Grasso, D., Greene, C., & Ford, J.D.2014-03-212014-03-212013Grasso, D., Greene, C., & Ford, J.D. Cumulative Trauma in Childhood. In J. D. Ford & C. A. Courtois (Eds.), Treating complex traumatic stress disorders in children and adolescents: An evidence based guide. New York: Guilford Press (at press)http://www.traumacenter.org/initiatives/CumulativeTraumaChildhoodChapter.pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11212/1334As understanding of the way in which exposure to multiple types of traumatic experiences in childhood and adolescence can interfere with adjustment and the development of self-regulatory capacities grows, clinicians and researchers will be able to take a trans-diagnostic approach to assessment, case formulation, and treatment planning and monitoring rather than attempting to diagnose and treat an overwhelming array of symptoms and co-morbid disorders. Although the bio-psychosocial problems facing clients with a history of ACEs, poly-victimization, or cumulative exposure to traumatic stressors — and the corresponding challenges facing clinicians — are undeniably complex and daunting, taking a complex trauma framework derived from those three lines of research can paradoxically provide a degree of simplicity to assessment and treatment that is the result of an integrative understanding of the importance of focusing on addressing stress reactivity and self-regulationpolyvictimizationdiagnosistreatmentchild abuseBook chapter