TREATING NON-ABUSED SIBLINGS AFFECTED BY INTRAFAMILIAL TRAUMA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/1727-7140/1797Keywords:
siblings, intrafamilial trauma, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapyAbstract
Intrafamilial trauma (the physical, emotional, and sexual abuse between two or more family members) can render psychologically deleterious effects not only on abused children, but their non-abused sibling(s) as well (Vitale, Squires, Zuckerbraun & Berger 2010). However, non-abused siblings are rarely the participants of trauma treatment or the focus of research, rendering them the ‘forgotten survivors’ of childhood maltreatment (Renner 2012; Tavkar & Hansen 2011). Nevertheless, therapists may encounter these siblings as patients as they too present myriad problematic symptoms and grief-related experiences (McMackin, Newman, Fogler & Keane 2012; Van der Kolk 2014). To assist therapists when counselling non-abused children affected by intrafamilial maltreatment, this article aims to describe the psychosocial impact of intrafamilial childhood trauma on non-abused siblings and to discuss the ways that play-based treatment can be incorporated into an empirically supported trauma treatment approach to meet their needs and grief-based concerns adequately.
References
Afifi, T. D., Afifi, W. A. & Coho, A. 2009. Adolescents’ physiological reactions to their parent’s negative disclosure about the other parent in divorced and nondivorced families. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 50: 517–540. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10502550902970496
Afifi, T. D. & Keith, S. 2004. A risk and resiliency model of ambiguous loss in postdivorce stepfamilies. Journal of Family Communication, 4: 65–98. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327698jfc0402_1
Baker, J. N., Tanis, H. J. & Rice, J. B. 2001. Including siblings in the treatment of child sexual abuse. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 10(3) 1–17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/J070v10n03_01
Berger, J. S. 2012. Playing with playlists. In R. A. Neimeyer (Ed.), Techniques in grief therapy: Creative practices for counseling the bereaved, 211–214. New York, NY: Routledge.
Bowlby, J. 1980. Loss, sadness and depression: Volume 3. New York: Basic Books.
Boynton, H. M. & Vis, J. 2011. Meaning making, spirituality, and creative expressive therapies: Pathway to processing grief with children. Counseling and Spirituality, 30(2): 137–159.
Brandt, K., Perry, B. D., Seligman, S. & Tronick, E. 2014. Infant and early childhood mental health: Core concepts and clinical practice. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9781585625291
Breidenstine, A. S., Bailey, L. O., Zeanah, C. H., & Larrieu, J. A. 2011. Attachment and trauma in early childhood: A review. Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma, 4: 274–290. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19361521.2011.609155
Brisch, K. H. 2012. Treating attachment disorders (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford.
Bronk, D. M. 2006. The relationship between parenting stress and family cohesion in nonabusing parents of sexually traumatized children. Retrieved from http://scholarship.shu.edu/dissertations/1752 (accessed 26 December 2014).
Buist, K. L., Deković, M. & Prinzie, P. 2013. Sibling relationship quality and psychopathology of children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 33: 97–106. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2012.10.007
Cohen, J. A. & Mannarino, A. P. 2011. Trauma-focused CBT for traumatic grief in military children. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 41: 219–227. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-011-9178-0
Cohen, J. A., Mannarino, A. P. & Deblinger, E. 2006. Treating trauma and traumatic grief in children and adolescents. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Cohen, A. P. Mannarino, & E. Deblinger (Eds.), Trauma-focused CBT for children and adolescents: Treatment applications, 105 -123). New York, NY: Guilford.
Drewes, A. A. 2011. Integrating play therapy theories into practice. In A. A. Drewes, S. C. Bratton & C. E. Schaefer (Eds.), Integrative play therapy, 21–36. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118094792.ch2
Drewes, A. A. & Cavett, A. M. 2012. Play applications and skill components. In J. A. Drewes, A. A., Bratton, S. C. & Schaefer, C. E. (Eds.). 2011. Integrative play therapy. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118094792
Eilertsen, M. B., Eilegard, A., Steineck, G., Nyberg, T. & Kreicbergs, U. 2013. Impact of social support on bereaved sibling’s anxiety: A nationwide follow-up. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 30(6): 301–310. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1043454213513838
Gil, E. 2006. Helping abused and traumatized children: Integrating directive and nondirective approaches. New York, NY: Guilford.
Gil, E. (Ed.). 2014. Play in family therapy (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford.
Goldman, L. 2012. Memory work with children. In R. A. Neimeyer (Ed.), Techniques in grief therapy: Creative practices for counseling the bereaved, 240–242. New York, NY: Routledge.
Golish, T. D. 2003. Stepfamily communication strengths: Understanding the ties that bind. Human Communication Research, 29: 41–80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/hcr/29.1.41
Green, E. J. & Connolly, M. E. 2009. Jungian family sandplay with bereaved children: Implications for play therapists. International Journal of Play Therapy, 18(2): 84–98. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014435
Green, E. J. & Myrick, A. C. 2014. Treating complex trauma in adolescents: A phase-based, integrative approach for play therapists. International Journal of Play Therapy, 23(3): 131–145. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036679
Hamilton-Giachritsis, C. E. & Browne, K. D. 2005. A retrospective study of risk to siblings in abusing families. Journal of Family Psychology, 19(4): 619–624. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.19.4.619
Hollingsworth, J., Glass, J. & Heisler, K. W. 2007. Empathy deficits in siblings of severely scapegoated children: A conceptual model. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 7(4): 69–88. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/J135v07n04_04
Hooyman, N. R. & Kramer, B. J. 2006. Living through loss: Interventions across the life span. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.
