The Trauma Research Institute is a collection of researchers based at Alliant University International and under the direction of Dr. Constance Dalenberg. Below are some of our ongoing projects, and research.

Revenge Porn

Over half of US states now criminalize revenge porn, although first amendment challenges are common. Little is known, however, about the likely consequences of the action for the victims, and how American juries are likely to react to the claim that the experience caused sustained damage, particularly if the victim is seem to be complicit (perhaps because she originally took and sent the picture, or due to prior negative behavior toward the individual who posted the image nonconsensually. In the only large scale study available, conducted by the Cyber Civil Rights initiative, 93% of victims stated that they had suffered emotional distress, and 82% had reportedly suffered significant impairment in social or occupational ways. The RP studies are evaluating the prevalence of revenge porn, and view of likely consequences of victimization.

Views of Psychological Testing

Psychiatrists and psychologists with hospital and academic appointments were asked their views of the importance of psychological testing in making decisions regarding memory and diagnostics (PTSD, schizophrenia, depression). What is the consensus about the use of psychological testing in the courtroom? Does the typical psychiatrist/psychologist believe in his or her own ability to evaluate the presence of psychopathology based on clinical judgment alone?

Views of African American and Hispanic Clients of the Caucasian Trauma Therapists

59 minority clients contributed 1-3 hours of their time to discuss their experience of psychotherapy with Caucasian therapists. Was the racial difference a topic of discussion? When race came up as a topic of discussion, what was the typical level of comfort of the therapist? How did the therapist express this comfort or discomfort? Was comfort with discussion of race-specific issues important to overall satisfaction with therapy?

Contact me to request a paper or tell me how you would like to become involved in TRI.

Selected Trauma Research Institute Publications

Bucky, S., & Dalenberg, C. (1993). The relationship between training of mental health professionals and the reporting of ritual abuse and multiple personality disorder symptomatology. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 20, 233-238.

Drozd, L., & Dalenberg, C. (1994) Self as a mediator of psychopathology in children of alcoholics. International Journal of the Addictions, 29, 1787-1800.

Dalenberg, C. (1994) Finding and making memories: A commentary on the recovered memory controversy. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 3, 109-118.

Dalenberg, C., & Jacobs, D. (1994) Attributional analyses of child sexual abuse episodes: empirical and clinical issues. Journal of Child Sexual abuse, 3, 37-50.
Reto, C., Dalenberg, C., & Coe, M. (1994). Dissociation and physical abuse as predictors of bulimic symptomatology and impulse dysregulation. Eating Disorders, 1, 226-240.

Dalenberg, C. (1995) Art and movement as aids in treatment and diagnosis. Contemporary Psychology, 40, 549-550

Dalenberg, C. (1995) The war against recovered memories of trauma. Contemporary Psychology, 40, 1065-1067.

Coe, M., Dalenberg, C., Aransky, K., & Reto, C. (1995). Adult attachment style, childhood violence history, and types of dissociative experience. Dissociation,
8, 142-154,

Dalenberg, C. (1996). Fantastic Elements in Child Disclosures of Abuse. APSAC Advisor, 3, 1-7

Reto, C., Dalenberg, C., Coe, M., & Aransky, K. (1996). Dissociation and physical abuse as predictors of bulimic symptomatology and impulse dysregulation. In Schwartz, M., & Cohn, L. (Eds.) Sexual abuse and eating disorders. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

Dalenberg, C. (1996). Accuracy, timing and circumstances of disclosure in therapy of recovered and continuous memories of abuse. Psychiatry and the Law, 19, 229-275.

Dalenberg, C. (1997). The prediction of accurate recollections of trauma. D. Read & S. Lindsay (Eds.) Recollections of Trauma. North Atlantic Treaty Organization Science Symposium. New York: Plenum Press.

Jacobs, J., & Dalenberg, C. (1998). Subtle presentations of post-traumatic stress disorder: Diagnostic considerations. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 21, 835-846.

