Psychology of trauma

Study level: Undergraduate study programme in psychology
Lecturers: Lidija Arambašć, Ph.D.
ECTS: 4
Language: Croatian
Semester: 6th (summer)
Status: mandatory
Form of instruction with class hours: 30 hours of lectures, 15 hours of seminars
Prerequisites: Introduction to psychopathology
Student evaluation: Written and oral exam.

Course description

Stressful and traumatic events and loss and manifestation of their short-term and long-term physical and psychological consequences. Stress, trauma and grieving process. Principals of providing support in stressful, traumatic and grieving times. Research methods in trauma psychology (with ethical issues).

Course objectives

Students will acquire basic knowledge of stressful and traumatic events and loss. They will understand the concepts of stress, trauma and the grieving process. Students will be able to recognize short-term and long-term consequences of stress, trauma and loss and they will get acquainted with prevention and intervention strategies. They will learn principals of providing support in stressful, traumatic and grieving times. Students will acquire knowledge of methodological difficulties and ethical issues in the field of trauma psychology. Students will be senzibilized to the need of providing psychological support for professionals who work with traumatized people.

Required readings

1. Arambašić, L. (2003.). Individualni stres i trauma, In: D. Ajduković (ur.), Socijalna rekonstrukcija zajednice, Društvo za psihološku pomoć, Zagreb, 99. – 121.
2. Arambašić, L. (2005.). Gubitak, tugovanje, podrška, Jastrebarsko: Naklada "Slap".
3. Pregrad, J. (ur.) (2005.). Stres, trauma, oporavak, Zagreb: Društvo za psihološku pomoć.

Recommended readings
1. Arambašić, L. (2003.). Stres i suočavanje – teorijski modeli i njihove implikacije za problem nezaposlenosti, Suvremena psihologija, 6 (1), 103-127.
2. Arambašić, L. (2003.). Gubici i tugovanje te njihove posljedice po pojedinca i zajednicu, In: D. Ajduković (ur.), Socijalna rekonstrukcija zajednice, Društvo za psihološku pomoć, Zagreb, 123. – 152.
3. Lazarus, R.S. i Folkman, S. (2004.). Stres, procjena i suočavanje, Naklada "Slap", Jastrebarsko.
4. Stroebe, M.S., Hansson, R.O., Stroebe, W. i Schut, H. (ur.) (2002.). Handbook of bereavement research: Consequences, coping and care, American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.