Principles of Military Combat Stress Treatment Related to Children in High-Risk Environments (From Youth Violence: Prevention, Intervention, and Social Policy, P 99-118, 1999, Daniel J. Flannery and C. Ronald Huff, eds. -- See NCJ-184963)

• NCJ Number: 184967
• Author(s): Mark Chapin Ph.D.; Mark I. Singer Ph.D.
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 20 pages
• Sale Source: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc
• Publication Format: Book (Hardbound)
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter examines the principles of military combat stress treatment related to children in high-risk environments.

Abstract

The chapter reviews the history of military combat stress, explains the U.S. Army's principles of combat stress intervention, reviews the degree to which children in the United States have been exposed to violence, and draws parallels between that exposure and combat conditions. Drawing on lessons learned from the military may help contribute new approaches to the task of providing solace to violence-exposed children. Rather than initially treating violence-exposed children as patients, a more appropriate approach would be to treat them as victims. For example, a model for treating sexually abused women initially regards them as victims and then determines if, and in what areas, more extensive services are needed to promote their transition to survivors. Such services for violence-exposed children could initially focus on coping strategies and ideas to reduce further exposure to violence and then, when indicated, refer children for additional services. Table, figure, references