Multilingual AI translation:

Institutional betrayal trauma

Freyd’s (1996) betrayal trauma theory holds that children sexually abused by their caretakers are prone to develop amnesia for their abuse because awareness of abuse would imperil the survival of victims by disrupting their attachment to caretakers on whom they depend for food, shelter, and clothing.

Institutional betrayal refers to wrongdoings perpetrated when an institution fails to prevent or appropriately respond to wrongdoings by other individuals. In instances when individuals experiencing traumatic events place a great deal of trust in the legal, medical, and mental health systems to address their wrongs they risk disbelief, blame, and refusal of help. Priorities of the institution, such as protecting their reputation, may increase the likelihood that institutions fail to respond appropriately. Institutions may strenuously attempt to prevent knowledge of said assaults from surfacing, which can take the form of attempting to silence the individual. Lack of validation and interpersonal trauma from institutional betrayal can be examined through a BTT lens and have been described as a “second assault,” which can exacerbate the effects of the initial trauma incurred.


Further References

Hocking, E. C., Simons, R. M., & Surette, R. J. (2016). Attachment style as a mediator between childhood maltreatment and the experience of betrayal trauma as an adult. Child Abuse and Neglect. doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.01.001

Klest, B., Tamaian, A., & Boughner, E. (2019). A Model Exploring the Relationship Between Betrayal Trauma and Health: The Roles of Mental Health, Attachment, Trust in Healthcare Systems, and Nonadherence to Treatment. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. doi.org/10.1037/tra0000453

Lawson, D. M., & Akay-Sullivan, S. (2020). Considerations of Dissociation, Betrayal Trauma, and Complex Trauma in the Treatment of Incest. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse. doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2020.1751369

Choi, K. J., & Kangas, M. (2019). Impact of Maternal Betrayal Trauma on Parent and Child Well-Being: Attachment Style and Emotion Regulation as Moderators. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. doi.org/10.1037/tra0000492

Keng, S. L., Noorahman, N. B., Drabu, S., & Chu, C. M. (2019). Association Between Betrayal Trauma and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among Adolescent Offenders: Shame and Emotion Dysregulation as Mediating Factors. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health. doi.org/10.1080/14999013.2018.1552633

Yalch, M. M., & Levendosky, A. A. (2019). Influence of betrayal trauma on borderline personality disorder traits. Journal of Trauma and Dissociation. doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2019.1572042

Yalch, M. M., Stewart, A. M., & Dehart, R. M. (2021). Influence of Betrayal Trauma on Antisocial Personality Disorder Traits. Journal of Trauma and Dissociation. doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2020.1792025

Platt, M. G., & Freyd, J. J. (2015). Betray my trust, shame on me: Shame, dissociation, fear, and betrayal trauma. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. doi.org/10.1037/tra0000022

Carroll, A. R. (2020). Betrayal Trauma and Resilience in Former Foster Youth. Emerging Adulthood. doi.org/10.1177/2167696820933126

Goldsmith, R. E., Freyd, J. J., & DePrince, A. P. (2012). Betrayal Trauma: Associations With Psychological and Physical Symptoms in Young Adults. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi.org/10.1177/0886260511421672

Babcock Fenerci, R. L., & Allen, B. (2018). From mother to child: Maternal betrayal trauma and risk for maltreatment and psychopathology in the next generation. Child Abuse and Neglect. doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.05.014

Tang, S. S. S., & Freyd, J. J. (2012). Betrayal trauma and gender differences in posttraumatic stress. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. doi.org/10.1037/a0025765

Yalch, M. M., & Levendosky, A. A. (2018). Influence of betrayal trauma on death anxiety. Humanistic Psychologist. doi.org/10.1037/hum0000115

Gómez, J. M. (2020). Gendered Sexual Violence: Betrayal Trauma, Dissociation, and PTSD in Diverse College Students. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2020.1783737

Gómez, J. M. (2019). Isn’t It All About Victimization? (Intra)cultural Pressure and Cutural Betrayal Trauma in Ethnic Minority College Women. Violence Against Women. doi.org/10.1177/1077801218811682

