Trauma in Children: A Call to Action in School Psychology

Abstract

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for children or adolescents to be exposed to traumatic events. Experiences such as sexual or physical abuse, severe accidents, cancer or other life threatening illness, natural or man-made disasters, or the sudden death of a relative or peer can all result in maladaptive responses. As all children are in attendance at schools, this location seems the most logical place to meet the needs of children who have experienced these types of events. Therefore, it is imperative that psychologists working in schools have training in meeting the needs of this segment of the population. This manuscript summarizes the incidence of trauma in children, discusses the schools as a prime location for the provision of mental health services, and argues for the need to include training in trauma and trauma interventions in school psychology training programs.

KEYWORDS:

• trauma
• school psychology
• training
• trauma interventions

Acknowledgments

This article was originally intended for publication in 28(3), as part of the special issue, Empirically Based Interventions for Children, Family, and Schools After Trauma: A Primer for School Psychologists.