A randomized trial of trauma-informed training content: Effects on preschool teachers’ trauma-informed attitudes, stress, and coping

Background

The harmful effects of early childhood trauma, such as abuse, on children’s educational outcomes is well documented. Efforts to provide trauma-informed training to preschool teachers are increasing, however, the research base regarding the type and delivery of such trainings is limited.

Objective

The current study examines changes in trauma-informed attitudes, stress, and coping following a 6-week trauma-informed training among preschool teachers.

This study explores differential effects of training content on teacher outcomes using a randomized design, comparing Trauma-Informed Skills training, (e.g., strategies for responding to trauma related behaviors) with Trauma-Informed Self-Reflection training (e.g., impact of a teacher’s own trauma on their teaching, impact of vicarious trauma)

Participants and Setting

Seventy-four preschool teachers from seven programs in a Mountain west state were randomized to receive one of two trauma-informed trainings.

Methods

Teachers completed pre- and post-training surveys on their trauma-informed attitudes, stress, burnout, and emotion regulation strategies. Linear growth modeling was used to chart within person change in trauma-informed outcomes over time.

Results

There were small significant increases in the Reactions subscale of trauma-informed attitudes (related to awareness of vicarious trauma; B = 0.23, SE = 0.11, p = 0.032) as well as moderate significant increases in reappraisal emotion regulation (B = 0.51, SE = 0.10, p < 0.001), with no significant changes in overall trauma-informed attitudes or burnout. There were no differences in training effects based on training group.

Conclusions

This study supports the utility of trauma-informed training in shifting teacher awareness of and responses to stress and coping rather than specific trauma-informed attitudes.