The Impact of Trauma: Self-Regulation, Social Engagement and Academic Achievement. Nancy Foster, PhD, LP Institute for Brain-Behavior Integration

Transcription

1 The Impact of Trauma: Self-Regulation, Social Engagement and Academic Achievement

2 Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Emotional Abuse Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Emotional Neglect Physical Neglect Household Violence Household Substance Abuse Household Mental Illness Parental Separation or Divorce Incarcerated Member of the Household Physical: heart disease, substance abuse, sexually transmitted disease, asthma, obesity, diabetes, sleep disorders, eating disorders Psychological: maladaptive coping strategies such as self-injurious behaviors, dissociation, avoidant behaviors, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, disintegrated sense of self

3 -- brain systems are CRITICALLY dependent upon environmental and biological cues --organize from their immature, undifferentiated forms in a sequential and hierarchical manner --from the less complex to the more complex --different areas of the brain develop, organize and become fully functional at different times during childhood Perry et al., (1995). Journal of Infant Mental Health, 16 (4),

4 What impacts these cues? 1- lack of sensory experiences during critical periods 2- atypical or abnormal patterns of neuronal activation due to extreme experiences Perry et al., (1995). Journal of Infant Mental Health, 16 (4), What is the implication? 4

5 4 Types of Attachment Secure: explores environment in presence of mother/caregiver; distressed when mother/caregiver leaves and not well comforted by strangers, calms down when mother/caregiver returns. Avoidant: not distressed when mother/caregiver leaves; equally comforted by strangers, shows little interest when mother/caregiver returns EBD Resistant: does not explore environment, intense distress when mother/caregiver leaves, avoids strangers and resists mother/caregiver when she returns and is not easily comforted EBD Disorganized: child has random outbursts and periods of unresponsiveness, as well as spurts of sudden emotion and unpredictable behavior EBD COGNITIVE Front Brain MAP AFFECTIVE Back Brain

6 Pre-Frontal Cortex Rational Brain Set Shifting Hypothesis Generation Problem Solving Concept Formation Abstract Reasoning Planning Organizing Inhibition Self-Monitoring Self-Control Estimation Behavior Regulation Common Sense 6

7 Back Brain Irrational Brain Impulsivity Procrastinate Perfectionism Freeze Myopia Prejudice Narrowminded Passivity Power FEAR Deceit Nancy Foster, Ph.D. The Manipulate Selfish Anger/Rage Control

8 1. Explicit: Two Kinds of Memories - Semantic/Factual Memory - Autobiographical: Recalling events when you activate conscious awareness of something you experienced in the past. As the hippocampus matures, we are better able to remember events in the past. 2. Implicit - present at birth - unconscious learning and recall - conscious attention is not required for encoding - involves lower regions of the brain: amygdala, limbic circuitry, brain stem regions in the right hemisphere - comes in the form of perceptions, behaviors, emotions, and bodily experiences - Is often revealed through nonverbal communication and body language

9 The Hemispheres Right Hemisphere - Rapidly maturing from birth to months - More interconnections between neurons in the RH Nonverbal Communication Social and Emotional Context Left Hemisphere - Neurons begin to increase at a faster pace between months 4Ls - Language - Linear: We speak what we think - Logical: Our stories have to connect and make sense - Literal Processing Thompson, 2010

10 What triggers the SRS? The last time I saw that face. I got The last time I heard that voice. I got The last time you were that close to me I got The last time I smelled that smell.i got The last time you touched me I got sensory processing Implicit Memories

11 How does trauma impact the development of empathy and social engagement?

12 The Stress Response System EBD

13 Caregiver Home Brain Relationships Self

14 The Avoider The Narcissist The Blamer The Clinger The Weepy Trauma The Bully The Wall Flower The Ice Cube The Volcano The Denier

15 If my outside world is predictable, reliable, organized/structured, then my inside world, my sense of self, will develop accordingly. I learn how to trust I learn how to regulate my emotions I learn how to engage my thinking I learn how to socialize Prefrontal Cortex Stop-and-Think If my outside world is chaotic, painful, unreliable/unpredictable, then my internal world, how my sense of self develops, will be disorganized. I learn how to survive I learn how to fight I learn how to be anxious I learn how to get my needs met Limbic System Go-Go-Go

16 The Avoider The Narcissist The Blamer The Clinger The Weepy Trauma The Bully The Wall Flower The Ice Cube The Volcano The Denier

17 How does living out of the reactive brain impact behavior?

18 When the back brain in online, there is only one question the person is trying to answer. What do I need to do to protect myself? 18

19 1 of 4 Options ON GUARD HYPERVIGILANT SELF-PROTECION

20 Thoughts about the past or future go off-line and all our attention, focus, and energy is in the moment.

21 How does trauma impact learning, the development of language and complex problem solving skills?

22 How to Problem Solve - Over focus on detail - Miss the big picture - Inefficient/ineffective problem solving strategies - Obsessive-compulsive like behaviors - Inflexibility & rigidity - Difficulty adjusting to changes in routine - Inattention, distractibility - Disorganized - Poor memory/encoding strategies - Learning difficulties - Literal/concrete thinkers, readers, & writers

23 Verbal Skills (VCI) tend to be lower than their Nonverbal Skills (PRI) - Weak phonetic decoding skills-lack automaticity & fluidity - Motoric Dysgraphia-heavy press, lack of automaticity & fluidity - Difficulty linguistically connecting ideas and concepts - Poor reading comprehension, tends to be more literal - Reads for details, misses the bigger literary picture

24 The A subsidiary of Partners in Healing Nancy Foster, Ph.D., LP Wayzata Blvd. Suite 200 Minnetonka, MN (763) x 106 Comprehensive neuropsychological assessment across the lifespan nancy.fosterphd@pih-mpls.com Nancy Foster, Ph.D. The