2007 Research Award Recipients

National Prize

The development of the ATOM: An adolescent screening tool for posttraumatic stress
Susan Palmer

Abstract
Current measurement of adolescent posttraumatic stress relies heavily upon knowledge of adult posttraumatic functioning. The appropriateness of this reliance has not been tested and may hamper the identification of traumatised young people. The importance of recognising developmental differences in trauma is highlighted through description of the development of an adolescent specific screening tool, the Adolescent Trauma Outcome Measure (ATOM). ATOM is a 36 item self report measure developed using a sample of 473 adolescents. Results indicated that the widely recognised symptom criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (APA, 2000) were not present in their adult form within this population. ATOM goes beyond these symptom criteria to incorporate a range of developmentally relevant posttraumatic stress reactions.

Queensland Chapter Award

The association between trauma exposure and delusional experiences in a large community-based sample
James Scott

Click here to be taken to a pdf of the article

NSW/ACT Chapter Award

Cultural Differences in Personal Identity in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Laura Jobson
Australian National University, Canberra

Objectives:
This study investigated cultural differences in self-cognitions, self-defining memories and goals in those with and without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method: Trauma survivors with PTSD and without PTSD, from independent and interdependent cultures (N = 94) provided self-cognitions, self-defining memories and major personal goals. Results: Trauma survivors from independent cultures with PTSD reported more self-cognitions, self-defining memories and goals that were trauma-related than non-PTSD trauma survivors. In contrast, for those from interdependent cultures, there was no difference between trauma survivors with and without PTSD in terms of trauma-centred self-cognitions, goals and self-defining memories. Conclusions: These findings are discussed in terms of memory and self, a questioning of the universal applicability of clinical cognitive models of PTSD, and clinical implications of such findings such as cultural considerations of self in assessment and treatment in cognitive therapy for PTSD.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email