About the Book

Modern Terrorism and Psychological Trauma brings together a rich collection of insightful studies by leading psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental-health professionals, to provide readers with a deep understanding of the nature of psychological trauma induced by modern terrorism.

Most fundamentally, through studies of victims of terrorism in America on 9/11 and afterward in England, Spain, Israel, and other countries—as well as studies of pre-9/11 victims, especially Holocaust survivors—this anthology clearly explains:

• The ways that mental-health professionals conceptualize and analyze the nature of terror-induced psychological trauma at both the individual and the community levels
• why research findings on terror-related psychological trauma have profound treatment implications for men and women of every age, socioeconomic status, religion, nationality, and ethnic background
• how psychotherapists can achieve more enduring alleviation of symptoms by conceptualizing terrorism-related symptoms on an acute versus continuous stress paradigm basis.

Modern Terrorism and Psychological Trauma is more than an invaluable primer, however, because Dr. Trappler organizes the seminal literature anew based on his original theoretical perspective, which approaches the spectrum of psychological trauma as a multi-layered hybrid of events and uses a novel, multi-dimensional model to explain the entire spectrum of psychopathology related to terrorism. In its simplest form, the Trappler model posits that most victims have some stress-related symptoms following exposure to a discrete terrorist attack, while fewer victims are left with enduring symptoms of classic PTSD. The more complex form of trauma pathology evolves from a prolonged relationship between the victim and the perpetrator. Here Dr. Trappler deviates from PTSD reductionism and explores object-relations and Jungian theories to explain the insidious transformative effect of “continuous terror” on the victim. The persevering effect of trauma in the absence of adequate caretaking is both supported by the data presented in the final chapters of the book and hauntingly captured by the cover image, which metaphorically depicts the inescapable imprisonment of the unrecovered victim held hostage to his inner world of trauma-repetitions