Community Violence and Trauma

Community Violence and Trauma in El Salvador: Supporting Teachers to Cope with Traumatic Stress

Principle Investigators: Dr. Kathy Putman and Dr. Lisseth Rojas-Flores

Co-Investigators: Dr. Sofia Herrera and Dr. David Foy

The Community Violence and Trauma in El Salvador study was a collaborative undertaking with the Episcopal Dioceses of El Salvador, the Salvadorian Minister of Education, and Fuller Theological Seminary. The purpose of the project was to document levels of community violence and post-traumatic stress symptoms as well as toidentify potential buffers of stress and trauma for teachers in El Salvador. A survey was given to 190 teachers in El Salvador. Measures included religious coping, forgiveness, fatalism, posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, burnout, and community violence exposure. Archival data is available for student research projects. Results were reported to the Bishop and Minister of Education in El Salvador. Additionally, manuscripts are in preparation for submission to academic journals for publication and will contribute to our understanding of risk and resilience for caregivers in Central America.

Research Team (in alphabetical order): Clara Aparicio and Monica Felix

LAPD Curriculum Change Evaluation Project

Principle Investigator: Dr. Katharine Meese Putman

Co-Investigator: Dr. Luann Pannell

The curriculum at the Los Angeles Police Academy was changed to an entirely scenario-based format in order to better prepare recruits for the challenges they will face in the field.

The Los Angeles Police Academy Curriculum Change Evaluation Project is a collaborative effort between the LAPD Police Training and Education Division, California’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, and Fuller’s School of Psychology. The aim of the project is to evaluate the impact of the curriculum change on officers’ perceptions of preparedness for the job and their supervisors' ratings of their performance in the field. Specifically, officers will be evaluated on their problem solving skills, community orientation, professionalism/ethics, tactics, and communication skills. Implications for training people for high-risk occupations for resilience in the face of stress and adversity will be assessed. Reports for the Commission on POST are being prepared and will be presented in 2010. Archival data is available for student research projects.

Research Team (in alphabetical order): Tim Arentsen, Megan Gomez, Woo (Samuel) Kim, Adrienne Meier, Lee Perry, Stephanie Salo, Rhondie Tait, Tyler Wasson, Jenna Wierenga, and Jonathan Wong