Reconstructing Early Intervention after Trauma: Innovations in the Care of Survivors(European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies)

The introduction of a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the 1980 edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders heralded the dawn of modern psychotraumatology. On the strength of the conceptual refinements offered by this new diagnosis, much consideration has been given to the challenge of effecting early intervention after trauma. To do so offered the prospect of preventing initial reactions developing into a debilitating chronic disorder with complicating co-morbidities. Some of the original proponents of early intervention protocols have continued to claim that such provision will mitigate the effects of traumatic events, prevent the onset of a traumatic stress syndrome, allow early detection of those who may require further help and help re-establish a homeostatic equilibrium. The evidence base for making these claims has never been made explicit. More recent clinical trials suggest a more qualified position ought to be taken with respect to what should reasonably and reliably claimed for early intervention techniques used to date. More alarming is the growing cluster of studies warning against certain types of intervention. The optimism which once prevailed with respect to what early intervention after trauma might achieve has, in recent years, been replaced by controversy and defensively entrenched posturing. This book aims to provide a comprehensive update on the accumulated experience in the field of early intervention after trauma and defines standards for service provision. It does so by reviewing the historical traditions and theoretical foundations for early interventions and links recommendations for psychological first aid to a substantial body of multidisciplinary evidence. The ultimate aim of this book is to reconstruct an informed evidence base for early intervention after trauma.

Table of Contents:
Section I - History and Theory 1: Weisaeth: Historical background of early intervention in military settings 2: Gersons: Historical background: Social psychiatry and crisis theory 3: Rose, Bisson & Wessely: A systematic review of single psychological interventions ('debriefing') following trauma. Updating the Cochrane review and implications for good practice Section 2 - Current Theories and Conceptualisation of Early Reactions to Trauma 4: McFarlane: Early reactions to traumatic events. The diversity of diagnostic formulations 5: Shalev: Psychobiological perspectives on early reactions to traumatic events 6: Perrin: Learning theory perspectives on early reactions to traumatic events 7: Pilgrim: Cognitive perspectives on early reactions to traumatic events 8: Ajdukovic & Ajdukovic: Systemic approaches to early interventions in a community affected by organised violence Section 3 - The new evidence base for reconstructing early intervention after trauma 9: Bailly: A psychodynamically oriented intervention strategy for early reactions to trauma 10: Schnyder & Moergeli: The course and development of early reactions to traumatic events: baseline evidence from a non-intervention follow-up study 11: Shalev & Ursano: Mapping the multidimensional picture of acute responses to traumatic stress 12: Brewin & Rose: Screening to identify individuals at risk after exposure to trauma 13: Orner: A new evidence base for making early intervention in emergency services complementary to officers' preferred adjustment and coping strategies Section 4: The Evidence Base Provided by Applied Early Intervention Strategies 14: Bryant: Cognitive behaviour therapy of acute stress disorder 15: Freeman: Drugs and physical treatment after trauma 16: Yule: Early intervention strategies with traumatised children, adolescents and families 17: de Jong & Kleber: Early psychosocial interventions for war-affected populations 18: Resnick, Acierno, Stafford & Minhinnett: Early intervention strategies applied following rape 19: Bisson: A brief early intervention service for accident and assault victims 20: Avery & King: The Lincolnshire Joint Emergency Services Initiative: an early intervention protocol for emergency services staff 21: Mehlum: Strategies for early intervention after trauma adopted by the Norwegian armed forces 22: Ruzek & Cordova: The role of hospitals in delivering early intervention services following traumatic events 23: Buus-Jensen and Baron: Training programmes for building competence in early intervention skills Section 5: Early Intervention Reconstructed 24: Orner and Schnyder: Progress made towards reconstructing early intervention after trauma: emergent themes 25: Orner and Schnyder: Progress made towards reconstructing early intervention after trauma: principles of evidence based practice

Review :
I first heard about the book when it was launched at the ESTSS Conference in Berlin in 2003. Any hot-cakes stall would have been proud to have sold their wares as speedily! ... The book ... is a good read for those who have to look after trauma survivors and I would recommend it. Psychological Medicine, 35 ... this text provides a comprehensive overview of the existing empirical status of early psychological intervention following trauma. The early intervention literature is characterized by controversy and inconsistent findings, yet the editors have managed to arrange chapters reporting an array of approaches and views in such a way as to provide the reader with a clear overview of this complex area. This text is an essential read for clinicians working with traumatized clients, whether in a clinical or medico-legal capacity, and an invaluable summary of the most up-to-date empirical findings for researchers in the traumatic stress field. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, Vol 24