| COPING
WITH TRAUMATIC LOSS -
THE TRAUMA COPING SCREENING INVENTORY
In reacting to a traumatic experience
as a survivor or as a co-victim, how did you cope?
Or, if you were not a survivor or co-victim but
helped others, how did you cope (i.e., any secondary
traumatization)? Read each of the following characteristics
and put a check mark under “Yes” if
it applied to you and “No” if it did
not. The information is cited from Pearlman and
Saakvitne (1995), from Rando (1988), from the DSM-IV-TR
(2000), from other books and research articles,
and from this certified school psychologist’s
professional experiences. The workshop presenter
also added some characteristics to the partial and
overlapping lists (lists that are only guides and
are still evolving) as well as selected and organized
the information into the following question format:
HOW I COPED COGNITIVELY
Yes __/ __No
o Changed assumptions about the self
& world _________ _________
o Searching for meaning _________ _________
o Distrustful _________ _________
o Loss of safety _________ _________
o Lessened power or control _________ _________
o Loss of Independence _________ _________
o Impaired attention or concentration _________
_________
o Changes in perception or thinking _________ _________
o Short or long-term memory changes _________ _________
o Impaired decision-making ability _________ _________
o Lessened problem-solving ability _________ _________
o Self-blame _________ _________
o Flashbacks _________ _________
o Nightmares or night terrors _________ _________
o Dissociation (“spacey” feeling) _________
_________
o Lowered self-efficacy _________ _________
o Confusion _________ _________
o Worry _________ _________
o Experienced a threat of or a trauma event _________
_________
o Witnessed a trauma _________ _________
o Learned about a trauma of a loved one _________
_________
o Fear of reoccurrence of the trauma _________ _________
o Re-experiencing the traumatic event _________
_________
o Other _________ _________
HOW I COPED EMOTIONALLY
Yes __/ __No
o Internalized the stress (i.e., depression, despair)
_________ _________
o Externalized the stress (i.e. aggression)_________
_________
o Fear and anxiety_________ _________
o Guilt_________ _________
o Blame_________ _________
o Anger _________ _________
o Sadness _________ _________
o Loss of faith._________ _________
o Decreased self-esteem_________ _________
o Illegitimate, legitimate and/or survivor guilt
_________ _________
o Separation pain, sorrow, and longin. _________
_________
o Disorganization _________ _________
o Diminished self-concern_________ _________
o Obsession with the trauma_________ _________
o Sense of vulnerability _________ _________
o Identification. _________ _________
o Grief spasms _________ _________
o Shock_________ _________
o Terror ________ _________
o Irritability_________ _________
o Emotional numbing _________ _________
o Helplessness _________ _________
o Loss of interest in familiar activities _________
_________
o Avoidance _________ _________
o Other _________ _________
HOW I COPED SOCIALLY
(INTERPERSONALLY)
Yes __/ __No
o Restlessness _________ _________
o Little or no interest in usual activities _________
_________
o Lack of energy and motivation _________ _________
o Bored or impatient with others _________ _________
o Withdrawal from others _________ _________
o Blocked intimacy feelings _________ _________
o Decreased satisfaction _________ _________
o Preoccupied with one’s grief _________ _________
o Fearful about being alone _________ _________
o Related to others to avoid thinking of the deceased
_________ _________
o Distrustful of others _________ _________
o Increased relational conflict _________ _________
o Reduced relational intimacy _________ _________
o Alienation _________ _________
o Impaired work performance _________ _________
o Impaired school performance _________ _________
o Blaming others _________ _________
o Other _________ _________
HOW I COPED PHYSICALLY
Yes __/ __No
o Fought, fled, or froze _________ _________
o Fatigue, exhaustion _________ _________
o Apathy _________ _________
o Lethargy _________ _________
o Sleep difficulties _________ _________
o Tearfulness and crying _________ _________
o Weight loss or weight gain _________ _________
o Teeth grinding _________ _________
o Nail-biting _________ _________
o Feeling that something was stuck in your throat
_________ _________
o Heart palpitations, trembling, shaking _________
