Traumatology 16(4) 153 -159
AbstractThis article conceptualizes problems of traumatized refugee families and describes therapeutic work that seeks to transcend dilemmas and tensions arising within the discourses on culture, trauma, and treatment. Several options for treatment that help avoid the usual traps and pitfalls in trauma treatment of culturally diverse populations are presented and discussed. These options include the use of multifocal conceptual lenses, the creation of possibilities for various interpretations within a flexible therapeutic setting, intercultural negotiations, and the invocation of culturally relevant resources.
There is growing evidence that parental trauma is associated with psychosocial disorders, externalizing and internalizing problems, and higher sensitivity to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children. Recent research findings suggest multidimensional relational, psychological, and neurobiological interrelated pathways of intergenerational influence. Moreover, the intergenerational effects of parental trauma need to be understood within a broader systemic context, as a part of family adaptation. This article explores research findings and clinical practice to enhance our understanding of intergenerational processes and presents directions for therapeutic interventions. A trauma-focused multi-family therapy, aiming to restrict the relational consequences of parental trauma and strengthen family resilience, is described. The proposition is that to facilitate and improve the quality of parent–child interaction in response to psychotrauma, fostering emotion regulation capacities and mentalization is crucial. These efforts offered through family group interventions may benefit various families coping with adversity in culturally diverse societies.
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