Stress, trauma and resilience

Our Stress, Trauma and Resilience research group is led by Dr Megan Klabunde in the Department of Psychology. Dr Klabunde’s research examines how children and young people process information inside their bodies and how childhood trauma can influence this, with consequences for mental wellbeing. Her research uses state of the art facilities in our Centre for Brain Science to study the developing structure and function of the brain.  Led by Dr Klabunde, The world’s largest brain study of childhood trauma has revealed how trauma affects development and rewires neural pathways. It is hoped the research will help hone new treatments for children who have endured mistreatment.

Working with Dr Helge Gillmeister along with stakeholders Healthwatch Essex, the POWER project, Essex Family Forum, Essex Multi-Schools Council, HCRG Healthy Schools Programme, Affinity Vanguard Service, Tendring Families First and Trauma Informed Schools UK, Dr Klabunde is continuing to investigate the impact of childhood trauma on mental health over the long-term using a battery of physiological tests, questionnaires, interviews and measurements of brain activity with 9-13 year olds. Dr Gilmeister’s research has also generated advanced electro-encephalogram (brain activity scanning) techniques for identifying depersonalisation disorders, which tend to result from childhood trauma.

Working with an interdisciplinary team of biologists, epidemiologists and psychologists, Anna Dearman is examining gene-environment interactions during childhood in order to understand how genetic and biological factors interact with traumatic events, leading to poor mental health and resilience. Also examining mechanisms to explain the link between childhood trauma and mental health, Dr Antonella Trotta has examined data from the Environmental-Risk Longitudinal Twin Study to show how cognitive ability at age 12 can partly account for a link between childhood adversity and teenage psychotic experiences, meaning that interventions to support cognitive development in at risk groups could help prevent the development of psychosis.

Dr Danny Taggart in the School of Health and Social Care is actively researching the impact of childhood trauma to identify ways that NHS mental health services can better support adults disclosing historic child abuse and how other public sector services can develop trauma-informed care to better support their clients. For example, Dr Taggart’s research has examined how child sexual abuse survivors experience dental care and recommended ways that dental staff can implement trauma-informed collaborative approaches to avoid re-traumatisation of their patients. Dr Taggart’s research is also informing frontline social care services by informing training in trauma-informed care for key workers. A recent book co-edited by Prof Susan McPherson investigates a range of psychological impacts of attending boarding school and includes a chapter by Dr Taggart using data from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse to examine the impact of historic child abuse in a boarding school setting.

Intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence worldwide and predominantly affects women and girls. Our research highlighted how social isolation, financial stress and increased alcohol intake during the pandemic contributed to increases in reports of domestic violence with implications for mental health.

In 2022, Dr Danny Taggart contributed to the Lancet Psychiatry Commission on intimate partner violence and mental health. This exhaustive evidence review highlighted the ways in which intimate partner violence impacts on mental health and vice versa. The report highlighted the important role of schools, mental health services and better co-ordination across sectors to try to tackle this global crisis.

Gendered violence can be a particular risk faced by migrants in precarious situations such as fleeing persecution, being internally displaced, with insecure work and housing conditions. New research led by Prof Anuj Kapilashrami funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research in collaboration with global partners will examine gendered violence and poor mental health of migrants experiencing these challenging situations and develop responsive interventions to address their needs. 

With data collection stretching back decades prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Understanding Society was in a unique position to track the impact of the pandemic from a pre-COVID baseline.

A COVID-19 survey was initiated in April 2020 which collected monthly data from the main Understanding Society sample. Our researchers were able to make use of Understanding Society data to provide unique insights into the mental health impacts of COVID-19.

Dr Laura Fumagalli and Prof Birgitta Rabe analysed the dataset to show that UK school closures severely affected the mental health of mothers with children aged 4-12; but that their mental health tended to recover as children began to return to school. They also found that children’s mental health and behavioural problems deteriorated during school closures and that their mental health did improve slightly but did not bounce back once schools opened again.

Our analyses of the COVID-19 dataset also helped establish that the UK lockdown led to deterioration of mental health for adults, particularly for women and young adults; that about 30% of previously healthy adults had developed clinical levels of psychological distress by April 2020 but that this “psychological shock” reduced gradually over the following months.

People looking after another member of their household (especially those caring for a child or someone with learning disability) experienced particular stress during lockdown with their mental health deteriorating more than non-carers. People who reported COVID-19 symptoms experienced increases in psychological symptoms for up to 7 months after the reported infection.

Contrary to popular belief, poor weather did not lead to any worsening of mental health during the lockdown, but restricted access to parks irrespective of weather conditions did lead to worse mental health.

The Stress, Trauma and Resilience Research group (STAR) brings together from across the university researchers, clinicians, educators, and external community members who have expertise in the themes of stress, trauma and resilience.

We explore the topic of stress by looking at how adversity and distress impacts all people and how resilience (which comes within the form of both internal and external resources) can buffer its impact and prevent future mental health and health problems.

The research conducted within this group aims to examine the impacts of stress, trauma and resiliency from micro (i.e. epigenetic/DNA) to population levels (how resources and public health policy can contribute to resilience).

Co-creation and external collaboration

This group has been and will continue to be co-created in collaboration with lived experience experts and community groups, who will advise upon research activities and with whom we will share the results of our research. 

Contact: Dr Megan Klabunde (m.klabunde@essex.ac.uk), Department of Psychology.