PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA AND LEARNED HELPLESSNESS - SELIGMAN PARADIGM RECONSIDERED

This article presents an ecological model for understanding the range of individual differences arising from traumatic events. It is suggested that Seligman's model of learned helplessness should not be considered a unitary construct. Lack of options, lack of skills, opposition from others, internalization of blame, adaptive survival, and altruism are delineated as examples of alternative source of behavior found among victims of psychological trauma.