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- University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Trauma-Informed-in-Schools-Classrooms-FINAL-D
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QUICK FACTSTrauma is Common:
It is estimated that one half to Unlocking the Door to Learning:
two-thirds of children
experience trauma. Trauma-Informed Classrooms
& Transformational Schools
What is Trauma?
A response to a negative Maura McInerney, Esq. Senior Staff Attorney
external event or series of
Amy McKlindon, M.S.W.
events which surpasses the
child’s ordinary coping skills. It
comes in many forms and Childhood trauma can have a direct, immediate,
includes experiences such as and potentially overwhelming impact on the
maltreatment, witnessing ability of a child to learn. Yet, this issue has
violence, or the loss of a loved largely been ignored by our education system.
one. Traumatic experiences This issue brief discusses how educators can begin
can impact brain development to understand the role of trauma, its effect on
and behavior inside and children and learning, and how educators can
outside of the classroom. change methods of interacting and responding to
children impacted by trauma. By adopting a
Importance for Schools
trauma-informed approach, schools undertake a
All schools and educators
paradigm shift at the staff and organizational
work with children who have
experienced trauma, but you
level to recognize, understand and address the
may not know who these learning needs of children impacted by trauma.
students are. Schools have an This requires a commitment to shaping school
important role to play in culture, practices, and policies to be sensitive to
providing stability and a safe the needs of traumatized learners. This effort
space for children and positively impacts schools and changes the life-
connecting them to caring trajectory of vulnerable students.
adults. In addition to serving
as a link to supportive services, The first step is to understand who experiences
schools can adapt curricula and trauma and why, and how it impacts learning.
behavioral interventions to
better meet the educational It is well documented that a child’s reaction to trauma can
needs of students who have “commonly” interfere with brain development, learning, and
experienced trauma. behavior -- all of which have a potential impact on a child’s
academic success as well as the overall school environment.
Trauma-Informed Approaches By understanding and responding to trauma, school
Evidence-supported, trauma- administrators, teachers, and staff can help reduce its
informed models have been negative impact, support critical learning, and create a more
developed in other fields and positive school environment.
can be implemented in schools.
A list of models, training tools,
and additional resources is 1
provided.
,“Trauma-informed” approaches are not new – they have been implemented in many fields including the
medical profession and our judicial system. The lessons learned from these evidence-based approaches
can be directly applied to classrooms and schools. At the heart of these approaches is the belief that
students’ actions are a direct result of their experiences, and when students act out or disengage, the
question we should ask is not “what’s wrong with you,” but rather “what happened to you?”1 By
being sensitive to students’ past and current experiences with trauma, educators can break the cycle of
trauma, prevent re-traumatization, and engage a child in learning and finding success in school.
Defining Trauma – What happened to this child?
Childhood trauma has been conceptualized as a response to a negative external event or series of
events which render a child “temporarily helpless” and surpass the child’s “ordinary coping and
defensive operations.”2 A wide range of experiences can result in childhood trauma, and a child’s
response to these potentially traumatizing events will vary depending on the characteristics of the child
(e.g., age, stage of development, personality, intelligence and prior history of trauma) environment
(e.g., school and family supports), and experience (e.g., relationship to perpetrator).3
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) defines traumatic events as
those in which an individual experiences, witnesses, or is confronted with actual or threatened death or
serious injury, or threatened physical integrity of self or others.4 Importantly, the event need not be
violent and need not be directed at the child who experiences trauma. One well-known study describes
traumatic experiences in childhood as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), which may include
physical, psychological, or sexual abuse; violence against one’s mother; or living with household
members who are mentally ill, suicidal, substance abusers, or were ever incarcerated. This study linked
ACEs to many common adult medical and psychological problems.5 In response to a traumatic event, a
person may feel intense fear, horror, or helplessness, and in response, a child may display disorganized
or agitated behavior.6
Who Experiences Trauma?
Children from all races and socioeconomic backgrounds experience and are impacted by trauma.
Research suggests that between half and two-thirds of all school-aged children experience trauma7 as
they are exposed to one or more adverse childhood experience that can be trauma-inducing.8 Trauma
can come in many forms. There are obvious examples of trauma. For example, in 2011, there were
4,566 reports of abuse or neglect in Philadelphia, with 2.1 substantiated cases of abuse or neglect per
1,000 children.9 However, there are also other hidden examples of exposure to trauma. Here are some
statistical examples:
Among 769 students sampled in the LA Unified School District, the average number of violent
events experienced in the previous year was 2.8, and the average number of witnessed events
was 5.9. In this context, 76% of surveyed students experienced or witnessed violence involving
a gun or knife.10 In another study of this cohort by Flannery et al., between 56% and 87% of
adolescents had witnessed someone being physically assaulted at school during the past year.11
In one representative sample of children in western North Carolina, 68% of 16-year-olds had
experienced trauma and 37% had experienced two or more traumatic events. More specifically:
o 25% had been exposed to violence.
15% had experienced the violent death of a sibling or peer.
7% had experienced physical abuse by a relative.
o 11% had experienced sexual trauma in the form of sexual abuse, rape, or coercion.
2
, o 33% had experienced another injury or trauma (e.g., serious accident, natural
disaster).12
According to the 2008 National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence, 61% of children and
adolescents age 17 and younger have been exposed to violence in the past year. Over one-third
of children experienced two or more direct victimizations, and 11% had experienced five or
more direct victimizations.13
Children and adolescents in urban environments experience higher rates of exposure to violence.14 In
one unnamed urban community, 41% of 6th, 8th, and 10th grade students reported witnessing a shooting
or stabbing in the past year.15 In addition, young children are also exposed to trauma, and by age 4,
parents report that 26% of young children have been exposed to violence or a non-interpersonal
traumatic event such as a car accident.16 Recent research has disclosed the devastating impact of
exposure to trauma on the brain development of very young children.
Exposure to Violence: Young Children in Philadelphia
In a sample of 119 seven-year-old children in Philadelphia, frequent exposure to violence was
reported:
o 75% had heard gun shots.
o 60% had seen drug deals.
o 18% had seen a dead body outside.
o 10% witnessed a stabbing or shooting in their homes.17
Notably, in an older study comparing middle school students in the Philadelphia metropolitan
area attending an urban middle school and a suburban middle school, researchers found a
strikingly high prevalence of exposure to violence and victimization in both groups:
o 89% of suburban and 96% of urban middle school students knew someone who had
been robbed, assaulted, or murdered.
o 57% of suburban and 88% of urban middle school students had witnessed someone
being robbed, assaulted, or murdered.
o 40% of suburban and 67% of urban middle school students had been a victim of
violence.18
Impact of Trauma on Brain Development and Learning
Children and adolescents are continually developing, and life experiences influence their development in
both positive and negative ways. Physiological changes to children’s brains as well as emotional and
behavioral responses to trauma have the potential to interfere with children’s learning, school
engagement, and academic success. Because most brain development occurs during a child’s early
months and years when the brain is most “plastic,” traumatic experiences in the early years, such as
abuse and neglect and exposure to violence, can profoundly impact and limit brain development,
resulting in cognitive losses, physical, emotional and social delays, all of which undermine learning.19
Brain imaging shows that the brain continues to develop into early adulthood, with peak times of
development in early childhood and adolescence.20 More specifically, areas such as the hippocampus
which is involved in learning and memory develop rapidly in early childhood, while the prefrontal cortex
which regulates thoughts and attention matures more rapidly during adolescence.21 As a result, trauma
experienced during these sensitive periods has the potential to be particularly harmful to brain
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