Trauma-informed practices and physical education: A scoping literature review

Abstract

Children and youth around the world are experiencing trauma to the extent that it has been labeled a global health concern ( O’Toole, 2022 ). Physical education (PE) teachers, among others, are attempting to respond to this concern by implementing research-based trauma-informed practices (TIPs). The purpose of this paper was to conduct a scoping review to gather and synthesize the literature on TIPs appropriate for the PE context within the K-12 school system in the Global North. Following the five-stage scoping review protocol outlined by Peters et al. (2020) , the process returned 34 articles that met all inclusion criteria. The majority of the literature (18 articles) was found in practitioner-focused journals and centered on providing knowledge and broad advice for PE teachers. Most of the remaining work included qualitative research and focused on exploring the experiences of PE teachers working with students who had experienced trauma. Only four studies included an intervention. In addition to discussing the available research, this article explores the various conceptions of trauma that have recently appeared in the research as well as the implications of trauma's and TIPs’ infusion into school culture. The review clearly demonstrates a need for continued discussion around trauma, more research in the area of TIPs (specifically related to PE), and continued professional development for teachers.