How Trauma Impacts Decision-Making

Abstract

This review looks at the impact of trauma on decision-making. Limited direct research illustrates a connection between trauma and decision-making however, the indirect research reviewed relating to depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) indicates a link between trauma and decision-making. Implications and recommendations for counselling identified in this review are: increased awareness of trauma and decision-making, the impact of mental disorders on decision-making, new implications for working with children, working with intergenerational trauma, and new reasons to work within certain theoretical frameworks.