Module 5.2 Recognizing the Signs of Childhood Trauma and Adversity

The topics of trauma and mental health can be distressing. If you experience any trauma symptoms yourself as you review and/or discuss this material, please feel free to take time away from this topic and/or to seek support from a trusted individual.

Recognizing the Signs of Trauma

Let’s start with a video on Recognizing the Signs of Trauma:

In addition to recognizing the signs of trauma, it’s useful to understand how children and adults adapt to trauma and adversity. This may include:

• Hyperarousal: “Hyperarousal is a primary symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It occurs when a person’s body suddenly kicks into high alert as a result of thinking about their trauma. Even though real danger may not be present, their body acts as if it is, causing lasting stress after a traumatic event.”
• Avoidance or Dissociation: “Dissociation is a break in how your mind handles information. You may feel disconnected from your thoughts, feelings, memories, and surroundings. It can affect your sense of identity and your perception of time. The symptoms often go away on their own. It may take hours, days, or weeks.”
• Negative thoughts or beliefs: “According to theories of cognitive therapy, your thoughts and values determine the way you see yourself and the world around you. Thoughts and beliefs that are grounded in pessimism can negatively impact your feelings, emotions, and mental health.”
• Re-experiencing the traumatic events: “Re-experiencing—having sudden and unwanted traumatic memories that intrude into or even seem to replace what’s happening now—is a core symptom of PTSD.”
• Insecure attachment: “People with an insecure attachment style generally have trouble making emotional connections with others. They can be aggressive or unpredictable toward their loved ones—a behavior that is rooted in the lack of consistent love and affection they experienced in their childhood.”

Childhood trauma has an impact on brain development, cognition, emotions, physical health, relationships, mental health, and behavior. It’s important to remember that stable, nurturing relationships foster resilience.

“Protective factors, or characteristics that enable individuals to transform adversity and develop resilience include caring relationships that convey compassion, understanding, respect, and interest, are grounded in listening, and establish safety and basic trust.” —Bonnie Bernard

In this short video, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and Ruth Buczynski, PhD, President, NICABM (National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine) offer additional information regarding recognizing signs of trauma.

Reflection

• What signs of stress or trauma have you seen in students?
• What connection can you make to a particular psychosocial stage of development and the signs?
• What have you done or could you do to foster resilience in a child or teen?

If exploring this content independently, reflect by writing in a journal and discuss with a colleague who has also explored this module.

5.2 Take It Deeper: Beliefs Behind Behaviors

Let’s explore our beliefs and how we can recognize the signs of trauma and adversity. Here is a downloadable reflection page to help you.

The topics of trauma and mental health can be distressing. If you experience any trauma symptoms yourself as you review and/or discuss this material, please feel free to take time away from this topic and/or to seek support from a trusted individual.

Before facilitating groups, spend time in individual exploration in order to experience and embody the learning. And if you haven’t yet explored our introduction to SEL in California, make sure you explore those resources.