Hoskins Kayla M, Morash Merry
Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA.
J Interpers Violence. 2021 Dec;36(23-24):NP12807-NP12830. doi: 10.1177/0886260519898426. Epub 2020 Feb 6.
The many court-involved women who have experienced trauma in their lifetimes are particularly vulnerable to the negative outcomes of trauma. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry is to understand how women who have repeatedly broken the law incorporate traumatic experiences into their identities in such a way that they increase their agency, communion, or spirituality. The research also documents the types of traumatic experiences the women included in their life stories. Informed by narrative identity theory and the related theory of posttraumatic growth, the life stories of 118 women on probation and parole were examined for themes indicative of identity transformation through redemption or indicative of contamination and stagnation. The narrative accounts considered in this study involved sexual, physical, and psychological abuse; neglect; sudden or unexpected loss; violence exposure; and severe illness or injury. Nearly all women reported having at least one traumatic experience in their lifetime, and the majority incorporated the experiences into their identities. Posttraumatic growth most often included gains in communion (i.e., helping others and caring for others) and gains in individual agency (i.e., empowerment). Thirty women also described having generative concerns or taking generative actions to improve the well-being of others as an outcome of their traumatic experience(s). For women with children, becoming better mothers and protecting their children from victimization were the overarching themes of their redemption, communion, and generative narratives. The findings highlight the importance of community responses to traumatized girls and of counseling and therapy for justice-involved women. Several specific suggestions for supporting the development of trauma and survivor narratives as a therapeutic tool are provided as a means for clients to develop interpersonal connections and empowerment.
许多一生中经历过创伤的涉法女性尤其容易受到创伤负面后果的影响。这项定性研究的目的是了解那些屡次违法的女性如何将创伤经历融入其身份认同之中，从而增强她们的能动性、社交能力或精神性。该研究还记录了这些女性在其人生故事中所包含的创伤经历类型。基于叙事身份理论及相关的创伤后成长理论，对118名缓刑和假释女性的人生故事进行了审视，以寻找表明通过救赎实现身份转变或表明受到污染和停滞的主题。本研究中所考虑的叙事内容涉及性虐待、身体虐待和心理虐待；忽视；突然或意外的损失；暴力暴露；以及严重疾病或受伤。几乎所有女性都报告称自己一生中至少经历过一次创伤经历，且大多数人将这些经历融入了自己的身份认同。创伤后成长最常包括社交能力的提升（即帮助他人和关心他人）和个人能动性的提升（即增强权能）。30名女性还将因创伤经历而产生的对他人幸福的关切或采取的促进他人幸福的行动描述为创伤后成长的结果。对于有孩子的女性来说，成为更好的母亲并保护自己的孩子免受伤害是她们救赎、社交和成长叙事的首要主题。研究结果凸显了社区对受创伤女孩的反应以及为涉法女性提供咨询和治疗的重要性。文中提供了一些具体建议，以支持将创伤和幸存者叙事发展为一种治疗工具，作为客户建立人际关系和增强权能的一种方式。
