Childhood Trauma and Its Negative Effects on Individuals throughout Their Lives

Banyard, V., Hamby, S., &Grych, J. (2017). Health effects of adverse childhood events: Identifying promising protective factors at the intersection of mental and physical well-being.  Child Abuse & Neglect, 65, 88-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.01.011 

The article explains how childhood hardship leads to unfavorable health effects throughout one’s life. The study shows that people with an increased incidence of childhood abuse and present financial distress experience poorer quality of life. Economic hardship has a direct impact on anatomical and physical systems that are critical for health outcomes. These alterations may linger even if a person eventually overcomes adversity, putting their health and behavior in jeopardy in maturity. Contrastly, those with skills in emotional coping, meaning-formulation, supportive environments, social benefits, and practices of forgiveness are living healthier lifestyles. 

The research will help me to find successful solutions that are indicative of an individual’s environment, family, and community that promote the best possible health despite adversity. 

Copeland, W. E., Shanahan, L., Hinesley, J., Chan, R. F., Aberg, K. A., Fairbank, J. A., ... & Costello, E. J. (2018). association of childhood trauma exposure with adult psychiatric disorders and functional outcomes. JAMA network open, 1(7), e184493-e184493. 

The research suggests that the majority of survivors have initial reactions, but these usually fade away without having long-term repercussions. That is because most survivors of abuse are extremely resilient and develop adequate coping methods to deal with the fallout and repercussions of trauma, including the utilization of social supports. Most people heal over time, display little pain, and operate well in all aspects of their lives and developmental phases. Such reactions are neither evidence of mental illness nor indicators of a mental problem. Although they are common responses to trauma, they can be upsetting to experience.  The experiences of childhood trauma throughout time are associated with adverse health and occupational ramifications in adulthood. It has been connected to poor adult outcomes, even after control over many of the developmental and family variables associated with both traumatic and adult consequences. 

The research will be useful in determining the link between cumulative childhood trauma exposure and adult mental and functioning consequences. 

Cross, D., Fani, N., Powers, A., & Bradley, B. (2017). Neurobiological development in the context of childhood trauma.  Clinical psychology: science and practice, 24 (2), 111-124. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpsp.12198 

The article discusses how neurobiological processes are vulnerable to the negative effects of childhood trauma, as well as the influence of childhood trauma on the formation and future functional consequences throughout life. The relationship between childhood trauma and various cognitive, emotional, and neuropsychiatric outcomes is examined in terms of long-term anatomical and behavioral changes, as well as their interaction with and impact on genetic and environmental processes during critical developmental periods. 

In the framework of cognitive control, emotion regulation, and detachment awareness, the article provides a comprehensive explanation of the neurobiological effect of childhood experience on traumatic events. It will assist me in better understanding the neurobiological development of children who have experienced trauma. 

Danese, A., & Lewis, S. J. (2017). Psychoneuroimmunology of early-life stress: the hidden wounds of childhood trauma?    Neuropsychopharmacology, 42 (1), 99-114. https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2016.198 

The cognitive and immune systems are not sufficiently formed at birth; according to the article, they continue to grow in response to the postnatal environment. Experiencing abuse as a child, depending on two-way coordination between the mind and the immune system, may modify immune system development that in turn may impede mental performance in the long run. Experiencing feelings and experiences related to the event without notice or intention. As if the trauma was reoccurring at the moment, these intrusive thoughts and recollections can readily generate significant emotional and behavioral responses. The panic attacks and memories might arrive at a quick pace, known as flooding, and can be distracting when they do. When a person is exposed to a stimulus, he or she may encounter an upsurge in intrusive thoughts and recollections for a period of time. People who are retraumatized accidentally as a result of program or professional practices, for example, may experience an increase of panic attacks of past trauma, finding it challenging for them to distinguish what is unfolding now from what occurred then. When trauma is the emphasis of counseling, the client is likely to have some anxiety attacks and recollections. It is critical to establish coping mechanisms both before and during the implementation of trauma-informed and trauma-specific psychotherapy, to the extent practicable. Furthermore, cross-diagnostic features are connected with developmental trauma and inflammation. 

