Complex Trauma in Adolescents and Adults: Effects and Treatment.

John Briere, Catherine Scott

Journal: The Psychiatric clinics of North America 2016;38(3):515-27

PMID: 26300036

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Complex trauma involves multiple exposures to adverse events over the lifespan. Such experiences are associated with a variety of psychological outcomes, including a decreased threshold for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder as well as self-capacity problems and dysfunctional behaviors. Psychological interventions that increase affect regulation, support titrated processing of memories and cognitions, and emphasize the therapeutic relationship seem to be most helpful for complex trauma effects. Pharmacologic treatments have some efficacy in the treatment of the posttraumatic stress components of complex posttraumatic outcomes but are generally less successful in reducing self-related problems and symptoms.

Address: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.

DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2015.05.004

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MeSH Terms: Dissociative Disorders, Humans, Life Change Events, Psychotherapy, Psychotropic Drugs, Risk Factors, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic