health, sexual promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases (Felitti, Anda, Nordenberg et al., 1998). These children were also more likely to be physically inactive and/or severely obese. Trauma, through its effects on health-risk behaviors, such as smoking and obesity, contributes to multiple health problems, including heart disease, cancer and liver disease (Felitti, Anda, Nordenberg et al., 1998). The ACE Pyramid represents the conceptual framework for the study. During the time period of the 1980s and early 1990s information about risk factors for disease had been widely researched and merged into public education and prevention programs. However, it was also clear that risk factors, such as smoking, alcohol abuse, and sexual behaviors for many common diseases were not randomly distributed in the population. In fact, it was known that risk factors for many chronic diseases tended to cluster, that is, persons who had one risk factor tended to have one or more other risk factors too. Because of this knowledge, the ACE Study was designed to assess what we considered to be “scientific gaps” about the origins of risk factors. These gaps are depicted as the two arrows linking Adverse Childhood Experiences to risk factors that lead to the health and social consequences higher up the pyramid. Specifically, the study was designed to provide data that would help answer the question: “If risk factors for disease, disability, and early mortality are not randomly distributed, what influences precede the adoption or development of them?” By providing information to answer this question, we hoped to provide scientific information that would be useful for developing new and more effective prevention programs. The ACE Study takes a whole life perspective, as indicated on the orange arrow leading from conception to death. By working within this framework, the ACE Study began to progressively uncover how adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are strongly related to development and prevalence of risk factors for disease and health and social well-being throughout the lifespan.
• #8: Promote Trauma Awareness and Understanding Recognize That Trauma-Related Symptoms and Behaviors Originate From Adapting to Traumatic Experiences View Trauma in the Context of Individuals’ Environments Minimize the Risk of Retraumatization or Replicating Prior Trauma Dynamics Create a Safe Environment Identify Recovery From Trauma as a Primary Goal Support Control, Choice, and Autonomy Create Collaborative Relationships and Participation Opportunities Familiarize the Client With Trauma-Informed Services Incorporate Universal Routine Screenings for Trauma View Trauma Through a Sociocultural Lens Use a Strengths-Focused Perspective: Promote Resilience Foster Trauma-Resistant Skills Demonstrate Organizational and Administrative Commitment to TIC Develop Strategies To Address Secondary Trauma and Promote Self-Care Provide Hope—Recovery Is Possible
• #10: enter kindergarten with social-emotional skills that are well-developed—sometimes even ahead of other children’s.68 Social-emotional learning (sometimes referred to as non-cognitive skills) encompasses important competencies such as self-control, positive interpersonal communication, and solving problems without physical conflict. Many educators consider these skills to be of equal importance with academic competence when it comes to students’ success. Support of both parents Early ediucation ince
• #19: We do not have any problems defining ourselves, it is a problem for the U.S. Basically wants to differentiate us from Anglo Americans The magnitude of the trauma experience derails the population from its natural, projected historical course resulting in a legacy of physical, psychological, social and economic disparities that persists across generations.
• #21: The invention of Latinos