Historical Contexts of Trauma

Historical Contexts of Trauma

Psychic trauma--History

D. Hyatt-Burkhart, Lisa Lopez Levers

Trauma Counseling: Theories and Interventions

2012

Springer Publishing Company

Book chapter

English

9780826106834

Restricted Access

This chapter provides the construct of psychosocial trauma within its historical contexts to view the effects of traumatic events. Sotero has described historical trauma theory as a relatively new concept in public health that aims to assess the higher prevalence of disease among populations exposed to long-term traumatic experiences across generations. Alexander examined the construct of cultural trauma as a constructivist concept. Modern study of the effects of trauma on the individual human condition is an endeavor that is rooted in the studies of the mind that constituted the beginnings of modern psychiatry. Professional and popular conceptualizations of trauma continued to expand through the end of the 20th century. With the advent of the women’s liberation movement, issues related to the “tyranny of private life” of women began to be examined. The measurement of stress disorders in children generally has been conducted using assessment tools designed for use with adults.

Haley Lesemann