The article will aid me in identifying measures to mitigate the effects of childhood trauma before therapeutic manifestations appear. 

Dye, H. (2018). The impact and long-term effects of childhood trauma.  Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 28 (3), 381-392. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2018.1435328 

This article looks at the cognitive, physiological, and psychological effects of childhood trauma. Traumatic events can influence and change one’s thinking. Individuals who believe that their efforts and aspirations can protect them from terrible occurrences are less likely to experience personal susceptibility. Traumatic occurrences, especially if they occur unexpectedly, might, however, cast doubt on such views. The significance of acknowledging prevention strategies, investigating adaptability, and classifying empirically-based therapeutic approaches to help relieve the side effects of survivors of abuse is mentioned, as well as the long-term repercussions of traumatic stress, such as drug and alcohol abuse, imprisonment, and co-occurring psychological disorders. 

The article will assist me in better comprehending early childhood trauma and the long-term ramifications that might result in clinical and psychological problems throughout one’s life. 

Greenberg, D. M., Baron-Cohen, S., Rosenberg, N., Fonagy, P., &Rentfrow, P. J. (2018). Elevated empathy in adults following childhood trauma.  PLoS One, 13 (10), e0203886. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0203886 

Although traumatic situations raise the likelihood of depression, there is information that adversity can contribute to post-traumatic transformation, such as enhanced compassion and prosocial conduct, according to the article. Even though it may seem contradictory, this may be hypothesized if trauma raises not only the person’s anxiety of future threats but also makes them more empathetic to other people’s suffering. 

According to the article, having experienced a childhood trauma improves a person’s capacity to comprehend the mental and emotional conditions of others, and that this effect is long-lasting. This study will help me better understand why adults develop enhanced empathy as a result of childhood trauma. 

Moustafa, A. A., Parkes, D., Fitzgerald, L., Underhill, D., Garami, J., Levy-Gigi, E., ... &Misiak, B. (2018). The relationship between childhood trauma, early-life stress, and alcohol and drug use, abuse, and addiction: An integrative review.  Current Psychology, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9973-9 

The article presents explanations and cognitive findings to illustrate the link between childhood trauma, early-life depression, and substance abuse, use, and addiction, as well as probable therapeutic approaches for alcoholism and substance abuse and addiction, premised on a better comprehension of the varieties of early-life stress factors that result to substance use and relapse. 

The article elucidates the link between childhood trauma, premature distress, and substance consumption, misuse, and dependence, which will be useful in therapy sessions, particularly for alcohol and drug addiction. 

O’Connor, D. B., Green, J. A., Ferguson, E., O’Carroll, R. E., & O’Connor, R. C. (2018). Effects of childhood trauma on cortisol levels in suicide attempters and ideators.  Psychoneuroendocrinology, 88, 9-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.11.004 

The study looks into the link between childhood trauma and cortisol response to a stressful event in the laboratory and ambient cortisol levels in suicidal people. It is noted that vulnerable people, particularly those who have attempted suicide before, have experienced a high rate of childhood maltreatment. Relatively low resting cortisol and decreased cortisol responsiveness to trauma are linked to increased levels of childhood trauma. The family background of suicide has no effect on cortisol fluctuation at rest or in response to stress when combined with childhood traumatic experiences. 

The article will assist me in identifying the impacts of childhood traumatic experiences on cortisol levels in suicidal people. 

Radford, K., Delbaere, K., Draper, B., Mack, H. A., Daylight, G., Cumming, R., ... &Broe, G. A. (2017). Childhood stress and adversity is associated with late-life dementia in Aboriginal Australians.  The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 25( 10), 1097-1106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2017.05.008 

This article research study evaluated the applicability of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire in a population sample of older Aboriginal Australians, which was driven by the high prevalence of dementia seen among Aboriginal Australians. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire was shown to be appropriate in this demographic and was linked to other negative childhood markers such as family separation. Childhood hardship and stress were linked to later-life emotional well-being, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. 

