Effects of Trauma on Learning &

Behavior: Strategies That Work

presented by Janet Vignaly

African Community Education (ACE) Program

Worcester, MA

Childhood Trauma

of 1 sudden blow or series of blowsrendering the young child temporarily helpless,

breaking past ordinary coping/defensive mechanisms”

Terr, L. (1991). Childhood traumas: An outline and overview. American Journal of Psychiatry, 148, 10-20.

“the mental result

Trauma Survivors...• were born with a deformity

• experienced chronic illness• were abused physically, sexually, or

verbally as children• witnessed violence• experienced a parent disability or death• grew up in poverty• were homeless• experienced community violence, terrorism

or war• survived a natural disaster

Trauma may result from...

...a direct, personal experience of an event...witnessing an event...learning about an event...being threatened with death...experiencing serious injury of self...experiencing threat to one’s physical integrity...the death, threat of death, serious injury, threat to physical injury of another

Trauma is a subjective response to an objective event.

PTSD: repeated, visualized memories repetitive behaviors specific fears emotional over-/ under-responsiveness negative worldview

http://www.sidran.org/sub.cfm?contentID=88&sectionid=4

Trauma Statistics“Over 3 million reports of child abuse are made every year in the United States; however, those reports can include multiple children. In 2009, approximately 3.3 million child abuse reports and allegations were made involving an estimated 6 million children.”

•“A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds”

“more than five children die every day as a result of child abuse and neglect”

http://www.childhelp.org/pages/statistics

Trauma Statistics

UK Study of 300 school-aged children

Trauma Statistics

100 of whom were refugees

Trauma Statistics

> 25% refugee children reported significant psychological disturbance

...much more than non-refugee students

Trauma Statistics

US refugees: 25-50% PTSD

12 years later...

“The prevalence of family violence and its traumatizing consequences for

children means that schools can no longer consider it

a rare occurrence with minimal impact on children’s behavior and academic success...

Schools can no longer limit interventions to individual children with known trauma

histories but must create instructional frameworks

that integrate a trauma-sensitive approach into all aspects of the school day.”Craig (2008), p. 3

The Biological Effects

of Trauma

Physiology of Trauma

Broca’s Area

• controls language

• “shuts down” with trauma

Physiology of Trauma

Hormones• Cortisol: stress hormone

• Serotonin: mood modulator depleted

flat levels

metabolismimmunityinflammation

seizures

brain dev.

Physiology of Trauma

Limbic System: hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus

• Mobilize in face of threat• Fight-or-Flight

• Processing & storing

emotional reactions• Fundamental role in PTSD

Physiology of Trauma

Cerebellar vermis

• Continued development

• Affected by stress hormone

• Motor coordination• Attention & Emotion

Physiology of Trauma

Lagging Left, Dominant Right

Text

•more R brain activation (negative emotions)•smaller corpus callosum (R-L connection)•real vs. imagined danger

Effects on Behavior and

Learning in School

Ecological Framework

Trauma is a subjective response to an objective event.Not all people will respond to an event the same way.

Kids that have a history of violence may have developed some difficulties that hinder

learning in school.

Source: Reaching and Teaching Children Who Hurt by Susan E. Craig (2008)

Impact on Attention

Past experiences with unpredictability or danger may affect attention through:

frequent “downshifting”: survival first!

intrusive memories

Suggestions for in-school response include:

teach deep breathing and visualization

make emotional connection with students before introducing content

always pair oral directions with written ones.

help children learn difference between actual danger and “false positives”

Sequencing

Suggestions for in-school response include:

Inconsistency and lack of routines in early years may lead to:difficulty with sequential ordering

difficulty with multi-step instructions or algorithmsimpulsivity

breaking up instructions into chunks

make task cards that show single steps to multi-step process; turn over cards as steps are completed

graphic organizers showing “Cause and Effect”

Language

Suggestions for in-school response include:

allow self-expression that doesn’t require language

facilitate social interactions, games

Lack of talk around ideas, thoughts, feelingsmay lead to difficulty with engaging socially organizing thoughts processing info

use context cues, props

teach “thoughtful hesitation”

Memory

Chronic stress from exposure to violence interferes with working memory and ability to process information accurately

Suggestions for in-school response include:

teach children to look for and identify patterns in everyday lifelink new ideas to music and movement: “short-cuts” to the long-term memorymake sure students feel safe in the school setting

Building Trauma-Sensitive

Schools

Adaptive in One Context...

How We Respond

•PLACE, LUV

PlayfulLoving

AcceptingCurious

Empathic

ListenUnderstandValidate

SCHOOL CLIMATE

Building Children’s Strengths

Maintaining Safety

Providing Positive Behavior Support

Universal Support

Creating a Positive Peer Culture

Promoting Self-Care

Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools

DEESCALATING BEHAVIOR

Child: describe event establish timeline

Adult: listen & accept introduce alternatives

Child: identify feelings

Adult: supply words

Both: discuss outcomes decide prevention steps

Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools

BUILDING SOCIAL COMPETENCE Social Competence Friendship Conflict Resolution Using Social Information Meaningful Service to Others

Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools

BUILDING COMPETENCE THROUGH CONSISTENT USE OF INSTRUCTIONAL BEST PRACTICES Differentiated Instruction Planning by Concept Using Ongoing Assessment Implementing Flexible Grouping Encouraging Choice Making Fostering Self-Reflection

Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools

Creative Interventions•Art, Music, Drama, Play

• Drawing pictures• Writing prompts with picture• Singing well-known songs• Drumming, music, movement• Listening to / Making Music• Create a CD cover• Write lyrics• Claywork• Scratchboard• Role play• Direct a scene from your life

Schools can no longer limit interventions to individual children with known trauma

histories but must create instructional frameworks that integrate a trauma-

sensitive approach into all aspects of the school day.”

Suggested Reading• Craig, Susan E. (2008), Reaching and Teaching Children Who Hurt - Strategies for

Your Classroom, Baltimore: Brookes.• Understanding responses to trauma and creating trauma-sensitive schools.

Harris, David A. (2007) Pathways to embodied empathy and reconciliation after atrocity: Former boy soldiers in a dance/movement therapy group in Sierra Leone, Intervention 2007, Volume 5, Number 3, Page 203 - 231.

• Dance/movement therapists that provided healing activities and community reconciliation.

Hughes, Daniel (2006) Building the Bonds of Attachment: Awakening Love in Deeply Troubled Children, Second Edition, New York: Jason Aronson Publishing.

• Story of an abused and neglected girl, and the foster mother who finally helped her.

Jensen, Eric (2008), Brain-Based Learning - The New Paradigm of Teaching, Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

• Classroom implications & instructional suggestions based on understanding of brain function.

Kuban, Caelan LMSW, CTC & Steele, William, PsyD, MSW (2008) One-minute interventions for Traumatized Children and Adolescents, Clinton Township, MI: TLC.

• Practical guide to helping different age groups process traumatic experiences.

Malchiodi, Cathy A. (2008), Creative Interventions with Traumatized Children, New York: Guildford Press.

• Practical ideas for therapists to help children work through trauma through play, art, drama, music, and other creative means.