“What Does it Mean to be Trauma-Informed?”: A Mixed-Methods Study of a Trauma-Informed Community Initiative

Abstract

Trauma during childhood has the potential to adversely affect one's physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development across the life span. However, the adverse effects of trauma can be prevented and mitigated through holistic services and supports that are trauma-informed. The Pottstown Trauma-Informed Community Connection (PTICC) is a community-based initiative that aims to build a trauma-informed community through training diverse stakeholders (e.g., school staff, providers, community leaders, parents) on the potential signs and symptoms of child trauma and how to create safe physical and emotional environments for children and families. This paper presents findings from a mixed-methods study of education and community partners' (N = 82) experiences in PTICC and their understandings of what it means to become traumainformed. Paired sample t-tests found significant changes in participants' beliefs about trauma-informed practice, but there were no changes in participants' perceptions of the impacts of PTICC on their use of trauma-informed practices and supports. Focus groups with education (n = 6) and community (n = 5) partners found that participants regarded being "trauma-informed" as reframing one's perspective, being more self-reflective, acquiring skills to respond more effectively to others who have experienced trauma, and having a sense of hope for the future. Findings also revealed perceived benefits of trauma training and challenges associated with getting others to buy-in to trauma-informed work. Potential methodological considerations for future community-engaged research in building trauma-informed communities are discussed. These considerations include the need to address ceiling effects, disaggregate data, and mitigate challenges associated with participant engagement.

The Relationship between Trauma and Attachment in Burundi’s School-Aged Children

“…A diagnosis of PTSD was made if DSM-IV criteria were met, including impairment of children’s daily functioning in response to traumatic stress. The UCLA PTSD Index has good psychometric properties and has been successfully used and validated in non-Western and African settings [ 19 ]. Inter-rater reliability was assessed by independently assessing the same child in parallel, that is when both investigators were present.…”

Experienced, trauma-informed teachers working in remote Australia: What is required for their work to be effective?

“…Experienced teachers are defined as those who have more than 6 years of teaching experience (Akbari and Tajik, 2009) and trauma-informed teachers are those who realize the impact of trauma, recognize the symptoms of trauma in their students and community, and respond by applying their understandings through practices to reduce re-traumatization (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2014; Maynard et al, 2019). These teachers also have a deep understanding of the skills and knowledge they bring to their teaching and how their own experiences, skills, and behaviors influence how they respond to childhood trauma in the context of their work (Champine et al, 2022). The participants in this study met the requirements of both definitions and all had experience working in remote schooling.…”

Interorganizational collaboration in a trauma‐informed community: A network analysis of cohesion and change

“…Increasing interorganizational collaboration throughout the community can help with the dissemination of ACEs and trauma-informed efforts (Champine et al, 2022;MARC, 2020;Matlin et al, 2019).…”

“…Research has focused on investigating communities that are building resiliency through trauma‐informed, multilevel approaches, especially at the community level (Champine et al, 2022; Gilmer et al, 2021; Hall et al, 2012; King et al, 2022; Matlin et al, 2019; Pinderhughes et al, 2015; SAMHSA, 2014). A trauma‐informed approach engages individuals and communities by recognizing trauma signs and symptoms, acknowledging the role of trauma in people's lives, and employing an integrated response to trauma at multiple levels (SAMHSA, 2014).…”