TITLE:
The Development-Based Taxonomy of Stressors and Traumas: An Initial Empirical Validation
AUTHORS:
Ibrahim Kira
KEYWORDS:
Type III Traumas, Stressors, Executive Functions, Taxonomy of Trauma, Existence Salience
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.12 No.10,
October
26,
2021
ABSTRACT: The development-based trauma framework (DBTF) proposed a comprehensive taxonomy of stressors and traumas based on the salience of existence and identity development. The goal of this research is to check the validity of some of the DBTF parameters, specifically the trauma types severity (Types I, II, and III), and the six major trauma types (attachment, personal identity, collective identity, role identity, survival and secondary traumas) differential impact and proliferation. We used a sample from 11 Arab countries (N = 2732), age ranged from 18 - 91, mean = 26.9, and SD = 10.01, with 69.3% females. We used measures for cumulative stressors and traumas, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and executive functions. We conducted correlation and path analysis. Correlation explored the differential sizes of association between types I, II, III traumas and mental health and executive function deficits. Path analysis explored the proliferation of and paths between the six major types of trauma and their impact on mental health and cognitive functions. Results indicated that the size of associations of type III trauma and mental health and executive function variable were significantly larger than type II trauma and the same for the difference in the associations between type II and type I, which validate the differential intensity impact of trauma types. Results indicated that attachment traumas have the highest impact on other traumas, followed by early childhood adversities (personal identity trauma) and collective identity traumas, with differential impact on mental health and executive functions. The conceptual, trauma measurement and clinical implications of results were discussed.