A lifespan developmental science perspective on trauma experiences in refugee situations.

Developmental science theory and empirical research on refugee situations requires an updated approach to the study of trauma as a multi-systemic and multilevel phenomenon. We present a theoretical framework that integrates developmental science approaches to highlight critical threats to development in situations of violent displacement. Given the complexities of displacement (causes, trajectories, and living circumstances once displaced), this theoretical model highlights the utility of an approach that recognizes the person-age-context fit in which displaced individuals live their lives and how both trauma and ongoing major disruption to daily life affects outcomes. In so doing, we aim to broaden understanding for future trauma and intervention research as well as practice with those who experience potentially traumatic events and severe disruption to their social ecology at different points in the lifespan.

The process of self-regulation in adolescents: A narrative approach.

This qualitative study utilized a narrative approach to explore the process of self-regulation in adolescents and to examine the functions of various relational genres on psychological state and context expressions in this process. Nineteen participants, who live in high-risk settings were recruited from a youth development and life skills program located at an urban public high school in the United States. The goal of this project is to craft a process method for research and practice on adolescents' self-regulation while providing evidence for self-regulation being a complex process. This research uses an exploratory study design with a narrative approach, utilizing text message based activities in the method. Findings from the plot analysis suggest that for adolescents, the process of self-regulation begins as highly emotional and then becomes a more emotionally and cognitively balanced process. In addition, adolescents utilize different strategies to resolve conflict situations across different contexts and relational genres.

Clinicians' perspective of the relational processes for family and individual development during the mediation of religious and sexual identity disclosure.

Although the psychological literature regarding gay men from religious families is continually expanding, it is also limited in that few studies focus on the use of therapy in the negotiation of the interrelated systems of religion, sexuality, and family. Utilizing a cultural historical activity theory-based process of analysis, this study focuses on the narratives of 12 clinicians discussing 230 conflicts and how those conflicts are mediated in both productive (e.g., seeking secular support) and unproductive ways (e.g., bringing one's son to an exorcist) by gay men and their religious families independent of and at the advice of their therapists.