Supporting Indigenous students' social-emotional learning (SEL) is important given the systemic impact of colonialism that has contributed to their higher mental health and academic disparities compared to White students. One way to promote SEL is through professional development for educators, yet there has been little research on the development…

College students report high psychological distress, mental health problems and anxiety. Research indicates that faculty and staff can help support these students in crisis, but there is limited trauma-informed training for higher education professionals who are not mental health counselors. This study explored an evidence-based online training…

Background: Delivering school mental health services within a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) offers a framework for addressing student mental health needs. Limited research has examined school mental health provider and teacher preferences for delivering mental health promotion and prevention classroom programming. Purpose: We present…

Education plays a fundamental role in the personal and social development of individuals. However, in some cases, educational processes occur under challenging conditions, causing various difficulties for students and educators. Challenging conditions can result from natural disasters, wars, economic crises, or health problems. This research aimed…

In "The Fostering Resilience Workbook, Elementary Edition," Kristin Van Marter Souers, Keith Orchard, and Pete Hall--a mental-health clinician, social worker, and veteran principal, respectively--draw on research and their extensive experience to help elementary-level educators create supportive, trauma-invested environments in which…

The purpose of this study was to examine faculty, staff, and administrative perceptions regarding implementation of trauma-informed care (TIC) in a small suburban school district. All employees of the district were invited to participate, with 91 submitting completed surveys. Participants completed the ARTIC-35 to measure perceptions of TIC. While…

Four educators who teach in four different higher education institutions across the United States engaged in a reflective analysis to make sense of their collective teaching experience during the crisis of the pandemic. Upon a review of the literature, three extant constructs were identified: Trauma-Informed Pedagogy, Community of Inquiry, and…

Mental health factors can impact student academic performance and success. Student mental health concerns such as depression and anxiety and are a growing concern within P-12 school systems. The dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice have increased concerns about student mental health and exacerbated existing traumas particularly for…

A case study was implemented in one rural district as it transitioned to a trauma-informed environment. A theoretical framework based on the literature framed the data collection around the seven themes of awareness, positive culture, intentional instruction, restorative practice, self-care, mental health support services, and professional…

Learn how to navigate the challenging terrain of connecting with a child who is deeply afraid, angry, and/or sad. Framing this work as emotionally responsive teaching (ERT), this book expands current conceptualizations of trauma-informed practice to encompass more broadly the relational demands of supporting young children with challenging life…

Current research around the middle grades has brought a heightened attention by teachers, policymakers, and researchers recognizing that this stage is a time when a students' health and social and emotional well-being directly impacts their academic progress. To date, school leaders and teachers have not been well served by explicit resources for…

Trauma-informed practices have become a buzzword within the field of education. This extended literature review and doctoral work project aim to bridge the gap between general knowledge of trauma-informed practices and an in-depth understanding of the impact of adverse childhood experiences on elementary-aged children through the lens of…

Trauma exposure can significantly impact many aspects of a student's life, hindering health outcomes, relationships, and progress at school. Educators spend a lot of time working with students but are not adequately prepared to manage the challenges that accompany students with trauma histories. The purpose of this project was to create a…

This phenomenological study explores the experiences of Chinese international undergraduate students in the United States as they work through the complications of COVID-19 that are potentially intertwined with Sinophobia. By drawing on insights from critical race theory, especially the lens of racial trauma and trauma-informed care, the current…

School-based mental health treatment programs are vital for providing access to care, assessing trauma and risk to decreasing negative coping mechanisms for students attending public school in marginalized communities. This doctoral project focuses on a school-based mental health intervention program called PATHWAYS, which has been implemented in…