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Psychological Perspectives on ‘Acute on Chronic’ Trauma in Children: Implications of the 2010 Earthquake in Haiti
Author(s) -
Gabrielli Joy,
Gill Meghan,
Koester Lynne Sanford,
Borntrager Cameo
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
children and society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.538
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-0860
pISSN - 0951-0605
DOI - 10.1111/chso.12010
Subject(s) - context (archaeology) , mental health , work (physics) , psychology , psychological trauma , political science , sociology , medicine , psychiatry , criminology , history , mechanical engineering , archaeology , engineering
The 2010 earthquakes in Haiti initiated crises for one of the world's poorest nations. This transpired amidst pervasive, pre‐disaster hardships, with the resulting situation described as ‘acute on chronic’ trauma exposure. The current paper provides a description of a dynamic model focused on three factors of consideration for similar crises: cultural context, unfolding traumatic events and developmental processes. Knowledge from developmental psychology can inform humanitarian aid efforts to effectively address the unique needs of children. Recommendations are offered for research, clinical work and policy related to the mental health needs of children where ‘acute on chronic’ conditions exist.