Doctoral Professors/Universities and Early Childhood Trauma

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Jessb39

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Hi All-

This is my first post! I am looking to start applying to doctoral programs in order to do research involving early childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences. Can anyone recommend a university that has a strong back ground in that area of research on who has a doctoral professor who is well versed in infant/early childhood trauma?

Thanks!!

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Welcome! this forum usually likes to direct those who have questions like yours to first peruse the thread "doctoral applicants read first". Also, if you haven't heard of this book, check out "the insiders guide to graduate programs in clinical and counseling psychology" that book has references for you to look up and judge programs actively researching ACE and childhood trauma along with lots of other really useful information.


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In addition to the SDN search function, look into programs whose researchers are investigating attachment theory (not to be confused with attachment parenting, which is pop-psychology BS); Attachment theory based on Bowlby and Ainsworth. Fundamentally, learning about appropriate childhood bonding and healthy attachment behaviors gives you a good basis for understanding child maltreatment and exposure to childhood trauma.

Along with university programs that study attachment, you'll find those schools will often coalesce with psychodynamic theories and psychotherapy research too (although you don't need to do the psychotherapy research, but it often goes hand-in-hand with psychodynamics). However, make sure the program is not limited to just one school of thought, and incorporates behavioral approaches also. And if you do travel down that path, the best psychodynamic programs are integrated with not only psychodynamic theories but cognitive behavioral skills as well (because it will increase your longevity as a clinician).

Programs with child tracks are excellent also, but it may be too soon to know if you want to be a child psychologist, so being exposed to all aspects of training is beneficial (i.e., early childhood, adolescence, emerging adults, adults, late adults, families, couples). Then you can decide what is right for you, as all can fit in with adverse childhood exposure and childhood maltreatment.

I work with adults now, but the majority of my caseload is with adult survivors of childhood trauma. As you may know, there is an ACE instrument developed for understanding pathology in adults (I'm sure you've looked into the seminal article introducing its main study. If not, here it is: http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(98)00017-8/pdf). So, it's a useful research tool in conceptualizing both childhood maltreatment and subsequent adult dysfunction (of course, used in conjunction with and in addition to other measures and assessments).

Good luck! :luck:
 
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Also, just to throw it out there because I've seen it way too often (we don't want to know, so don't tell us here!!) but if you have any early childhood trauma of your own don't wait until grad school to address such! Speak with a therapist because it will come out.


As stated by CheetahGirl, look into programs with good child psych specialties/tracks and then read up on the professors who teach those courses to see what their interests are.

Good luck
 
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