Basic Facts

Defining Trauma

Although no universally accepted definition of trauma exists, Robert D. Macy describes it as "overwhelming demands placed upon the physiological system that result in a profound felt sense of vulnerability and/or loss of control." (1) Judith Herman, in describing the traumatic experience, writes that "Traumatic events produce profound and lasting changes in physiological arousal, emotion, cognition, and memory. Moreover, traumatic events may sever these normally integrated functions from one another." (2) The National Institute of Mental Health's medical dictionary defines trauma as "a disordered psychic or behavioral state resulting from mental or emotional stress or physical injury." (3)

Homeless Families and Trauma Facts

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Types of Trauma

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) is a federally funded collaboration of over 54 sites (including the National Center on Family Homelessness) working on issues of trauma and children. NCTSN identifies 13 types of trauma:

• Community Violence
• Complex Trauma
• Domestic Violence
• Medical Trauma
• Natural or Man-made Disaster
• Neglect
• Physical Abuse
• Psychological Maltreatment
• Refugee Trauma
• School Violence
• Terrorism
• Traumatic Grief

For a more complete description of each type of trauma, visit NCTSN's web site http://www.nctsn.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=ctr_gnrl_trauma

(1) Robert D. Macy, Basic Training Manual for PTSM, in Macy, R. et al. (2004) Community-Based, Acute Posttraumatic Stress Management: A Description and Evaluation of a Psychosocial-Intervention Continuum. Harvard Rev Psychiatry, July-Aug 2004.

(2) Herman, Judith. Trauma and Recovery. Basic Books, 1992, p. 34.

(3) Taken from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mplusdictionary.html, 2-22-05.