Dalenberg, C. (1999). The management of dissociative symptoms in PTSD. Clinical Quarterly, 8, 27-29. Reprinted and distributed with permission to all therapists associated with National Center for PTSD, Victoria, Australia in January, 2000.

Dalenberg, C., & Epstein, J. (1999). Interviewing the survivor of the Holocaust: Lessons for the advancement of understanding of the effects of extreme child trauma. In A. Memon & R. Bull (Eds.) Psychology of Interviewing. (pp. 39-52). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Dunkerley, G., & Dalenberg, C. (1999). Secret-keeping behaviors in black and white children as a function of interviewer race, racial identity and risk for abuse. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, 2, 13-35. Reprinted in K Faller & R. Vanderlaan (Eds) Interviewing trauma victims: Translating theory and research into practice. Haworth Press.

Dalenberg, C. (1999). Overcoming obstacles to just evaluation and successful prosecution of multivictim cases. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, 2, 141-163. Reprinted in K Faller & R. Vanderlaan (Eds) Interviewing trauma victims: Translating theory and research into practice. Haworth Press.

Dalenberg, C. (2000) Countertransference and treatment of trauma. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Press.

Carlson, E. & Dalenberg, C. (2000). A conceptual framework for the
impact of traumatic experiences. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 1, 4-28.

Dalenberg, C. (2000) Countertransference and the management of anger in trauma therapy. Clinical Quarterly, 9, 39-45. Reprinted and distributed with permission to all therapists associated with National Center for PTSD, Victoria, Australia.

Carson, E., Dalenberg, C., Armstrong, J., Roth, D., & Loewenstein, R. (2001). Multivariate prediction of post-traumatic symptoms in psychiatric inpatients. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2, 549-567,

Dalenberg, C., Hyland, K., & Cuevas, C. (2001). Sources of fantastic elements in allegations of abuse by adults and children. (pp. 185-204) In M. Eisen, Quas, J. and G. Goodman (Eds.) Memory and suggestibility in the forensic interview. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Dalenberg, C., & Brown, L. (2001). Ethical issues and standards in the treatment of child victims of crime. Standard of care guidelines issued by the Board of Control, Victims of Crime Program.

Dalenberg, C., & Brown, L. (2001). Issues and standards in the documentation of treatment of child victims of crime. Standard of care guidelines issued by the Board of Control, Victims of Crime Program.

Dalenberg, C. (2002) Remembering to wonder: The place of scientific research in clinical trauma practice. Journal of Trauma Practice, 1, 59-80.

Cone, J., & Dalenberg, C. (2004). Ethical issues in outcome evaluation. In M. Maruish (Ed.) The use of psychological testing for treatment planning and outcomes assessment. (pp. 335-365) Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum,

Dalenberg, C., & Palesh, O. (2004) Prevalence of child abuse, trauma and dissociation in Russian college students. Child Abuse and Neglect, 28, 461-474.

Dalenberg, C. (2004). Maintaining the safe and effective therapeutic environment in the context of distrust and anger: Countertransference and complex trauma. Psychotherapy: Research, Practice, Training, 71, 438-447.

Dalenberg, C., & Palesh, O. (2005). Recovered memory: A Russian sample. In F. Columbus (Ed.) College Students: Stress, Depression, and Mental Health. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Press.

International Society for the Study of Dissociation. (2005). [Chu, J.A., Loewenstein, R., Dell, P.F., Barach, P.M., Somer, E., Kluft, R.P., Gelinas, D.J., Van der Hart, O., Dalenberg, C.J., Nijenhuis, E.R.S., Bowman, E.S., Boon, S., Goodwin, J., Jacobson, M., Ross, C.A., Sar, V, Fine, C.G., Frankel, A.S., Coons, P.M., Courtois, C.A., Gold, S.N., & Howell, E.]. Guidelines for treating Dissociative Identity Disorder in adults. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 6(4).69-149.

