“Rural-Specific” Types of Childhood Trauma in Rural Communities

Introduction

The primary aim of this chapter is to discuss eight common types of trauma that Latino children are likely to encounter by residing in rural or geographically-isolated communities. A secondary aim is to briefly discuss some interventions that can be used with traumatized Latino children. A third aim is to present some directions for future research on childhood trauma in Latino children who reside in rural and geographically-isolated communities.

A systematic review of the scientific literature indicates that there is a growing body of research on trauma in Latino children, with the majority of the research conducted in large urban or metropolitan communities. As the Latino population grows and continues to spread across the country, including into rural and geographically-isolated communities, there is also an increasing awareness of the mental health needs of Latino families and their children. In urban communities, Latino families and their children are at-risk for “urban-specific” forms of trauma and in rural communities they are likely to encounter different types of trauma.

It is the contention of these authors, that childhood trauma can be viewed from the perspective of urban versus rural types of trauma, especially in Latino children because of the social, economic, and political circumstances of Latino families. While Latino children are not immune from the infinitesimal types of trauma that can occur to them by living in either type of setting, there are some forms of trauma that are more likely to occur when living in rural communities. Below are some examples of the types of trauma that Latino children are at-risk for in these communities.