American Journal of Applied Psychology

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Trauma, Resilience and the Power of Human Connection: Reflections from the Field of Cambodia

Received: 18 March 2019    Accepted: 11 June 2019    Published: 27 June 2019
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Abstract

Political and economic instability, poverty, war and terrorism, are just some of the harsh realities facing many young people globally. Various theoretical frameworks that conceptualize resilience exist in Western countries, yet there is limited research that looks specifically at resilience for children and young people in developing nations who have experienced significant trauma. Earlier research conducted with staff at Hagar International Cambodia (hereafter Hagar) indicated that for a child, recovery from trauma was contingent on their relationships and their ability to establish trust and connection to others. Hagar is a global human rights organisation, providing wraparound support services for women and children who have survived the most extreme cases of human rights abuse. There is much to be gained from the insight and lived experiences of those who have risen from complex trauma situations, such as the young people from Hagar. As such, research is currently being conducted which examines the resiliency factors that have contributed to these young people’s overall wellbeing. This article will explore the intersection between relationships, trust and power of human connection for trauma survivors in Cambodia, bringing together current research with reflections from the field of Cambodia.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajap.20190802.14
Published in American Journal of Applied Psychology (Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2019)
Page(s) 50-56
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Resilience, Cambodia, Childhood Trauma, Recovery, Connection, Relationships, Trust

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Author Information
  • Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia; The Cabin Group, Chiang Mai, Thailand

  • Hagar USA, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Zoe Wyatt, Mike Nowlin. (2019). Trauma, Resilience and the Power of Human Connection: Reflections from the Field of Cambodia. American Journal of Applied Psychology, 8(2), 50-56. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20190802.14

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    ACS Style

    Zoe Wyatt; Mike Nowlin. Trauma, Resilience and the Power of Human Connection: Reflections from the Field of Cambodia. Am. J. Appl. Psychol. 2019, 8(2), 50-56. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20190802.14

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    AMA Style

    Zoe Wyatt, Mike Nowlin. Trauma, Resilience and the Power of Human Connection: Reflections from the Field of Cambodia. Am J Appl Psychol. 2019;8(2):50-56. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20190802.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajap.20190802.14,
      author = {Zoe Wyatt and Mike Nowlin},
      title = {Trauma, Resilience and the Power of Human Connection: Reflections from the Field of Cambodia},
      journal = {American Journal of Applied Psychology},
      volume = {8},
      number = {2},
      pages = {50-56},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajap.20190802.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20190802.14},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajap.20190802.14},
      abstract = {Political and economic instability, poverty, war and terrorism, are just some of the harsh realities facing many young people globally. Various theoretical frameworks that conceptualize resilience exist in Western countries, yet there is limited research that looks specifically at resilience for children and young people in developing nations who have experienced significant trauma. Earlier research conducted with staff at Hagar International Cambodia (hereafter Hagar) indicated that for a child, recovery from trauma was contingent on their relationships and their ability to establish trust and connection to others. Hagar is a global human rights organisation, providing wraparound support services for women and children who have survived the most extreme cases of human rights abuse. There is much to be gained from the insight and lived experiences of those who have risen from complex trauma situations, such as the young people from Hagar. As such, research is currently being conducted which examines the resiliency factors that have contributed to these young people’s overall wellbeing. This article will explore the intersection between relationships, trust and power of human connection for trauma survivors in Cambodia, bringing together current research with reflections from the field of Cambodia.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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