The Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress was established in the fall of 2002 by Dr.Gaithri Fernando, and is intended to bring together students from different ethnocultural backgrounds and countries. Students are provided the opportunity to learn about trauma-relevant events occurring in countries other than the United States, as the lab has an international focus.
The lab is driven by the visions of the students and the director, and as such several research studies are currently underway. A developmental psychopathology model is used to conduct research on the effects of trauma, including war trauma such as torture. Other topics under study include the effects of witnessing interparental physical violence and ethnocultural influences on traumatic stress. Considerations of culturally relevant treatment models are also within the scope of the lab. Undergraduate and graduate students work collaboratively, and seminars on posttraumatic stress and research methods are held regularly.
The Center maintains collaborative relationships with clinicians and researchers around the world, including Denmark, Sri Lanka, and England. Students present their work at several research symposia and conferences, including the Western Psychological Association and the American Psychological Association. Students with a passion for understanding the correlates and effects of posttraumatic stress and wish to know more about the Center may contact Dr. Fernando by e-mail, firstname.lastname@example.org