Houskamp, B. M., Fisher, L. A. & Stuber, M. L. 2004. Spirituality in children and adolescents: Research findings and implications for clinicians and researchers. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, 13: 221–230. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1056-4993(03)00072-5
Jackson, L. J., Roller-White, C., O’Brien, K., DiLorenzo, P., Cathcart, E., Wolf, M. & Cabrera, J. 2009. Exploring spirituality among youth in foster care: Findings from the Casey Field Office mental health study. Child & Family Social Work, 15: 107–117. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2206.2009.00649.x
Jean-Gilles, M. & Crittenden, P. M. 1990. Maltreating families: A look at siblings. Family Relations, 39: 323–329. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/584879
Kübler-Ross, E. & Kessler, D. 2005. On grief and grieving: Finding the meaning of grief through the five stages of loss. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
McGarvey, T. P. & Haen, C. 2005. Intervention strategies for treating traumatized siblings on a pediatric inpatient unit. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 75(3): 395-408. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0002-9432.75.3.395
McMackin, R. A., Newman, E., Fogler, J. M. & Keane, T. M. (Eds.). 2012. Trauma therapy in context. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Mossige, S., Jensen, T. K., Gulbrandsen, W.S., Rechelt, S. & Tjersland, O. A. 2005. Children’s narratives of child sexual abuse. Narrative Inquiry, 15: 377–404. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/ni.15.2.09mos
Moser, C. J., Jones, R. A., Zaorski, D. M., Mirsalimi, H. & Luchner, A. F. 2005. The impact of the sibling in clinical practice: Transference and countertransference dynamics. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 42(3): 267–278. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-3204.42.3.267
Myrick, A. C. & Green, E. J. 2013. A play-based treatment paradigm for nonoffending caretakers: Evidence-informed secondary trauma treatment. International Journal of Play Therapy, 22: 193–206. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034560
Myrick, A. C. & Green, E. J. 2014. Establishing safety and stabilization in traumatized youth: Clinical implications for play therapists. International Journal of Play Therapy, 23: 100–113. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036397
Myrick, A. C., Green, E. J., & Crenshaw, D. 2014. The influence of divergent parental attachment styles on adolescent maturation: Implications for family counseling practitioners. The Family Journal, 22: 35–42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480713491217
Paula, S. T. 2009. Play therapy techniques for affect regulation. In A. A. Drewes (Ed.), Blending play therapy with cognitive behavioral therapy, 353–372. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley.
Potash, J. S. & Handel, S. 2012. Memory boxes. In R. A. Neimeyer (Ed.), Techniques in grief therapy: Creative practices for counseling the bereaved, 243–246. New York, NY: Routledge.
Prigerson, H. G. & Maciekewski, P. K. 2008. Grief and acceptance as opposite sides of the same coin: Setting a research agenda to study peaceful acceptance of loss. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 193: 435–437. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.108.053157
Reddy, L. A., Files-Hall, T. M. & Schaefer, C. E. (Eds.). 2005. Empirically based play interventions for children. Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/11086-000
Renner, L. M. 2012. Intrafamilial physical victimization and externalizing behaviorproblems: Who remain the ‘forgotten’ children? Aggression and Violent Behavior, 17: 158–170. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2011.12.003
Smith, J. 2008. Care tags. In L. Lowenstein (Ed.), Assessment and treatment activities for children, adolescents, and families: Practitioners share their most effective techniques, 150–151. Toronto, Ontario: Champion Press.
Stewart, A., & Green, E. 2015. Integrating play therapy and evidence-informed interventions with vulnerable populations: An overview. In E. Green & A. Myrick (Eds.), Play therapy with vulnerable populations: No child forgotten (pp. 3-22).
Lanham, M.D: Rowman & Littlefield. Stien, P. T. & Kendall, J. 2004. Psychological trauma and the developing brain. New York, NY: Haworth.
Tavkar, P. & Hansen, D. J. 2011. Interventions for families victimized by child sexual abuse: Clinical issues and approaches for child advocacy center-based services. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 16: 188–199. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2011.02.005
Van der Kolk, B. 2014. The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. New York, NY: Viking.
Vitale, M. A., Squires, J., Zuckerbraun, N. S. & Berger, R. P. 2010. Evaluation of the siblings of physically abused children: A comparison of child protective services caseworkers and child abuse physicians. Child Maltreatment, 15(2): 144–151. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559509360250
Waddell, J., Pepler, D. & Moore, T. 2001. Observations of sibling interactions with violent families. Journal of Community Psychology, 29(3): 241–258. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.1016
Way, P. 2013. A practitioner’s view of children making spiritual meaning in bereavement. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care, 9: 144–157. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15524256.2013.794032
Wehrman, J. & Field, J. E. 2013. Play-based activities in family counseling. American Journal of Family Therapy, 41: 341–352. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01926187.2012.704838
Wirtz, U. 2014. Trauma and beyond: The mystery of transformation. New Orleans, LA: Spring.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright will be vested in Unisa Press. However, as long as you do not use the article in ways which would directly conflict with the publisher’s business interests, you retain the right to use your own article (provided you acknowledge the published version of the article) as follows:
- to make further copies of all or part of the published article for your use in classroom teaching;
- to make copies of the final accepted version of the article for internal distribution within your institution, or to place it on your own or your institution’s website or repository, or on a site that does not charge for access to the article, but you must arrange not to make the final accepted version of the article available to the public until 18 months after the date of acceptance;
- to re-use all or part of this material in a compilation of your own works or in a textbook of which you are the author, or as the basis for a conference presentation.
Accepted 2016-11-08
Published 2017-03-28