In the aftermath of terrorist attacks or genocide, there are often more survivors than fatalities. Survivors may experience a variety of trauma symptoms, including intense fear, crippling grief, guilt, disorientation, and rage. In addition, survivors may be at risk for developing psychological disorders, such as depression and PTSD. There is often a marked variation in the way in which survivors react to terrorism and genocide, depending on factors such as proximity to the traumatic event, intensity of trauma symptoms following the event, and personal coping strategies previously employed by the survivors. The variation of survivors' reactions demands that crisis workers be flexible in how they choose and apply crisis intervention strategies. In order to choose an appropriate crisis intervention strategy, crisis workers first must assess and evaluate the affective, behavioral, and cognitive impact to survivors and the larger ecological impact to communities. Then, based on the assessment, an appropriate intervention strategy can be chosen.

To prepare for this Assignment:

Identify two accounts of terrorism and/or genocide from this week's readings and consider the affective, behavioral, cognitive, and ecological impact of each.

Review the assigned readings and consider strategies and/or skills you might use to respond to survivors of the accounts of terrorism and/or genocide that you identified.

Readings

• Bleich, A., Gelkopf, M., & Solomon, Z. (2003). Exposure to terrorism, stress-related mental health symptoms, and coping behaviors among a nationally representative sample in Israel. Journal of AmericanMedical Association, 290(5), 612-620. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Ciampi, D., (2012). Anticipated attitudes for providing psychological services to survivors of major terrorist incidents. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 4(2), 237-243. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Collins, B. G., & Collins, T. M. (2005). Assessment: A developmental-ecological perspective. In Crisis and trauma: Developmental-ecological intervention (1st ed., pp. 19-43). Boston: Lahaska Press/Houghton Mifflin.

• Crisis and trauma: Developmental-ecological intervention, Edition 1 by Collins, B. G., & Collins, T. M. Copyright 2005 by South-Western College Publishing, A Division of Cengage Learning. Reprinted by permission of South-Western College Publishing, A Division of Cengage Learning via the Copyright Clearance Center.