New Directions in Childhood
Traumatic Grief in the NCTSN

Childhood Traumatic Grief (CTG) is an emerging condition, which means we don't all agree on how to define or measure it. One working definition for CTG is a condition in which children who have lost a significant other in subjectively traumatic circumstances (i.e, shocking, terrifying, or personally threatening from the child's perspective) develop both traumatic stress reactions and unresolved grief symptoms which interfere with normal functioning. The trauma symptoms themselves impinge on the child's ability to negotiate typical tasks of grieving; the child is "stuck" on the traumatic aspects of the death.  If the child were able to resolve the trauma, he or she would then be able to grieve in a more typical fashion.

In the first four years of the NCTSN, the CTG Committee developed several products, including CTG treatment manuals/guidelines for children from infancy through young adulthood; information sheets for teachers, pediatricians, parents, the media and other stakeholders; and the informational and training videos and accompanying print curriculum, "It's Okay to Remember" and "The Courage to Remember" (all available at www.NCTSN.org). Since traumatic loss is the second most commonly experienced trauma among children served by the Network, it is critically important that we make these tools more accessible. Thus, the CTG Committee is working on several projects to further disseminate this information. These include the following:

1) Translation of "It's Okay to Remember" into Spanish, an effort led by Alicia Lieberman;

2) Dissemination of CTG products, led by Robin Goodman and Chip Schreiber. The videos and print curricula were reproduced through the generosity of SAMHSA, coordinated by Malcolm Gordon;

3) Development of CBT-CTGWeb, an optional CTG module to be added to TF-CBTWeb. This adaptation of TF-CBT for CTG will be coordinated by Judy Cohen;

4) Following a study conducted at five Network centers, we have proposed that the NCCTS consider incorporating the measure of CTG into the Core Data Set. Chris Layne will further analyze current data in order better define CTG and establish the psychometric properties of the measure.

The CTG Committee has monthly calls. If you are interested in working on one of the above projects for this committee, please e-mail Judy Cohen.

House Fire Research (Cont.)

“There are currently no long-term systematic programs that we know of to assist children after a fire,” Jones said. “We hope that our model will be a template for other communities across the country.”

The goal of this free program is to help children and their families overcome their physical and psychological hardships resulting from residential fire and return to their previous levels of functioning. Using cognitive behavioral strategies, the REACT team helps children and their families cope with the devastating impact of the fire.

“Most victims feel an unbelievable sense of loss after a fire,” Jones said. “Children typically report a number of fears. Often they are very worried they won’t survive the next time there is a fire.”

The REACT team helps children feel more control over their situations by talking about and processing their fears as well as negative thoughts and memories of the event. They are also taught empowering skills such as the “stop, drop, and roll” technique and fire safety and relaxation procedures.

A longer version of this story was first published in College of Science Magazine (Virginia Tech); Issue No.1 Fall 2005