What is it about?
Collective traumas can generate physical and psychological damage, especially in societies with limited access to resources. This study suggests new ways of evaluating the impact of trauma by looking at subjective experiences of people.
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Why is it important?
We introduce rapid computerized and user-friendly assessments to address the underestimated psychological cost of trauma and efficiently cluster at risk individuals. This mostly highlights unmet needs post-trauma and the importance of collective and spiritual factors to buffer the negative impact in unstable sociopolitical contexts.
Perspectives
I hope this paper gives more visibility to the amazing capacity of Lebanese to rise from their "ashes" like their emblematic Phoenix. It is an opportunity to rethink trauma and mental health paradigms in collective societies that endure many traumas altogether in unstable environments. We need to better factor the subjective experiences of people faced with the same violent ordeal and ask about their unmet needs (financial security...). This is also an opportunity to challenge the idea that one single factor taken alone can define at-risk individuals. Finally, this is a reminder that coming together, making meaning of hardship and finding refuge in our beliefs and in God can help us navigate our traumas.
Myriam El Khoury-Malhame
Lebanese American University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Can the Phoenix still rise? Traumatic effect of Beirut port explosion on Lebanese people’s experiences., Psychological Trauma Theory Research Practice and Policy, July 2024, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/tra0001744.
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