Journal of Psychiatry

Childhood PTSD triggers: Human trafficking, domestic violence and immigration; unique interventions to reduce symptomatology

19^th Global Congress on Pediatricians & Child Psychiatry

July 12-13, 2017 Chicago, USA

Michelle Villani & Nydia J Rolon

The College of Saint Elizabeth, USA

Keynote: J Psychiatry

Abstract:

The following presentation will focus on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in child victims of human trafficking as well as children secondarily exposed through parental victimization. Human trafficking victims may be forced into prostitution or sex work; they may be sexually assaulted and/or controlled through domestic violence practices to continue the sex work. Children of parental victims may develop secondary PTSD as a result of exposure to such trauma. For many children, exposure to such sexual and/or domestic violence is highly traumatic, and their reactions are similar to children's reactions to other traumatic stressors. This presentation will provide an overview of the direct and secondary effects of trauma these children and adolescents experience. Immediate effects of exposure to such trauma- directly and secondarily- will be discussed as well as the long term effects of PTSD well into adulthood if left untreated. The presentation will discuss unique interventions to treat children and adolescents suffering from PTSD resulting from such types of trauma. The presentation will conclude discussing current difficulties present within the United States regarding families who reside in the country illegally and/or those on green card status. This part of the presentation will focus on anxiety symptoms children can develop secondarily as a result of witnessing their parents�?? anxiety regarding deportment. PTSD symptoms in children resulting from exposure to human trafficking/domestic violence and anxiety symptoms resulting from secondary witnessing of deportment concerns will be compared. Interventions to reduce symptomatology in both areas will be shared with the audience.

Biography :

Michelle Villani (nee Cuppari) has done Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) student in Counseling Psychology at the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, New Jersey. Prior to entering the doctoral program, Michelle has served as a School Counselor in the New Jersey public school system. She has published several works related to mental health of children and is presently conducting research for her doctoral project on “Parental Divorce and Separation in Childhood and Resiliency in Adulthood.

Email: mvillani@cse.edu

Nydia J. Rolon has done Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) student in Counseling Psychology at the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, New Jersey. Prior to entering the doctoral program, Nydia has served as a Behavior Specialist/Mobile Therapist and Immigration Specialist on the East coast. She has recently published an article related to mental health of children and is presently conducting research for her doctoral project on “How perceived racism affects Latino's self-esteem.” She plans to specialize in the mental health of children and adolescents focusing on the Hispanic Community upon graduation in 2018.

Email: nrolon@cse.edu