Traumatic stress in South Africa (Paperback)

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This book, geared towards students, clinicians, those involved in the helping professions, and interested members of the public, deals with the topic of traumatic stress from a number of angles. Traumatic stress, and posttraumatic stress more particularly, has gained international prominence as a condition or disorder that affects people across the globe in the wake of exposure to extreme life events, be these collective or individual. Given the history of political violence in South Africa, extremely high levels of violence against women and children, and the prevalence of violent crime, South Africa has the unfortunate distinction of being considered a real-life laboratory in which to study traumatic stress. Taking both a historical and contemporary perspective, the book covers the extent of and manner in which traumatic stress is manifested, including the way in which exposure to such extremely threatening events impacts on people's meaning and belief systems. Therapeutic and community strategies for addressing and healing the effects of trauma exposure are comprehensively covered, as well as the particular needs of traumatised children and adolescents. Illustrative case material is used to render ideas accessible and engaging. The book also provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of theory and practice in the field of traumatic stress studies, incorporating both international and South African specific findings. The particular value of the text lies in the integration of global and local material and attention to context related challenges, such as how trauma presentation and intervention is colored by cultural systems and class disparities. The text will be of particular interest to scholars and practitioners working with traumatic stress in developing countries or in settings in which assessment and intervention resources are limited. The book highlights both psychological and socio-political dimensions of traumatic stress and emphasises insights derived from working in the South African context that have potential relevance for shaping the direction of traumatic stress studies.