Gagnon, K. L., DePrince, A. P., Chu, A. T., Gorman, M., & Saylor, M. M. (2016). Betrayal trauma and child symptoms: The role of emotion. Journal of Trauma and Dissociation. doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2015.1077915

Gómez, J. M. (2019). What’s in a Betrayal? Trauma, Dissociation, and Hallucinations Among High-Functioning Ethnic Minority Emerging Adults. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2018.1494653

Gómez, J. M., Kaehler, L. A., & Freyd, J. J. (2014). Are hallucinations related to betrayal trauma exposure? A three-study exploration. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. doi.org/10.1037/a0037084

Gamache Martin, C., Van Ryzin, M. J., & Dishion, T. J. (2016). Profiles of Childhood Trauma: Betrayal, Frequency, and Psychological Distress in Late Adolescence. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. doi.org/10.1037/tra0000095

Kaehler, L. A., & Freyd, J. J. (2012). Betrayal trauma and borderline personality characteristics: Gender differences. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. doi.org/10.1037/a0024928

Babcock Fenerci, R. L., Chu, A. T., & DePrince, A. P. (2016). Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma-Related Distress: Maternal Betrayal Trauma, Parenting Attitudes, and Behaviors. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2015.1129655

Kaehler, L. A., & Freyd, J. J. (2009). Borderline Personality Characteristics: A Betrayal Trauma Approach. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. doi.org/10.1037/a0017833

Freyd, J. J., Klest, B., & Allard, C. B. (2005). Betrayal trauma: Relationship to physical health, psychological distress, and a written disclosure intervention. Journal of Trauma and Dissociation. doi.org/10.1300/J229v06n03_04

Jacoby, V. M., Krackow, E., & Scotti, J. R. (2017). Betrayal Trauma in Youth and Negative Communication during a Stressful Task: The Mediating Role of Emotion Dysregulation. In International Journal of Aging and Human Development. doi.org/10.1177/0091415016669724

Mackelprang, J. L., Klest, B., Najmabadi, S. J., Valley-Gray, S., Gonzalez, E. A., & Cash, R. E. (Gene. (2014). Betrayal Trauma Among Homeless Adults: Associations With Revictimization, Psychological Well-Being, and Health. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi.org/10.1177/0886260513506060

Lind, M. N., Adams-Clark, A. A., & Freyd, J. J. (2020). Isn’t high school bad enough already? Rates of gender harassment and institutional betrayal in high school and their association with trauma-related symptoms. PLoS ONE. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237713

Cromer, L. D. M., Gray, M. E., Vasquez, L., & Freyd, J. J. (2018). The Relationship of Acculturation to Historical Loss Awareness, Institutional Betrayal, and the Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma in the American Indian Experience. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. doi.org/10.1177/0022022117738749

Riley, D. (2019). Pipelines, Persistence, and Perfidy: Institutional Unknowing and Betrayal Trauma in Engineering. Feminist Formations. doi.org/10.1353/ff.2019.0006

Andresen, F. J., Monteith, L. L., Kugler, J., Cruz, R. A., & Blais, R. K. (2019). Institutional betrayal following military sexual trauma is associated with more severe depression and specific posttraumatic stress disorder symptom clusters. Journal of Clinical Psychology. doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22773

Wright, N. M., Smith, C. P., & Freyd, J. J. (2017). Experience of a Lifetime: Study Abroad, Trauma, and Institutional Betrayal. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2016.1170088

Smith, C. P., & Freyd, J. J. (2013). Dangerous Safe Havens: Institutional Betrayal Exacerbates Sexual Trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress. doi.org/10.1002/jts.21778

Smith, C. P., & Freyd, J. J. (2017). Insult, then Injury: Interpersonal and Institutional Betrayal Linked to Health and Dissociation. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2017.1322654

Selwyn, C. N., Lathan, E. C., Richie, F., Gigler, M. E., & Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J. (2021). Bitten by the System that Cared for them: Towards a Trauma-Informed Understanding of Patients’ Healthcare Engagement. Journal of Trauma and Dissociation. doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2020.1869657

