NCJ Number
186636
Journal
Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly Volume: 18 Issue: 3 Dated: 2000 Pages: 19-30
Date Published
2000
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This analysis of the relationship between childhood trauma and drug addiction summarizes the research conducted by the author and colleagues over the last several years, with emphasis on the role of the new assessment tools they have developed and validated to assess childhood maltreatment retrospectively.
Abstract
The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) is a screening questionnaire that provides a retrospective measure for childhood trauma histories. The CTQ takes just a few minutes to give and is useful in varied settings. The Childhood Trauma Interview (CTI) gathers more detailed information about traumatic events. It takes 20-30 minutes to give. Research conducted with adducted populations suggest that the CTQ can be useful as a screening instrument to identify individual addicts whose pattern of maltreatment places them at greater risk for trauma-related symptoms and problems such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Screening with the CTQ during clinical intake or the early stages of treatment can help identify persons who may require additional services. Many authors have recommended a phased approach to working with trauma survivors. The elements of this approach include assessment, stabilization, working through traumatic memories, and resolution. Finally, the authors' research findings and clinical experiences suggest that existing drug treatments can incorporate information about individuals' trauma histories in a variety of therapeutically useful ways. 22 references