Psychotraumatology is the study of psychological trauma.[1] Specifically, this discipline is involved with researching, preventing, and treating traumatic situations and people's reactions to them.[2] It focuses on the study and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder (ASD), but encompasses any adverse reaction after experiencing traumatic events, including dissociative disorders. Since 2021, Certified Trauma Professionals who have achieved a major level of training and clinical expertise can use the abbreviation PsyT after their names as a standard of recognition in the trauma field.[3]
The emergence of psychotraumatology as a field begins with the legitimization of PTSD as a psychological disorder. Symptoms of PTSD have been continuously reported in the context of war since the 6th century B.C., but it was not officially recognized as a valid disorder until it finally classified by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in 1980. Once it was officially recognized as an issue, clinical research on PTSD increased dramatically, giving way to the field of psychotraumatology. The term "psychotraumatology" was coined by George S. Everly, Jr. and Jeffrey M. Lating in the text entitled "Psychotraumatology" (1995).
Donovan (1991) suggested that the term traumatology be used to unite the various endeavors within the field of traumatic stress studies. As Donovan notes, however, the term traumatology also denotes the branch of medicine that deals with wounds and serious injuries. Schnitt (1993) expressed concern over Donovan's choice of a term that has at least two meanings. He urged clarity of communications as this new field expands; indeed, expansion is often built upon and facilitated by clarity of communications fostered by sematic precision. In a rebuttal of sorts, Donovan (1993) argued for a term broader in scope than traumatic stress studies, the phrase that has been used historically to unite the field. Clearly Schnitt's (1993) commentary offers insight to be considered. There is significant potential for ambiguity in the use of traumatology as a unifying term for the field of psychological trauma. Donovan (1993) argues that the term is "socially influential as well as conceptually and pragmatically useful" (p. 41 0). The potential ambiguity serves to diminish the promised pragmatics, but the lack of sematic precision is easily corrected.
In 1995, the addition of the prefix psycho- to the root traumatology appears to clarify potential ambiguities and more clearly defines the conduct at hand. Such reasoning serves as the foundation for the choice of psychotraumatology as the title of this field published in the Volume of Psychotraumatology.
There are three main categories that are looked at in psychotrauamatology: the factors before, during, and after a psychologically traumatizing event has occurred. Such factors include:
The term psychotraumatology is used in the present context to define or order the conduct of inquiry and the categorization of information relevant to psychological trauma. Psychotraumatology may be defined as the study of psychological trauma; more specifically, the study of the processes and factors that lie (a) antecedent to, (b) concomitant with, and (c) subsequent to psychological traumatization (Everly, 1992; 1993).
Since the adoption of new evidence based models in trauma treatment a new specialization in psychotherapy has emerged, the psychotraumatologist.
According to the International Psychotraumatology Association a Psychotraumatologist standard of education and ethics:
A Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist or Psychiatrist with knowledge and training:
There are three main sub-specialization in the psychotraumatology field: