Psychological Trauma and Litigation, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) for Justice-Involved Adolescents: Medical Experts discuss what attorneys should know

Steven N. Gold, PhD
Steven N. Gold, PhD
Nova Southeastern University

Steven N Gold, PhD is Professor Emeritus, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) College of Psychology, and was Founding Director of NSU’s Trauma Resolution & Integration Program (TRIP).

Michael A. Quiñones, PhD
Michael A. Quiñones, PhD
Independent Clinical and Forensic Psychology

Michael A. Quiñones, PhD is in independent clinical and forensic psychology practice in Broward County, Florida. He specializes in treating trauma-related and dissociative disorders.

On-Demand: July 28, 2022

$195.00 2 hour CLE

MCLE Credit Information:

Select Your State Below to View CLE Credit Information

Can't Decide Which CLE Program?

Access All
myLawCLE Programs
Only $395yr

Annual Subscription includes access to:
  • 500+ Live CLE Webinars
  • National Hot Legal Topics
  • New Laws and Regulations
  • State Specific Programs
  • All Formats: Live, Replay, & On-Demand
Subscribe Today
Training 5 or more people?

Sign-up for a law firm subscription plan and each attorney in the firm receives free access to all CLE Programs

Program Summary

Session I – Understanding Trauma and Its Relevance to Litigation – Steven N Gold

Attorneys are increasingly coming to recognize the relevance of psychological trauma and trauma-related psychological disorders to both civil and criminal litigation. In civil suits, traumatization can be grounds for seeking damages. In criminal proceedings it often is a foundation for mitigation. This presentation will explain what is considered a traumatic event, the range of psychological consequences of exposure to trauma, which includes but is by no means limited to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and how expert witness testimony regarding trauma can play an essential role in various forms of litigation. In addition, guidance will be provided on how to identify experts in the area of psychological trauma.

Key topics to be discussed:

  • What qualifies as a trauma event?
  • What is the range of expectable psychological consequences of being exposed to traumatic circumstances?
  • What are the differential effects of single-event versus ongoing trauma?
  • How is trauma relevant to both civil and criminal proceedings?
  • How can attorneys go about identifying experts qualified to testify regarding trauma?

Session II – The impacts of Adverse Childhoods Experiences (ACEs) on functioning as it pertains to mitigation efforts for justice-involved adolescents and adults – Michael A. Quiñones

Research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has delineated ten types of childhood adversity, subsumed under three main categories (i.e., abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction), that are strongly associated with a range of negative impacts on health and well-being throughout the lifespan. Exposure to one or more ACEs is associated with negative impacts on various domains of functioning (i.e., psychological, emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal) throughout development and are strongly associated with trauma-related and other psychological disorders.

Studies in the past decade have specifically established that the prevalence and number of ACEs is greater for justice-involved adolescents and adults than the general population. Furthermore, research supports that exposure to ACEs is associated with maladaptive patterns of behavior and impairments to attention, impulse control, emotion regulation, and cognitive capacities; difficulties commonly observed in justice-involved adolescents and adults. This workshop will review the etiology of ACEs, their negative impacts on functioning as it pertains to criminality in adolescents and adulthood, and how this pertains to mitigation efforts for justice-involved adolescent and adults.

Key topics to be discussed:

  • Adverse Childhood Experiences
  • Negative impacts of childhood adversity throughout the lifespan
  • Exposure to ACEs and criminality
  • Long-term impacts of ACEs on functioning and relevance to mitigation for justice involved persons

Date: July 28, 2022

Closed-captioning available

Speakers

Steven N. Gold, PhD_Nova Southeastern University_myLawCLESteven N. Gold, PhD | Nova Southeastern University

Steven N Gold, PhD is Professor Emeritus, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) College of Psychology, and was Founding Director of NSU’s Trauma Resolution & Integration Program (TRIP). He was President of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division of Trauma Psychology (56) in 2009, inaugural editor of the Division’s scientific journal, Psychological Trauma from 2008 through 2014, 2014 recipient of the Division’s Award for Outstanding Service to the Field of Trauma Psychology, and a Div56 delegate to the APA Council of Representatives.

In 2004 Dr. Gold served as President of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD); he received ISSTD’s 2020 Cornelia B Wilbur Award for outstanding clinical contributions to the treatment of dissociative disorders and ISSTD’s 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a Fellow of ISSTD and of APA. Dr.

Gold has published and presented on abuse, trauma, dissociation, hypnotherapy and psychedelic-assisted therapy, and has been an invited speaker throughout the United States and in Canada, Colombia, Argentina, Spain, and Austria. He is Editor in Chief of the APA Handbook of Trauma Psychology, a Co-Editor of the second edition of the book Dissociation and the Dissociative Disorders, and author of the books Contextual Trauma Therapy for Complex Traumatization and Not Trauma Alone. Dr. Gold was founding co-editor of the Journal of Trauma Practice, and guest edited a special issue of the APA journal Psychotherapy on the treatment of trauma-related disorders.

He is a Certified Traumatologist with the Traumatology Institute, a Certified Consultant in Clinical Hypnosis with the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and sits on the Board of Directors of the Sidran Institute for Traumatic Stress Education and Advocacy and on the Advisory Board of the Leadership Council on Child Abuse & Interpersonal Violence. Dr. Gold maintains an independent psychology practice in Plantation, Florida and is regularly retained as an expert witness in legal cases in which trauma and dissociation appear to be relevant issues.

 

Michael A. Quiñones, PhD_Independent Clinical and Forensic Psychology_myLawCLEMichael A. Quiñones, PhD | Independent Clinical and Forensic Psychology

Michael A. Quiñones, PhD is in independent clinical and forensic psychology practice in Broward County, Florida. He specializes in treating trauma-related and dissociative disorders. Dr. Quiñones has particular expertise on the long-term impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) —which include abuse, neglect, and dysfunctional family environments— on psychological functioning.

He has several publications about ACEs, including: his doctoral dissertation, which was a study on ACEs, attachment and PTSD symptoms in male offenders; a chapter in the upcoming book Dissociation and the Dissociative Disorders; and a co-authored a chapter in the recently released volume, Not Just Bad Kids. He is in the process of co-authoring a book to be published by APA on the use of altered states in the treatment of trauma-related disorders.

Agenda

Session I – Understanding Trauma and Its Relevance to Litigation | 2:00pm – 3:00pm

  1. What qualifies as a trauma event? | 2:00pm – 2:12pm
  2. What is the range of expectable psychological consequences of being exposed to traumatic circumstances? | 2:12pm – 2:24pm
  3. What are the differential effects of single-event versus ongoing trauma? | 2:24pm – 2:36pm
  4. How is trauma relevant to both civil and criminal proceedings? | 2:36pm – 2:48pm
  5. How can attorneys go about identifying experts qualified to testify regarding trauma? | 2:48pm – 3:00pm

Break | 3:00pm – 3:10pm

Session II – The impacts of Adverse Childhoods Experiences (ACEs) on functioning as it pertains to mitigation efforts for justice-involved adolescents and adults | 3:10pm – 4:10pm

  1. Adverse Childhood Experiences | 3:10pm – 3:25pm
  2. Negative impacts of childhood adversity throughout the lifespan | 3:25pm – 3:40pm
  3. Exposure to ACEs and criminality | 3:40pm – 3:55pm
  4. Long-term impacts of ACEs on functioning and relevance to mitigation for justice involved persons | 3:55pm – 4:10pm