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Steven Marans, MSW, PhD

Harris Professor in the Child Study Center; Director, National Center for Children Exposed to Violence/Childhood Violent Trauma Center at the Yale Child Study Center; Director, Trauma Service; Professor of Psychiatry

Contact Information

Steven Marans, MSW, PhD

Office Location

Mailing Address

  • Child Study Center

    PO Box 207900, 230 South Frontage Road

    New Haven, CT 06520-7900

    United States

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Research Summary

Over the past two decades, Dr. Marans' research has focused on acute, intermediate and longer-term responses to violent and catastrophic events in the lives of children, families and communities. The mental health-law enforcement partnership developed by Marans and colleagues has led to innovative approaches to identification and response to traumatized children and families impacted by abuse, exposure to domestic violence, criminal and violent acts in the community as well to communities impacted by both mass casualty events. In addition, Dr. Marans is the co-developer with Prof. Carrie Epstein of the Child Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI), a brief, early and evidence-based approach to children and families affected by potentially traumatic events. CFTSI has demonstrated effectiveness in interrupting and reducing the development of longer-term post-traumatic disorders in children who have been impacted by overwhelming, traumatic events.

Specialized Terms: Child psychoanalysis and psychotherapy; adolescent psychoanalysis and psychotherapy; Adult psychoanalysis and psychotherapy; Trauma consultation and treatment

Extensive Research Description

Our research has been focused on the experience of violent trauma in the lives of children and families as well as changes in systems of care that can improve services and clinical outcomes. The partnership between mental health and law enforcement professionals in New Haven and around the country has generated broad opportunities to identify and respond to thousands of children and families each year who have experienced violence in their homes, schools and communities. Our work in responding to acute, peri-traumatic and longer-term responses to violent and catastrophic events has led to the development of new clinical approaches to meeting the needs of traumatized children and families. These innovative intervention strategies are also grounded in an integration of developmental, psychodynamic, behavioral and neurophysiologic aspects of the traumatic response. We have applied a similar perspective in developing new collaborative responses to domestic violence and to psychologically-informed approaches to emergency management responses to mass casualty man-made and natural disasters.

The Trauma Section at the Yale Child Study Center is currently involved in several research initiatives aims to influence practice and service delivery with mental health, law enforcement agencies, child advocacy centers, pediatric emergency care and to improve direct clinical service for children and their families.

1. Domestic Violence Home Visit Intervention Program (DVHVI)
The DVHVI is an innovative outreach program in which an advocate and a patrol officer conduct follow-up home visits to improve physical and psychological security in the aftermath of a domestic violence incident. Our initial findings showed that women who received this intervention felt officers were more helpful, they were more likely to call the police again and were more willing to engage their children into treatment. This model is currently being disseminated in three other communities with the goal of doing a cross site data collection and analysis of the program.

2. Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI)
The CFTSI is a 4-session secondary prevention approach to children and families exposed to violence and other traumatic events. The intervention is currently being evaluated to determine its effectiveness in reducing post-traumatic stress disorders and symptoms. Initial findings have shown positive results.

Coauthors

Research Interests

Adolescent Psychiatry; Psychology, Adolescent; Mental Disorders; Child Abuse; Child Psychiatry; Psychiatry; Psychoanalysis; Psychotherapy; Violence; Domestic Violence

Selected Publications

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