The article will be quite useful in my counseling career in terms of recognizing how early stress and adversity contribute to late-life dementia, particularly in the elderly. 

Wolff, K. T., Cuevas, C., Intravia, J., Baglivio, M. T., & Epps, N. (2018). The effects of neighborhood context on exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE) among adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system: Latent classes and contextual effects.  Journal of youth and adolescence, 47 (11), 2279-2300. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-018-0887-5 

This research builds on existing evidence about the association between influencing variables and childhood abuse, maltreatment, and stress contributes significantly to our comprehension of adverse childhood experiences. People often engage in activities to cope with the lingering effects, the strength of feelings, or the unpleasant features of traumatic experiences. Some people cope with anxiety or stress by avoiding it, drinking excessively, overeating, engaging in high-risk actions, or harming themselves. Others may attempt to get control of their emotions by becoming aggressive or unknowingly trying to recreate the trauma. Traumatic encounters can also lead to behavioral reactions, which are the result of or acquired from those experiences. Some individuals, for instance, act as if they have no control over their present circumstances, refusing to take measures or implement choices long after the trauma has occurred. Traumatic childhood circumstances have been linked to a variety of unfavorable life outcomes, including young offenders’ criminality, and have been highlighted as a critical contributing factor. 

This article will assist me in determining the influence of the local environment on the susceptibility of teenagers involved in the juvenile justice system to adverse childhood experiences. 

References 

Banyard, V., Hamby, S., &Grych, J. (2017). Health effects of adverse childhood events: Identifying promising protective factors at the intersection of mental and physical well-being.  Child Abuse & Neglect, 65, 88-98. 

Copeland, W. E., Shanahan, L., Hinesley, J., Chan, R. F., Aberg, K. A., Fairbank, J. A., ... & Costello, E. J. (2018). association of childhood trauma exposure with adult psychiatric disorders and functional outcomes.  JAMA network open, 1 (7), e184493-e184493. 

Cross, D., Fani, N., Powers, A., & Bradley, B. (2017). Neurobiological development in the context of childhood trauma.  Clinical psychology: science and practice, 24 (2), 111-124. 

Danese, A., & Lewis, S. J. (2017). Psychoneuroimmunology of early-life stress: the hidden wounds of childhood trauma?  Neuropsychopharmacology, 42 (1), 99-114. 

Dye, H. (2018). The impact and long-term effects of childhood trauma.  Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 28 (3), 381-392. 

Greenberg, D. M., Baron-Cohen, S., Rosenberg, N., Fonagy, P., &Rentfrow, P. J. (2018). Elevated empathy in adults following childhood trauma.  PLoS One, 13 (10), e0203886. 

Moustafa, A. A., Parkes, D., Fitzgerald, L., Underhill, D., Garami, J., Levy-Gigi, E., ... &Misiak, B. (2018). The relationship between childhood trauma, early-life stress, and alcohol and drug use, abuse, and addiction: An integrative review.  Current Psychology, 1-6. 

O’Connor, D. B., Green, J. A., Ferguson, E., O’Carroll, R. E., & O’Connor, R. C. (2018). Effects of childhood trauma on cortisol levels in suicide attempters and ideators.  Psychoneuroendocrinology, 88, 9-16. 

Radford, K., Delbaere, K., Draper, B., Mack, H. A., Daylight, G., Cumming, R., ... &Broe, G. A. (2017). Childhood stress and adversity is associated with late-life dementia in Aboriginal Australians.  The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 25 (10), 1097-1106. 

Wolff, K. T., Cuevas, C., Intravia, J., Baglivio, M. T., & Epps, N. (2018). The effects of neighborhood context on exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE) among adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system: Latent classes and contextual effects.  Journal of youth and adolescence, 47 (11), 2279-2300.