Understanding Trauma in Children & Youth: How Schools Can Help

1. and how can schools help? Effects of Trauma in the lives of Children & Youth

2. Trauma Definition: (DSM – IV) Part I: “traumatic event” as one in which “the person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the integrity of self or others.” Part II: “the person’s response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror.”

3. Trauma: Factors that increase the likelihood that an event may have a Traumatic affect on children and youth • If the event happened unexpectedly. • If there are feelings of being unprepared for it. • If there are feelings of being powerless to prevent it. • If the event happens repeatedly. • If there are multiple events. • If someone was intentionally cruel. • If the event happened in childhood.

4. Trauma: Childhood trauma may result from anything that disrupts a child’s sense of safety and security, including: • Death of a Parent • Death of Someone close • Frequent Moves • Physical/Mental Abuse • Sexual Abuse/Assault • Serious Accident/Illness • Child Molestation • Pressure by gangs/peers • Foster Placement • Mental Hospitalization/Group Home • Domestic Violence • Parental Rejection • Divorce/Step Parent Conflicts • Family Alcoholism

5. After a Traumatic Event Stages of Recovery/Re-Structuring Event Reorganization Restabilization Recoil

6. Trauma: Differential Response Dissociation Hyper Arousal • Detached • Numb • Compliant • Decrease HR • Suspension of time • De-realization • ‘Mini-psychoses’ • Fainting • Anxious • Reactive • Alarm response • Increase HR • Freeze: Fear • Flight: Panic • Fight: Terror

7. Life-Cycle of Trauma

8. Trauma: Short-Term Symptoms(During and Shortly after the Event) Cognitive Behavioral • Confusion • Time Distortions • Problems separating trivial from more important things • Problem solving difficulties • Poor attention • Regression in abilities • Slowness • Dejection • Memory Problems • Hysteria • Hyperactivity • Aimless wandering

9. Trauma: Short-Term Symptoms(During and Shortly after the Event) Emotional Physical • Fear • Anxiety • Anger • Irritable • Frustration • Headaches • Nausea • Cramps • Sweating • Rapid Breathing • Muffled Hearing

10. Trauma: Delayed Onset Symptoms(Weeks, Months, or Years after the Event) Cognitive Behavioral • Fear of going crazy • Confusion • Preoccupation with incident • Denial of importance or impact of incident • Substance abuse • Sleep problems • Social withdrawal • Flashbacks • Relationship problems • Avoidance of incident location • Self destructive behaviors

11. Trauma: Delayed Onset Symptoms (Weeks, Months, or Years after the Event) Emotional Physical • Depression • Grief • Guilt • Over sensitivity • Fear of reoccurrence • Resentment • Fatigue • Increased Illness • Physical Concerns

12. Trauma: Symptoms • The experiencing of these symptoms means that the event was a significant one for the individual, not that they are going crazy. • Usually these symptoms initially get worse, and take time to get better. • Talking about the event with healthy adults helps a great deal. • Some symptoms may never totally disappear, or long periods of time may go by and then the symptoms suddenly reappear. This may be due to stress or developmental changes. Some Final Notes

13. Trauma: • Don’t react with excessive emotional reactions: • The student has enough to cope with already, and they don’t need to be forced to take care of adults emotionally as well. • Don’t make false Promises: • Do not tell or promise the person anything that you are not sure of or is not true (It will get better; Everything is going to be all right). If not sure, say so. Schools: What not to do?

14. Trauma: • Don’t make Judgements: • Focus on the person, not on what is “right”. The child’s needs are what takes precedence. Body language, facial expressions, and questions (Why---) can all communicate judgements that may be too much for the person to cope with. • Don’t push for information: • This may drive the person away or make things worse. Allow the person to reveal what they are comfortable with, and work with that. Schools: What not to do?

15. Trauma: Schools: What not to do? • Don’t relinquish Authority or Leadership roles: • Discipline and leadership work to provide security and predictability for the person. • Don’t Withdraw from the person: • The person does not need to be in the limelight, but they do need to have supportive, normalizing, and affirming contacts with healthy adults and peers.

16. Trauma: • Follow/resume normal roles and follow predictable routines. This maintains/promotes a sense of predictability, safety, control, and connections • minimize and reduce exposure to upsetting media coverage and process news events to model positive coping • Remove or reduce risk factors (unsafe environments, exposure to violence, bullying behaviors). • Increase sense of belonging or bonding to school and achievement. Schools: What can we do?

17. Trauma: • Increase the likelihood of academic success and provide graduated mastery experiences. • Create a motivational climate that fosters a “learning for learning’s sake” and reduces student competitiveness. Successes should be measured by improvement. • Increase parents’ involvement in their children’s education. • Improve the quality of attachment relationships. Provide caring and supportive relationships. Schools: What can we do?

18. Trauma: • Help students learn problem solving skills. • Children need to experience support, be valued, and have opportunities to contribute to others (civic activities), and thus feel empowered. • Set boundaries, convey clear expectations about acceptable behaviors and nurture constructive use of time. • Provide “second chance opportunities”, or help individuals to engage in “athletic, artistic or other activities that provide contact with prosocial adult mentors and peers Schools: What can we do?

19. Trauma: • Require cognitive rather than affective responses. “What do you think”, rather than “How do you feel” types of questions. • Involve writing rather than art activities, and Involve art rather than enactment or simulation activities. Schools: What can we do?

20. End of Presentation Effects of Trauma in the lives of Children & Youth