_________
o Shortness of breath _________ _________
o Dizziness _________ _________
o Unsteady feelings _________ _________
o Chest pain, pressure, or discomfort _________
_________
o Headaches _________ _________
o Exaggerated startle response _________ _________
o Persistent distressful dreams _________ _________
o Hyperarousal _________ _________
o Persistent distressful dreams _________ _________
o Nightmares or night terrors _________ _________
o Exaggerated startle response _________ _________
o Reduced immune response _________ _________
o Numbing of responsiveness _________ _________
o Vulnerability to illness _________ _________
o Other _________ _________
HOW I COPED BEHAVIORALLY
Yes_ _/ __No
o Avoidance _________ _________
o Social Withdrawal _________ _________
o Decreased intimacy and lowered trust in others
_________ _________
o Aggression _________ _________
o Substance use, dependence, or abuse _________
_________
o Regression _________ _________
o Diminished interests _________ _________
o Dysfunctional behavior _________ _________
o Eating less or more _________ _________
o Sleep problems _________ _________
o Behavioral change _________ _________
o Other _________ _________
HOW I COPED SPIRITUALLY
Yes __/ __No
o With no spiritual support _________ _________
o God had nothing to do with it _________ _________
o Lost faith in religion _________ _________
o Angry at God or other deity or religion founder
_________ _________
o Blamed God or other deity or religion founder
_________ _________
o God will be with me no matter what happens _________
_________
o With Psalm 23, “The Lord Is My Shepard”
o With “The Serenity Prayer” _________
_________
o God never allows anything to happen that is more
than I can handle _________ _________
o God loves me. He has given me this “cross
to
bear for him” _________ _________
o God works in a mysterious way. The trauma is a
blessing in disguise _________ _________
o I believe the trauma was sent by God but
I don’t know what the purpose was _________
_________
o God is testing me
o The trauma was given to me as a punishment for
something I did _________ _________
SUMMARY MY COPING STYLES:
DIRECTIONS: Return to each of the six
areas and list your coping mechanisms under each
appropriate title. Once you complete that, you will
gain more insight into your trauma coping style(s)
and into any needed changes for the present and
for the future.
o MY COGNITIVE COPING STYLE
o MY EMOTIONAL COPING STYLE
o MY SOCIAL (INTERPERSONAL) COPING STYLE
o MY PHYSICAL COPING STYLE
o MY BEHAVIORAL COPING STYLE
o MY SPIRITUAL COPING STYLE
INNER
AND OUTER COPING RESOURCES -
THE TRAUMA COPING RESOURCES’ SCREENING INVENTORY
In reacting to a traumatic experience
as a survivor or as a co-victim, how did you use
resources to cope? Or if you were not a survivor
or co-victim but helped others, how did you use
strategies to cope? Read each of the following resources
and respond in two ways: (1) First, insert a check
mark under “Yes” if
the resource were a support for you, and “No”
if it were not and continue until the six categories
are completed; and (2) then, return to the beginning,
and put a check mark under “Future”
next to each specific resource(s) that you hope
to use in the future. The enclosed information is
cited from Rothschild (2000), from Drescher &
Foy (1995), from the American College of Occupational
and Environmental Medicine (retrieved February 2003),
from other books and research articles, and from
this certified school psychologist’s professional
experiences. Also, the workshop presenter added
some strategies to the partial and overlapping
lists (lists that are only guides and still evolving)
as well as selected and organized the information
into the following format:
Yes _/ __No _/ _Future
o Functional/practical resources
shelter ______ ______ ______
food/nourishment ______ ______ ______
water ______ ______ ______
clothing ______ ______ ______
sleep ______ ______ ______
communication with loved ones ______ ______ ______
o Physical resources
health ______ ______ ______
physical strength and agility ______ ______ ______
exercise ______ ______ ______
body awareness ______ ______ ______
somatic memory ______ ______ ______
body psychotherapy ______ ______ ______
medication ______ ______ ______
o Psychological resources
high, intelligence ______ ______ ______
sense of humor ______ ______ ______
curiosity ______ ______ ______
creativity ______ ______ ______
