The Effects of Trauma on Learning and Behavior: Strategies that Work
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Transcript of The Effects of Trauma on Learning and Behavior: Strategies that Work
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§ionid=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.