ABSTRACT

Individual differences in the response to trauma are influenced by numerous contextual factors such as one’s cultural background, the environment in which trauma occurs, the meanings attached to traumatic experiences, and various other social and cultural determinants both before and after traumatic exposure. This special issue of the European Journal of Psychotraumatology presents a series of papers conducted as part of the Collaborative Network for Training and Excellence in Psychotraumatology (CONTEXT); a programme of research which seeks to advance our understanding of the impact of trauma within diverse populations who are highly trauma exposed. Applying a context-specific focus, CONTEXT prioritised working closely with service users and those organisations delivering critical support in the wake of trauma exposure. The seven papers presented in this special issue are divided into those who are exposed to trauma either: (i) directly (survivors of childhood adversity in the USA; LGB youth in Northern Ireland; refugees and asylum seekers in the EU; and members of the general population exposed to conflict in Israel) or (ii) vicariously (fire fighters in the UK, humanitarian aid volunteers in Sudan, and child protection workers in Denmark). Together, findings from these studies demonstrate that social support, in its many different forms, is a universally important factor in the response to trauma. We discuss how traumatic stress can be compounded when, and can thrive within, contexts where necessary social support is absent or inadequate. We also emphasize the importance of recognizing the context specificity of trauma exposure and trauma response, as well as the need for collaboration between psychotrauma researchers and organisations who deliver support to traumatized populations to ensure rapid and effective translation of research findings into practice.

摘要

对创伤反应的个体差异受到许多背景因素的影响，例如一个人的文化背景、创伤发生的环境、创伤经历的意义，以及创伤暴露前后的各种其他社会和文化决定因素。本期欧洲心理创伤学杂志特刊介绍了一系列作为精神创伤学培训和卓越合作网络 (CONTEXT) 一部分的论文；一项研究计划，旨在提高我们对创伤在高度创伤暴露的不同人群中的影响的理解。CONTEXT 以特定背景为重点，优先与服务用户和那些在遭受创伤后提供关键支持的组织密切合作。本期特刊中的七篇论文分为以下两种：(i) 直接（美国童年逆境幸存者；北爱尔兰 LGB 青年；欧盟难民和寻求庇护者；以及暴露于以色列冲突的普通民众）或 (ii) 替代（英国的消防员、苏丹的人道主义援助志愿者、和丹麦的儿童保护工作者）。总之，这些研究的结果表明，多种不同形式的社会支持是应对创伤的普遍重要因素。我们讨论了创伤性压力如何在必要的社会支持缺失或不足的情况下加剧，并在其中茁壮成长。我们还强调认识到创伤暴露和创伤反应的背景特异性的重要性，以及心理创伤研究人员和为受创人群提供支持的组织之间合作的必要性，以确保将研究结果快速有效地转化为实践。是对创伤做出反应的普遍重要因素。我们讨论了创伤性压力如何在必要的社会支持缺失或不足的情况下加剧，并在其中茁壮成长。我们还强调认识到创伤暴露和创伤反应的背景特异性的重要性，以及心理创伤研究人员和为受创人群提供支持的组织之间合作的必要性，以确保将研究结果快速有效地转化为实践。是对创伤做出反应的普遍重要因素。我们讨论了创伤性压力如何在必要的社会支持缺失或不足的情况下加剧，并在其中茁壮成长。我们还强调认识到创伤暴露和创伤反应的背景特异性的重要性，以及心理创伤研究人员和为受创人群提供支持的组织之间合作的必要性，以确保将研究结果快速有效地转化为实践。