Episode 367: Old Before Their Time: Frank Putnam on The Science of Intergenerational Trauma and Resilience

In this episode, Duane sits down with Dr. Frank Putnam, a pioneer in the study of childhood trauma with nearly 50 years of clinical and research experience. Dr. Putnam discusses his landmark 35-year longitudinal study—the Female Growth and Development Study—which tracked the biological and psychological impacts of sexual abuse on girls from childhood into adulthood. They explore the concept of "accelerated aging," the intergenerational transfer of trauma, and why early intervention is critical for breaking the cycle of violence.

Key Discussion Points

• The Evolution of Trauma Diagnosis: Dr. Putnam recounts the early days of his career (the 1970s) when PTSD didn't exist in the DSM. Veterans and trauma survivors were often misdiagnosed with schizophrenia or borderline personality disorder before a language for trauma was developed.
• The "Old Before Their Time" Phenomenon: A core finding of Dr. Putnam’s research is that extreme childhood adversity accelerates biological aging.
• Puberty: Abused girls in the study reached puberty approximately one year earlier than the control group.
• Epigenetics: DNA methylation studies show that traumatized individuals have a biological age that exceeds their chronological age.
• Immune System: Some young girls exhibited immune systems that appeared "older" than those of healthy adults.
• The Role of Cortisol: The stress hormone cortisol plays a dual role. While levels are high during the period of active trauma, they often crash later in life, leading to a "blunted" stress response that mediates many negative health outcomes.
• Intergenerational Trauma: * Dr. Putnam’s research suggests a roughly 30% transfer rate of abuse across generations.
• This is not just behavioral; animal studies suggest that trauma-induced epigenetic changes can be passed down biologically.
• Resilience and Recovery: What differentiates survivors who thrive?
• Positive Relationships: High-quality relationships with older, supportive female role models were the strongest predictors of resilience for the girls in the study.
• IQ and Social Skills: Higher cognitive ability and personalities that attract social support also serve as protective factors.

Treatment Success: Modern Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) has roughly a 70% success rate.

Resources

• Book: Old Before Their Time: A Scientific Life Investigating How Maltreatment Harms Children and the Adults They Become by Frank W. Putnam.
• Organizations:
• NCTSN: National Child Traumatic Stress Network
• TF-CBT: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
• PCIT: Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (effective for younger children).
• Guest Website: frankputnam.com

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