Family Interventions for Populations Exposed to Traumatic Stress Related to War and Violence

Wieling, Elizabeth

doi:10.1111/jmft.12297

Cited by 19 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Incorporating both systemic and ecological theories into a traumatic stress framework increases our understanding of traumatic stress by exemplifying how traumatic stress is dynamic across multiple systems, moving systemic clinicians and researchers to consider how traumatic stress may be treated beyond individual interventions to effectively meet the needs of varying traumatized systems. Systemic scholars have been making the case for multi‐component approaches to addressing traumatic stress, however, the complexities of moving from efficacy to effectiveness studies that also incorporate ecologically attuned dissemination and implementation strategies remain in its infancy (Slobodin & de Jong, 2015; Wieling, 2018).…”

Section: Theoretical Foundationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Expanding the Traumatic Stress Framework to Incorporate a Socioecological Family Systems Perspective

2021

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Over the past few decades, there has been a growing interest among systemic researchers and clinicians to address issues related to psychological traumatic stress. Yet, research in this area has largely focused on intrapersonal and physiological processes in conceptualizing traumatic stress and its various outcomes. Despite the usefulness of intrapersonally focused models of traumatic stress, this approach has its limitations. Emerging evidence indicates that both proximal contexts, such as family, and distal socioecological contexts, such as political and environmental systems, can have a profound effect on traumatic stress risk, presentation, and recovery. In the present article, we review and synthesize emerging research on traumatic stress and integrate findings from intrapersonally and systemically focused models of traumatic stress. We propose and present evidence for what we term the dynamic socioecological framework of traumatic stress, a heuristic framework for conceptualizing the interactions between different forms of traumatic stress. This framework puts forward the dimensions of traumatic stress typology, severity, and timing, underscoring how traumatic stress risk, presentation, and recovery are highly dependent upon the systems in which people are embedded. We conclude with a discussion of the research and clinical implications of this conceptual framework.

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Section: Theoretical Foundationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Expanding the Traumatic Stress Framework to Incorporate a Socioecological Family Systems Perspective

2021

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“…Ways include: (1) directly experiencing the event, (2) witnessing, in person, the event as it occurs to others, (3) learning that such event happened to a family member or close friend, and (4) experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details. The effects of war and displacement are inherently traumatic and cut across multiple domains (Wieling, ), such as family and community. Yet research has primarily focused on its individual effects (Summerfield, ).…”

Section: War and Displacement: Impact On Family And Communitymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Phenomenological Study on the Experience of Syrian Asylum‐Seekers and Refugees in the United States

Utržan

Wieling

2018

Family Process

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Violence in Syria has displaced an unprecedented number of people from their homes. While couple/family therapy (C/MFT) scholars have explored migration experiences, particularly among refugees, there is still limited research using a bioecological framework. This exploratory study examined the experiences of Syrian asylum‐seekers and refugees living in the United States using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Twelve Syrians (n = 8 men, n = 4 women) between 20 and 52 years of age (M = 35.8, SD = 10.7) were interviewed about their experiences across three stages of resettlement: (1) pre‐resettlement, (2) resettlement/migration, and (3) post‐resettlement. Findings suggest that the effects of conflict‐induced displacement and resettlement permeate across multiple ecologies. These range from the individual and his or her interpersonal relationships to their larger community and society. C/MFTs should account for contextual factors while becoming familiar with the sociopolitical impact of displacement and resettlement in their clinical work with this population.

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“…The importance of family well‐being, family support, and intergenerational communication about preresettlement and postresettlement experiences to the well‐being of refugee youth is beginning to be acknowledged (Wieling, ). Communication about traumatic experiences has been cited in research with a wide range of ethnic groups as important to healthy functioning and healing within families (Lin, Suyemoto, & Kiang, ; Nagata & Cheng, ; Wiseman, Metzl, & Barber, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring intergenerational communication and stress in refugee families

McCleary

Shannon

Wieling

et al. 2019

Child & Family Social Work

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More than half of the refugees who have resettled to the United States in recent years have been youth. Refugee youth have often witnessed or experienced violence and family separation prior to resettlement and face barriers to successful resettlement such as language and educational challenges. These factors elevate risk for mental and emotional distress, and protective factors like strong familial relationships are important to promoting mental well‐being. This study utilized focus groups with 36 refugees ages 18 to 25 from four ethnic groups to explore conceptualizations of and communication about mental and emotional distress within and outside of family systems. Youth reported a nuanced conceptualization of their premigration and postmigration stressors and their patterns of communication about distress in three domains: (a) exposure to traumatic stress prior to resettlement, (b) stressful experiences in resettlement, and (c) communication about mental health inside and outside of family groups.

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Family Interventions for Populations Exposed to Traumatic Stress Related to War and Violence

Cited by 19 publications

References 15 publications

Expanding the Traumatic Stress Framework to Incorporate a Socioecological Family Systems Perspective

Expanding the Traumatic Stress Framework to Incorporate a Socioecological Family Systems Perspective

A Phenomenological Study on the Experience of Syrian Asylum‐Seekers and Refugees in the United States

Exploring intergenerational communication and stress in refugee families

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