The Importance of Multidisciplinary Trauma-Informed Training in Addressing Campus-Based Sexual Violence

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychology
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Campus sexual assault prevention requires effective multidisciplinary teams (MDTs).
• Establishing a trauma-informed sexual assault response program necessitates specific team training.
• Assessing the impact of professional development on MDT dynamics is crucial for program success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a trauma-informed care (TIC) professional development series on an MDT.
• To assess changes in team climate and attitudes following TIC training.
• To understand the immediate and enduring effects of training on a sexual assault response team.

Main Methods:

• A multidisciplinary team (MDT) participated in a TIC professional development series, including didactic lectures and simulation-based training.
• Baseline, 3-month, and long-term follow-up surveys were administered to assess team perceptions.
• Surveys measured attitudes toward trauma-informed care and perceptions of team climate, including participative safety, task orientation, and support for innovation.

Main Results:

• The TIC training series significantly increased MDT members' perceptions of participative safety, task orientation, and support for innovation at the 3-month follow-up.
• No significant long-term differences were observed, potentially due to small sample size and low statistical power.
• The training enhanced psychological safety and team cohesiveness around shared tasks.

Conclusions:

• Intensive TIC professional development enhances psychological safety and innovation support within MDTs.
• Training can build team cohesiveness and facilitate the adoption of shared values for program goals.
• MDTs involved in sexual assault prevention and response benefit from targeted trauma-informed professional development.