ABOUT THE GCTS

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We have organized the projects we work on together on this website under the following headings:

• Types of trauma

• Assessment

• Interventions

We present projects that address research methods or more fundamental aspects to better understand traumatic stress responses around the world:

• Methods and Mechanisms

We further offer to researchers and clinicians a range of resources, from e-pamphlets on child trauma to existing data  sets:

• Resources

Finally, we list a collection of relevant trauma conferences around the world here where we hope to meet each other in real life or virtually:

• Events

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Types of trauma

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Sometimes things happen to people that are unusually or especially frightening, horrible, or traumatic. There are many different types of potentially traumatic events or experiences, from accidents and disasters to interpersonal violence including sexual transgressions. Trauma can happen to anyone, at any age, from children to the elderly. Some populations may be particularly at risk, such as people living in disaster prone areas, or in regions struck by war and conflict. Other examples are refugees, forcibly displaced persons, or individuals working in so-called high risk occupations (e.g military, police, frontline workers). The COVID-19 pandemic and climate change have increased exposure to potentially traumatic events. All these aspects of trauma need to be globally addressed.

Professionals involved in the GCTS are working together on these topics, please find them here organized by types of trauma.

Assessment of trauma-related symptoms

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While there are many types of potentially traumatic events there are even so many responses to trauma. Most people experience short term stress responses, others may develop a variety of posttraumatic stress reactions or disorders. The most typical is posttraumatic stress disorder, where a person keeps re-experiencing the event as if it happened recently (e.g. having nightmares or flashbacks, or in response to triggers). However, anxiety, depression, substance use problems, disturbed sleep and somatic complaints are also common responses to a traumatic event. Complicated grief and bereavement are often seen in cases of traumatic loss. Dissociative symptoms may arise, and sometimes life may not feel worth living anymore.

It is important to detect individuals at risk for mental health problems. Assessment is therefore an important topic of the GCTS. Validated psychometric instruments in various languages are provided here as well as under specific types of trauma such as moral injury, trauma and ageing, or bereavement and grief.​

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