Trauma
The experience or perception of trauma has an indelible effect on the individual. Self-concept and self-esteem are often impacted by trauma. A trauma survivor may completely alter self-perception and self-image. Trauma can also alter worldviews or cause existential angst. Moreover, survivors of trauma may develop psychological disorders such as depression. In a study by David, Ceschi, Billieux & Van der Linden (2008), the researchers found that the depression experienced by trauma victims is in fact qualitatively and symptomatically different from depression in those unaffected by trauma.
Therefore, trauma is linked to clusters of symptoms that are related to but distinct from their counterparts occurring in the general population. A trauma survivor with psychological and/or physical injuries requires specific interventions. These interventions need to address self-esteem, existential meaning, and identity. For example, Crossley (2000) recommends a process of narrative psychology to help the trauma survivor reconstruct and strengthen identity. The individual uses narrative and...
In a similar study, Hemenover (2003) found that writing about the traumatic event had significant ameliorative effects on trauma victims. Fifty trauma survivors who participated in the experiment wrote about the precipitating event. A pretest and a posttest measuring qualities such as resilience, distress, and autonomy were administered before and after the written self-disclosure. Hemenover (2003) found that writing about the experience resulted in increased positive self-image, perception of self-mastery, and self-acceptance. Similarly, a decrease in distress, depression, and anxiety was reported by the trauma victims who wrote about their experiences. A sense of personal resilience and self-esteem resulted directly from the process of self-disclosure.
The process of narrative and voluntary self-disclosure may help the individual trauma survivor to develop self-esteem and confidence. Rather than suppressing raw emotions like fear or anger, the individual comes to…
