The effects of trauma on intimate relationships: A qualitative study with clinical couples.

Abstract

Research traditionally has focused on the development of symptoms in those who experienced trauma directly but overlooked the impact of trauma on the families of victims. In recent years, researchers and clinicians have begun to examine how individual exposure to traumatic events affects the spouses/partners, children, and professional helpers of trauma survivors. The current study examines qualitative interview data from 17 individuals, analyzed using a retroductive methodology to identify how intimate relationships are affected when there is a history of trauma exposure. The following primary themes were identified: increased communication, decreased communication, increased cohesion/connection, decreased cohesion/connection, increased understanding, decreased understanding, sexual intimacy problems, symptoms of relationship distress, support from partner, and relationship resources. Areas for future research and clinical implications are identified. Trauma and Intimate Relationships 2Traumatic events have received substantial clinical and empirical focus in the past 25 years.Although traumatic experiences have been survived by people for centuries, scientific knowledge of trauma has increased in recent history. Much of the literature on trauma and posttraumatic stress focuses on the individual effects of trauma on the primary victim-the person who directly experienced the traumatic event (Herman, 1997; van der Kolk, McFarlane, & Weisaeth, 1996). Currently in the traumatic stress field, the definition of trauma almost exclusively encompasses the DSM-IV-TR (APA, 2000) criteria for PTSD; thus, trauma has become synonymous with PTSD. However, some in the field have challenged this definition, suggesting an alternative model beyond the DSM-IV-TR description of trauma (Brewin, Carlson, Creamer, & Shalev, 2005). Shalev (2005) indicated that a stressful event becomes traumatic when it is emotionally and personally meaningful, cognitively incongruous, and when it affects human bonds and networks, suggesting that "trauma should not be seen as affecting individuals but as affecting humans in their context."The literature that describes a couple and family systems approach to trauma primarily involves secondary traumatic stress theory (Figley, 1983;, adult attachment theory (Johnson, 2002), and the relational approach to trauma treatment (Sheinberg & Fraenkel, 2001).Several terms have been used to describe these secondary effects, like compassion fatigue (Figley, 1995(Figley, , 2002, vicarious traumatization (McCann & Pearlman, 1990;Pearlman & Saakvitne, 1995), burnout (Figley, 1998), trauma transmission (Baranowsky, Young, JohnsonDouglas, Williams-Keeler, & McCarrey, 1998), and witnessing (Weingarten, 2003(Weingarten, , 2004. Trauma and Intimate Relationships 3The theory of secondary traumatic stress contends that being in close contact with and emotionally connected to a traumatized person becomes a chronic stressor, and family members often experience symptoms of traumatization (Arzi, Solomon, & Dekel, 2000;Fi...

A qualitative study of single-trauma and dual-trauma military couples.

“…Themes differentiating single-and dual-trauma couples that had been identified in Nelson et al (2000) did not emerge in this sample (e.g., polarized emotional roles in STC, issues of power and control and competition in DTC), nor did the themes of boundary issues (Faber, Willerton, Clymer, MacDermid, & Weiss, 2008) and sexual intimacy problems (Nelson Goff et al, 2006Whiffen & Oliver, 2004). However, it should be noted that couples in the current study were not asked directly about all of these specific areas, although they were included as possible qualitative codes in the analysis.…”

Whither Suffering? The Potential Impact of Tort Reform on the Emotional and Existential Healing of Traumatically Injured Chronic Pain Patients

“…For example, numerous studies have determined that PTSD compromises quality of life not only in its victims, but among family members (Jordan et al 1992;McFarlane 1987;Ray and Vanstone 2009;Yehuda et al 2001). PTSD has also been closely associated with marital discord (Babcock et al 2008;Goff et al 2006;Sims and Sims 1998), compromised relationships with sufferers' offspring (Lauterbach et al 2007;Lyons-Ruth and Block 1996;Schechter and Willheim 2009), and increased risk for substance abuse (Kaysen et al 2008;Koenen et al 2008;McFarlane 1998).…”

War Leaves an Enduring Legacy in Combatants’ Lives

“…It is now well recognized that veteran war trauma affects the marriage/ partner relationship and the children (Dirkzwager, Bramsen, Ader, & van der Ploeg, 2005;Fals-Stewart & Kelley, 2005;Manguno-Mire et al, 2007;Nelson Goff et al, 2006), although most of this research relates to later conflicts and younger generations. The evidence suggests that wives/partners can experience considerable difficulties, including compassion fatigue, in coping with the husband's/partner's distress, and that trauma can spread to the following generation (Lev-Wiesel, 2007).…”