Graduation Term

Spring 2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Department of Psychology

Committee Chair

Laura Finan

Committee Member

Adena Meyers

Committee Member

Dan Lannin

Committee Member

Kyle Miller

Abstract

This study examined pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) knowledge, attitudes, and application of trauma-informed care (TIC) practices following a targeted training intervention designed by the researcher. The intervention included an introduction to trauma, it’s impacts on young people, key principles of TIC, recognizing the signs of trauma within the classroom and creating a trauma-informed classroom, culturally responsive TIC practices, as well as resilience factors. Participants included N = 48 undergraduate PSTs enrolled in a teacher preparation program at a large Midwestern university. Participants’ age ranged from 18 to 26 years old (M = 19.73, SD = 1.41). Slightly more than half of participants identified as female (n = 26, 54.2%), and the racial/ethnic composition of the sample was predominantly White (n = 45; 93.8%). Additional racial/ethnic identities represented included Hispanic (n = 7; 14.6%), Black/African American (n = 2; 4.2%), and Asian (n = 1; 2.1%). A mixed methods within subject pre- and post-test design was used to assess changes in conceptual understanding of TIC, attitudes toward trauma-informed practices, and responses to student behavior using a TIC lens.

Results indicated significant improvements across all outcomes following the targeted training intervention. PSTs’ conceptual understanding of TIC was generally low at pre-intervention and significantly increased to post-intervention, t(47) = -6.44, p < .001 with a medium to large effect size (d = 0.71). Post-intervention definitions of TIC more closely aligned with SAMHSA’s TIC principles than pre-test definitions, reflecting greater recognition of trauma’s impact and the role of supportive teaching practices (SAMHSA, 2014). Participants also demonstrated significantly more favorable attitudes toward TIC at the post-test compared to the pre-test as measured by the ARTIC-35 Education scale, t(47) = -6.84, p < .001, with a medium effect size (d = 0.56). Finally, PSTs showed a significant increase in trauma-informed responses to student behavior vignettes, t(47) = -6.54, p < .001, with a medium to large effect size (d = 0.68), indicating enhanced application of TIC principles in behavior interpretation and response.

Findings suggest that even brief, targeted online TIC training within teacher preparation programs may meaningfully enhance PSTs’ knowledge, beliefs, and intended practices. Implications for embedding TIC content within PST education and supporting systemic implementation in schools are discussed.

Access Type

Dissertation-Open Access

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