"What Does it Mean to be Trauma-Informed?": A Mixed-Methods Study of a Trauma-Informed Community Initiative

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Community Health
• Social Work

Background:

• Childhood trauma can negatively impact lifelong physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development.
• Trauma-informed services and supports are crucial for preventing and mitigating these adverse effects.
• Community-based initiatives are vital for fostering trauma-informed environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the experiences and understanding of trauma-informed practices among education and community partners in the Pottstown Trauma-Informed Community Connection (PTICC) initiative.
• To assess the impact of PTICC training on participants' beliefs and practices related to trauma-informed care.
• To explore stakeholders' perceptions of becoming trauma-informed and the challenges in community-wide implementation.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods study involving 82 education and community partners.
• Paired sample t-tests to analyze changes in beliefs and perceptions regarding trauma-informed practice.
• Focus groups with education (n=6) and community (n=5) partners to explore qualitative experiences and understanding.

Main Results:

• Significant positive changes were observed in participants' beliefs about trauma-informed practice following PTICC training.
• No significant changes were found in participants' perceptions of PTICC's impact on their actual use of trauma-informed practices and supports.
• Qualitative data revealed that being trauma-informed involves perspective-reframing, self-reflection, enhanced response skills, and a sense of hope.

Conclusions:

• While PTICC training significantly shifted beliefs about trauma-informed care, translating these beliefs into consistent practice requires further attention.
• Community partners perceived benefits from trauma training but faced challenges in gaining broader buy-in for trauma-informed work.
• Future research should consider methodological strategies like addressing ceiling effects and participant engagement to effectively build trauma-informed communities.