Building Trust Amidst Trauma: Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and its Applicability to Unaccompanied Child Immigrants from the Northern Triangle

Abstract

This study examined the trauma-informed method Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and its potential applicability to the population of unaccompanied child immigrants from the Northern Triangle of Central America. This population has demonstrated high levels of severe interpersonal trauma due to adverse experiences before, during, upon, and after immigration to the United States. The TBRI method has not been utilized to assist this population in the past, as the literature has mainly focused on the populations of adopted children and children in foster care. It was found that the incidence and severity of trauma in unaccompanied child immigrants is comparable to that of children who have benefitted from TBRI. Thus, a variety of case studies were conducted to examine the applicability of TBRI into existing settings of practice. TBRI may need cultural adaptation, but presents a strong potential benefit to unaccompanied child immigrants in its core principles and child development values.