Episode Details

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Welcome to the first in a two-part series on trauma-informed assessment. I can’t count how many times the question of trauma pops up in the Testing Psychologist Community on Facebook. How to assess it? How to separate it from other diagnoses? What does it really look like? If you’ve ever asked these questions, this series is for you.

I’m talking with Dr. Julia Strait about all things trauma. This first part focuses on defining trauma. Here are just a few topics that we discuss:

• Acute trauma vs. developmental/complex trauma
• “Concept creep” (i.e., can anything count as trauma?)
• The pros and cons of the DSM-5 trauma conceptualization and diagnostic options

Cool Things Mentioned

• SAMHSA’s model of trauma: https://store.samhsa.gov/product/SAMHSA-s-Concept-of-Trauma-and-Guidance-for-a-Trauma-Informed-Approach/SMA14-4884
• UCLA PTSD trauma reaction index: https://www.reactionindex.com/  
• RIOT model
• Leung, B. (1993). Assessment is a R.I.O.T.! Communiqué, 22(3), 1–6. https://sites.google.com/a/nhcs.net/karlysokolowski/what-s-riot
• https://www.interventioncentral.org/sites/default/files/rti_riot_icel_data_collection.pdf
• University of Tennessee Center of Excellence for Children in State Custody: https://www.uthsc.edu/cdd/programs/coe-state-custody.php#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20Tennessee%20Center,both%20consultative%20and%20direct%20services.
• ITQ – international trauma questionnaire: https://www.traumameasuresglobal.com/itq
• Harvard Center for Developing Child (on neglect): https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/the-science-of-neglect-the-persistent-absence-of-responsive-care-disrupts-the-developing-brain/
• MACES measure: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25714856/
• Adverse Childhood Experiences: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html
• Cathy Widom: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/faculty/cathy-spatz-widom
• Testing Psychologist episodes on therapeutic assessment
  • General TA approach w/ Dr. Megan Warner
  • Part 1 w/ Dr. Raja David
  • Part 2 w/ Dr. Raja David
  • TA with kids w/ Dr. Alison Wilkinson-Smith
• Free, brief, and validated article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4310476/
• Adults: PTSD CENTER site:

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