Workshop "Trauma and Support"

Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kim - Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, speaking at the conference/Photo: Thanh Long

With the theme "Trauma and Support," the workshop aims to help scientists and practitioners exchange new knowledge, share experiences, and research results on effective new support and intervention tools to alleviate suffering for patients and improve their quality of life.

Reports indicate that psychological trauma is now very common and has become a challenging issue for every nation and people. According to the WHO/2015 report, the number of people exhibiting mental health problems worldwide is approximately 350 million, of which only about 10% have access to support and intervention. Psychological trauma has extremely serious consequences not only for the individual suffering from it but also for their family and society. Nearly 60 reports from scientists in more than 10 countries around the world have addressed this issue from many rich and diverse perspectives, reflecting the scale and complexity of the problem.

Subcommittee 1 of the workshop focused on the topic of "Psychological Trauma in Children, Adolescents, and Adults" with two sub-topics.

Topic 1 is "Psychological Trauma in Children and Adolescents" - this is the topic that has attracted the most attention from scientists. Most scientific reports in this topic focus on the psychological and physiological characteristics of this group. Some reports assess the current state of psychological damage caused by trauma. Others research the development and standardization of trauma scales suitable for the cultural and social context of each country or ethnic group, or the use of projection tests in assessing trauma in children. Researchers in this topic all affirm that psychological trauma in children and adolescents is a fairly common phenomenon in contemporary society and, without timely support and intervention, will negatively affect their personality development and quality of life.

In Topic 2, "Psychological Trauma in Adults," several reports delve into psychological trauma in women during the pre- and post-natal periods, clarifying the underlying psychological mechanisms and offering practical intervention and prevention measures. Others approached psychological trauma from a practical perspective, such as the trauma experienced by women who have suffered domestic violence. Still others addressed pressing issues in the context of current climate change, such as psychological trauma and coping strategies for people in flood-affected areas, the threat of dam failure from hydroelectric power plants, and psychological trauma in situations of war, humanitarian crises, and other natural disasters.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh - Chairman of the Scientific and Training Council of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities

Subcommittee 2 on “Trauma in Workers and Vulnerable Groups” comprises two thematic sections: “Trauma in Workers” and “Trauma in Vulnerable Groups”..

In Topic 1: "Psychological Trauma in Workers," several articles approached psychological trauma from a theoretical perspective, developing models and concepts of psychological trauma in the context of occupational socialization; researching stress associated with the work environment and strategies for coping with and intervening for workers in certain types of jobs and professions of particular interest, such as: preschool teachers, workers in joint ventures, telephone operators in customer service centers, etc.

In Topic 2, "Psychological Trauma in Vulnerable Groups," the reports emphasized the unique psychophysiological characteristics and living environment of these groups. They are particularly vulnerable to psychological trauma and injury, making research, intervention, and support especially important. Some vulnerable groups received special attention, such as victims of Agent Orange, victims of traffic accidents, and victims of human trafficking. Some articles approached psychological trauma in vulnerable groups from a practical perspective, such as stress in patients with peptic ulcers, alcoholics, and the elderly. Other articles addressed the issue from a mental health perspective, such as psychological trauma in inpatients at mental health institutions; psychological trauma experienced by individuals, families, and communities due to natural disasters; and the current state of care and support for Agent Orange victims in Vietnam.