Definition of the Term
Sullivan et al. (2018) note that trauma-informed care includes five aspects. Among these, the authors highlight “understanding trauma and its consequences, addressing safety issues, using a culture-informed approach, helping to highlight the nature and consequences of abuse on the daily experience of survivors, and enabling clients to regain control of their lives”.
Content
According to Sullivan et al. (2018), domestic violence is a potentially traumatic experience that has devastating psychological and physical consequences. In this regard, the authors note the special significance of trauma-informed practices, which helps people who have experienced trauma to heal from its adverse effects. Although Sullivan et al. (2018) point to the relevance of trauma-informed care, researchers note the lack of information about the impact of such practices on people who have experienced trauma. In response, in the current study, the researchers examined the rate of change in fifty-seven patients who had experienced domestic violence after receiving trauma-informed care during a thirty-day stay in domestic violence shelters in Ohio.
Researchers have found that through trauma-informed care, “patients experience improvements in their self-efficacy and safety-related empowerment (Sullivan et al., 2018). The researchers also examined the impact of trauma-informed practices on depressive symptoms. Regardless of the provision of TIC, depressive symptoms in victims of domestic violence have been found to decrease over time. Although the authors provided promising and comprehensive information, it is preliminary and requires further study due to some research limitations. These included a test group of shelter residents who volunteered to participate in the study and stayed at the shelter for at least two weeks and a lack of external funding. Moreover, the study is limited to four specific shelters.
Reference
Sullivan, C. M., Goodman , L. A., Virden, T., Strom, J., & Ramirez, R. (2018). Evaluation of the effects of receiving trauma-informed practices on domestic violence shelter residents. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 88(5), 563– 570. .