Essay on Trauma Screening & Assessment: Universal Behaviors & Prediction Topics

Introduction

Trauma refers to a disconcerting experience or sometimes a distressing experience (Davidson, 1990). Trauma is usually associated with the worst experiences an individual might not wish to remember throughout their lifetime. Any related exposure in the present life may cause injury to the victim. The study focuses on various prediction topics when dealing with trauma.

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Screening and Assessment

Screening for trauma is done in a universal behavior in health services. Injury is familiar to many individuals; it is a common disease for patients with mental illness (Davidson, 1990). Sometimes when the victim is under the influence of drug, behavioral health issues makes it difficult to treat trauma-related infections since there is no early detection of the diseases (Davidson, 1990). Without addressing traumatic stress symptoms, trauma disorders can result in mental health issues. Trauma symptoms which have not been categorized can lead to inadequate treatment, early treatment termination, poor outcomes, implied risk of psychological symptoms (Davidson, 1990). Screening helps in the prevention of inappropriate treatment planning and misdiagnosis. Lack of proper selection to trauma patients can result in inadequate or late symptom detection causing direct services in symptom and related disorders.

Screening helps in identification of trauma existence. Selection for individual symptoms and trauma history is an excellent way to learn behavioral health (Yehuda, 2002). Early trauma screening can help the psychologist identify potential risk associated with traumatic stress. Initial trauma screening can be referred to as a prevention strategy. Carrying out trauma-informed screening can be a vital aspect of the treatment and evaluation process (Yehuda, 2002). The screening process can be generated that allows the inexperienced individual to carry out. The main domains used in trauma assessment include 1) Depressive symptoms, intrusive, and sleep disturbances experiences. 2) Trauma-related symptoms. 3) present and past mental disorders, e.g., mood disorders. 4) severity of a specific trauma type, e.g., combat experience, adverse childhood events, and other interpersonal violence. 5) health screenings, 6) Risk of personal violence such as suicide and other self-harm methods. 7) Availability of resources. 8) social support and style coping. 9) substance abuse (Davidson, 1990).

Informed consent

This refers to creating awareness of the trauma patients on the dangers and risks associated with their condition. There are a few conditions that allow a psychologist not to carry out informed consent for medical treatment for patients with trauma (Dorn, 1995). One situation when informed consent is neglected is when a victim is unable to provide consent (not competence enough) needs immediate attention not to carry out self-harm. Other conditions, such as public health requirements do not necessitate informed consent (Dorn, 1995). Though, there is a need for informed consent to be carried out within medical emergencies, in situations where instant interventions are necessary to avoid the harm of death of the patient. Most of the psychologists end up confusing whether or not to carry out informed consent on their patients during emergency moments (Dorn, 1995).

Most patients, during emergent operations, including trauma victims, does not need immediate involvement to avoid cases of death and harm who are competent to give consent. Moore et al. report that there is a likelihood of obtaining informed consent on patients over a computerized environment tomography in over 2/3 of the individual with acute trauma. This calls for attention from th healthcare providers to make attempts to obtain valid consent from trauma victims whenever it's essential.

Support groups

While administering support to the trauma patients, it's essential to consider support groups (Yehuda, 2002). This can be helpful when the individuals to be attended got a broader scope of life challenges, losses, and trauma is to be documented. For the case of burn survivors, creating a support group comprising of individuals with a long history of the menace and people who can serve to give purpose to life to individuals under investigation in the recovery process. Support groups help reduce the sense of isolation and stigmatization felt by most survivors (Yehuda, 2002). Being a member of the support group can be the inductive step in social connectivity after the suffering. Since the healing process must always begin with realizing good and recovery groups (Yehuda, 2002). Support group comprising of helpful individuals can be imported for both burn survivors, friends, caregiver, and other close individuals.

Time

Trauma can lead to secondary infections if not treated early. One of the main trauma-related conditions is Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is a mental condition caused by a horrifying moment, through either experiencing or having witnessed (Foa, 2008). Most victims suffering from trauma may experience difficulties while adopting and coping with the situation. If the patients are given enough time for recovery, there are high possibilities that they get used to the condition. When symptoms persist within an individual over months or years, the victim is likely to suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Foa, 2008).

Frequency of meeting

Adults who have admitted to a level 1 trauma Centre with brain injuries scored higher points compared to those without traumatic brain injuries or Spinal cord injury (Foa, 2008). According to Epidemiological Studies, PSTD and Depression Checklist. The frequency of attending trauma patients was set at 1, 2, 4, and 12 months after injury identification. The victims were evaluated to confirm whether they had received treatment for PTSD in each follow-up (Foa, 2008).

References

Dorn, L. D., Susman, E. J., & Fletcher, J. C. (1995). Informed consent in children and adolescents: age, maturation, and psychological state. Journal of adolescent health, 16(3), 185-190.

Yehuda, R. (2002). Post-traumatic stress disorder. New England journal of medicine, 346(2), 108-114.

Foa, E. B., Chrestman, K. R., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2008). Prolonged exposure therapy for adolescents with PTSD emotional processing of traumatic experiences, therapist guide. Oxford University Press.

Davidson, J., & Smith, R. (1990). Traumatic experiences in psychiatric outpatients. Journal of traumatic stress, 3(3), 459-475.