Frankel, S., & Dalenberg, C. (2006). Forensic evaluation of dissociation and dissociative disorder. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 29, 169-184.

Dalenberg, C. (2006). Recovered memory and the Daubert criteria: Recovered memory as professionally tested, peer reviewed, and accepted in the relevant scientific community. Trauma, Violence and Abuse, 7, 274-310.

Dalenberg, C., Loewenstein, R., Spiegel, D., Brewin, C., Lanius, R., Frankel, S. Et al. (2007). Scientific study of the dissociative disorders. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 76, 400-401.

Gevirtz, R., & Dalenberg, C. (2008). Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback in the treatment of trauma symptoms. Biofeedback. 36, 22-23.

Dalenberg, C. (2008). Countertransference. In J. Elhai (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Trauma. (pp. 166-170). Hobokun, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Carlson, E, Dalenberg, C, & Muhtadie, L. (2008). Etiology. In J. Elhai (Ed.). Encyclopedia of Trauma. (pp. 257-264). Hobokun, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Dalenberg, C., & Paulson, K. (2009). The case for the study of ‘normal” dissociation processes. In P. F. Dell and J. A. O’Neil (Eds.) Dissociation and the dissociative disorders: DSM-IV and beyond. (pp. 154-154). New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor.

Dalenberg, C., Carlson, E., & Caudill, O. J. (2009). Treatment of patients with recovered memories of trauma and with false memories. In S. F. Bucky, J. E. Callan, G. Stricker, S. F. Bucky, J. E. Callan, G. Stricker (Eds.) ,Ethical and legal issues for mental health professionals in forensic settings (pp. 165¬188). New York, NY, US: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

Dalenberg, C. & Palesh, O. (2010). Scientific progress and methodological issues in the study of recovered memories and false memories of trauma. In E Vermetten and R. Lanius (Eds.) The impact of early life trauma. (pp. 225-233). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Dalenberg, C., & Paulson, K. (2010). Historical themes in the study of false and recovered memories of trauma. In E. Vermetten and R. Lanius (Eds.). The impact of early life trauma. (pp. 25-32). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Carlson, E., Smith, S., Palmieri, P., Dalenberg, C., Ruzek, J., Kimerling, R., Burling, T., & Spain, D. (2011). Development and validation of a brief self-report measure of trauma exposure: The trauma history screen. Psychological Assessment, 23, 463-477.

Schild, S. & Dalenberg C. (2012). Trauma and traumatic response in the deaf. Psychological Trauma, 4, 117-127.

Schild, S. & Dalenberg, C. (2012) Psychoform and somatoform dissociation and PTSD in a deaf adults. Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, 13, 361-373.

Dalenberg, C., Glaser, D., & Alhassoon, O. (2012). Statistical support for subtypes in posttraumatic stress disorder: The how and why of subtype analysis. Depression and Anxiety, 29, 671-678.

Dalenberg, C., Brand, B., Gleaves, D., Dorahy, M., Loewenstein, R., Carlson, E., Cardena, E., Frewen, P., & Spiegel, D. (2012) Evaluation of the evidence for the trauma and fantasy models of dissociation. Psychological Bulletin, 138, 550-588.

Carlson, E., Dalenberg, C., & McDade, L. (2012). Dissociation in posttraumatic stress disorder Part I: Definitions and review of research. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 4, 479-489.

Dalenberg, C., & Carlson, E. (2012). Dissociation in posttraumatic stress disorder Part II: How theoretical models fit the empirical evidence and recommendations for modifying the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, doi:10.1037/a0027900.

Carlson, E. B., Smith, S. R., & Dalenberg, C. J. (2013). Can sudden, severe emotional loss be a traumatic stressor?. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 14, 519-528. doi:10.1080/15299732.2013.773475

Carlson, E. B., McDade-Montez, E., Armstrong, J., Dalenberg, C., & Loewenstein, R. J. (2013). Development and initial validation of the Structured Interview for Self-Destructive Behaviors. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 14, 312-327. doi:10.1080/15299732.2012.762822

Dalenberg, C. J., & Arzoumanian, M. A. (2014). A balanced view of recovered memory evidence. California Litigation.