Monteith, L. L., Bahraini, N. H., Matarazzo, B. B., Soberay, K. A., & Smith, C. P. (2016). Perceptions of Institutional Betrayal Predict Suicidal Self-Directed Violence Among Veterans Exposed to Military Sexual Trauma. Journal of Clinical Psychology. doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22292

Dadouch, Z., & Lilly, M. M. (2020). Post-Trauma Psychopathology in Journalists Subtitle: The Influence of Institutional Betrayal and World Assumptions. Journalism Practice. doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2020.1755606

Vesely, C. K., Letiecq, B. L., & Goodman, R. D. (2017). Immigrant Family Resilience in Context: Using a Community-Based Approach to Build a New Conceptual Model. Journal of Family Theory and Review. doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12177

Dockler, L., & Mueller, J. (2017). Introduction to the Special Issue on Institutional and Betrayal Trauma. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2016.1263707

Holliday, R., & Monteith, L. L. (2019). Seeking help for the health sequelae of military sexual trauma: a theory-driven model of the role of institutional betrayal. Journal of Trauma and Dissociation. doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2019.1571888

Monteith, L. L., Schneider, A. L., Holliday, R., & Bahraini, N. H. (2021). Assessing Institutional Betrayal Among Female Veterans Who Experienced Military Sexual Trauma: A Rasch Analysis of the Institutional Betrayal Questionnaire.2. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi.org/10.1177/0886260520983959

Lewis, C. L., Lathan, E. C., Selwyn, C. N., Agnew, G. A., McCabe, S. D., Gigler, M. E., & Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J. (2021). BITTEN at the Bedside: An Application Guide for Nurse Practitioners. Journal for Nurse Practitioners. doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.12.006

Adams-Clark, A. A., Rosenthal, M. N., & Freyd, J. J. (2019). Out-of-body experience: Sex-based harassment linked to general dissociation, sexual dissociation, and sexual communication. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. doi.org/10.1108/EDI-11-2018-0211

Hannan, S. M., Zimnick, J., & Park, C. (2020). Consequences of Sexual Violence among College Students: Investigating the Role of PTSD Symptoms, Rumination, and Institutional Betrayal. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2020.1796871

Smith, C. P., & Freyd, J. J. (2014). Institutional betrayal. American Psychologist. doi.org/10.1037/a0037564

Gómez, J. M., Smith, C. P., Gobin, R. L., Tang, S. S., & Freyd, J. J. (2016). Collusion, torture, and inequality: Understanding the actions of the American Psychological Association as institutional betrayal. In Journal of Trauma and Dissociation. doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2016.1214436

Linder, C., & Myers, J. S. (2018). Institutional Betrayal as a Motivator for Campus Sexual Assault Activism. NASPA Journal About Women in Higher Education. doi.org/10.1080/19407882.2017.1385489

Tamaian, A., Klest, B., & Mutschler, C. (2017). Patient dissatisfaction and institutional betrayal in the Canadian medical system: A qualitative study. Journal of Trauma and Dissociation. doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2016.1181134

Reffi, A. N., Pinciotti, C. M., & Orcutt, H. K. (2018). Psychometric Properties of the Institutional Betrayal Questionnaire, Version 2: Evidence for a Two-Factor Model. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi.org/10.1177/0886260518805771

Delker, B. C., Smith, C. P., Rosenthal, M. N., Bernstein, R. E., & Freyd, J. J. (2018). When Home Is Where the Harm Is: Family Betrayal and Posttraumatic Outcomes in Young Adulthood. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2017.1382639

Smith, C. P., Cunningham, S. A., & Freyd, J. J. (2016). Sexual violence, institutional betrayal, and psychological outcomes for LGB college students. Translational Issues in Psychological Science. doi.org/10.1037/tps0000094

Reinhardt, K. M., Smith, C. P., & Freyd, J. J. (2018). Came to Serve, Left Betrayed: Military Sexual Trauma and the Trauma of Betrayal. In Treating Military Sexual Trauma. doi.org/10.1891/9780826127792.0004

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

+ 28 = 32