| dc.description.abstract | There is little literature examining trauma both within and separate from a community, even though both are crucial to understanding a person's development. Current studies attempting to expand this research do not focus on cultural differences in relationship to examining reflections on past trauma. The current study examines the relationships between an individual's personal childhood trauma, communal childhood trauma, and the reflections upon that trauma as an adult. This study included 77 adult participants who worked in helping professions and were recruited from the United States, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. These individuals previously worked with the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development (KPICD), completed the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), and were invited to participate in this study by completing two additional surveys. Individual and communal trauma were measured using the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire and the Community Experiences Questionnaire (CEQ). The reflection on an individual's childhood was analyzed through qualitative analysis of the AAI transcripts. This study found a moderate correlation between the amount of personal childhood trauma experienced and the amount of communal childhood trauma experienced. Further, individuals who underwent more communal trauma than others were more open, certain, and resolved in their reflections about childhood trauma. Finally, this study found a link between strong individualistic ideals and more revealing, detailed, uncomfortable, and uncertain reflection patterns while discussing trauma. These results are crucial to consider in future clinical settings and Practitioner Trainings as trauma intervention expands across the globe. | |