resiliency ______ ______ ______
relief at surviving the tragedy ______ ______ ______
greater self-worth ______ ______ ______
changes in viewing the future ______ ______ ______
feelings of ‘growing’ from the experience
______ ______ ______
dual awareness ______ ______ ______
“telling your story” ______ ______ ______
calming images (attentive oasis activities
such as a new hobby) ______ ______ ______
concrete anchors such as a person, animal,
safe place, object, or activity ______ ______ ______
verbal psychotherapy ______ ______ ______
debriefings ______ ______ ______
active coping style ______ ______ ______
mental health ______ ______ ______
good self-regulation of emotion ______ ______ ______
appealing and sociable ______ ______ ______
positive self-efficacy ______ ______ ______
positive self-confidence ______ ______ ______
positive self-esteem ______ ______ ______
internal locus of control ______ ______ ______
task-oriented ______ ______ ______
o Interpersonal (social) resources
spouse or partner ______ ______ ______
living with family member ______ ______ ______
extended family relations/guidance ______ ______
______
connections with other family members friends, pets
______ ______ ______
recollections of significant people from the past
______ ______ ______
making contact with love ones ______ ______ ______
access to positive role models ______ ______ ______
connection with pro-social institutions ______ ______
______
altruism (helping and comforting others) ______
______ ______
participating in cultural beliefs and rituals ______
______ ______
o Spiritual resources
belief in a higher power ______ ______ ______
following a religious figure ______ ______ ______
adherence to religious practice ______ ______ ______
regaining a sense of faith, hope, purpose and meaning
______ ______ ______
spiritual autobiographies ______ ______ ______
meditation ______ ______ ______
prayer ______ ______ ______
guided imagery ______ ______ ______
yoga ______ ______ ______
involvement in religious rituals ______ ______ ______
mind-body disciplines ______ ______ ______
service to others ______ ______ ______
community spirit ______ ______ ______
communing with nature ______ ______ ______
discussion of the key theological and
existential issues ______ ______ ______
reading spiritual literature, i.e. Bible ______
______ ______
joining others in a “spiritual fellowship”
______ ______ ______
forgiving self and others ______ ______ ______
o Other resources
______ ______ ______
______ ______ ______
______ ______ ______
______ ______ ______
______ _____ ______
______ ______ ______
SUMMARY OF MY COPING RESOURCES:
DIRECTIONS: Return to each of the six
areas and list your coping mechanisms under each
appropriate title. Once you complete that, you will
gain more insight into your trauma coping resources
and into any needed changes for the present and
for the future.
o MY FUNCTIONAL/PRACTICAL RESOURCES
o MY PHYSICAL RESOURCES
o MY PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES
o MY INTERPERSONAL SOCIAL RESOURCES
o MY SPIRITUAL RESOURCES
o MY OTHER RESOURCES
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS’ CONVENTION
Atlanta, Georgia
March 30, 2005
The “Trauma Coping
Inventory” and
The “Trauma Coping Resource Inventory”
by Michael R. Tramonte, Ed.D.,
NCSP
Associate Professor in Education
Rivier College
Nashua, New Hampshire 03060
(603) 897-8487 (Direct)
(603) 888-1311 #8487 (Switchboard)
e-mail (mtramonte@rivier.edu)
fax-(603) 897-8887
and
Adjunct Instructor in Psychology
Middlesex Community College
Bedford, Massachusetts 01730
and
Retired School Psychologist
Lowell Public Schools
Lowell, Massachusetts 01852
REFERENCES
The American College of Occupational
and Environmental Medicine Web site (retrieved
February 26, 2003). Coping with trauma. http://www.acoem.org
American Psychiatric Association (2000).
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (4th ed.). Washington, D.C: American
Psychiatric Association.
Drescher, K. D. & Foy, D. W. (1995).
NCP Clinical Quarterly 5 (1)
Pearlman, L. A. and Saakvitne, K.
W. (1995). Trauma and the therapist:
Countertransference and vicarious traumatization
in psychotherapy with incest
survivors. New York: W. W. Norton.
Rando, T. A. (1988). How to go
on living when someone you love dies. New York:
Bantam.
Rothschild, B. (2000). The body
remembers: The psychobiology of trauma and trauma
treatment. New York: W. W. Norton.
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