Dalenberg, C. (2014). Introduction to the series. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 29(18), 3231. doi:10.1177/0886260514535302

Dalenberg, C. J. (2014). On building a science of common factors in trauma therapy. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 15(4), 373-383.

Dalenberg, C. J. (2014). Protecting scientists, science, and case protagonists: A discussion of the Taus v. Loftus commentaries. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 29, 3308-3319.

Dalenberg, C. J., Brand, B. L., Loewenstein, R. J., Gleaves, D. H., Dorahy, M. J., Cardeña, E., & … Spiegel, D. (2014). Reality versus fantasy: Reply to Lynn et al. (2014). Psychological Bulletin, 140(3), 911-920.

Kluemper, N. S., & Dalenberg, C. (2014). Is the dissociative adult suggestible? A test of the trauma and fantasy models of dissociation. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 15(4), 457-476.

Schild, S., & Dalenberg, C. J. (2015). Consequences of child and adult sexual and physical trauma among deaf adults. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 24, 237-256.

Verbeck, E. G., Arzoumanian, M. A., Estrellado, J. E., DeLorme, J., Dahlin, K., Hennrich, E., & … Dalenberg, C. (2015). Religion, spirituality, and the working alliance with trauma survivors. In D. F. Walker, C. A. Courtois, J. D. Aten, D. F. Walker, C. A. Courtois, J. D. Aten (Eds.) , Spiritually oriented psychotherapy for trauma (pp. 103-126). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.

Schild, S., & Dalenberg, C. (2016). Information deprivation trauma. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, & Trauma, 25, 873-889.

Carlson, E. B., Palmieri, P. A., Field, N. P., Dalenberg, C. J., Macia, K. S., & Spain, D. A. (2016). Contributions of risk and protective factors to prediction of psychological symptoms after traumatic experiences. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 69, 106-115.

Carlson, E., Field, N., Ruzek, J., Bryant, R., Dalenberg, C., Keane, T., & Spain, D. (2016). Advantages and psychometric assessments of patient-reported outcomes collected in daily life. Quality of Life research, 25, 507-516.

Stephan, R. A., Alhassoon, O. M., Allen, K. E., Wollman, S. C., Hall, M., Thomas, W. J., & … Dalenberg, C., Sorg, S., & Grant, I. (2017). Meta-analyses of clinical neuropsychological tests of executive dysfunction and impulsivity in alcohol use disorder. American Journal of Drug And Alcohol Abuse, 43, 24-43.

Dalenberg, C. & Paulson, K. (in press). The role of client anger and therapist response in trauma treatment. In A. Marie & F. Columbus (Eds.), The psychology of anger. New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Ardill, M., & Dalenberg, C. (in press). Nightmare disorder. In A.E. Wenzel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Cropper, R. E. & Dalenberg, C. J. (In Press). Dissociative disorders: Lifespan perspective. In A. E. Wenzel (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of abnormal and clinical psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Greenbaum, B., Cooke, L., & Dalenberg, C. J. (in press). Alexithymia. In A.E. Wenzel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Houston, A. A., Bussell, N. P., & Dalenberg, C. J. (In press). Dissociative disorders: cultural factors. In A.E. Wenzel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Straus, E., Work, G. B., & Dalenberg, C. J. (In press). Countertransference. In A.E. Wenzel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Wu, V., McGraw, D., & Dalenberg, C. (In press) Dissociative disorder: gender factors. . In A.E. Wenzel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Dalenberg, C., & Briere, J. (in press). Psychometrics in trauma assessment. In S. Gold, J. Cook., & C. Dalenberg (Eds) Handbook of Trauma Psychology. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.