Date of Graduation

8-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

Advisor/Mentor

Lasater, Kara

Committee Member

Smith, Marcia

Second Committee Member

Pijanowski, John C.

Third Committee Member

Brady, Kevin

Keywords

Behavior; Educational neuroscience; K-12 education; Social emotional learning; Trauma; Trauma-informed

Abstract

This mixed methods study examined the relationship between school-based embedded trauma-informed practices and academic-related outcomes for students. While there is minimal empirical evidence supporting the impact of trauma-informed practices on the academic success of students who have experienced trauma, there is some qualitative, quantitative, and anecdotal data supporting outcomes stemming from trauma-informed practices in the research. The research questions guiding this study were (1) What impact does the implementation of embedded trauma-informed practices have on the academic-related behaviors of students who have experienced trauma? and (2) What is the relationship between benchmark growth scores for students with an ACE score of 2 or more and the implementation of embedded trauma-informed practices? To answer these two research questions, observation data were collected, and teacher interviews were conducted to identify any changes associated with the implementation of embedded trauma-informed practices throughout the school. The study also gathered quantitative data from pre and post- assessments to examine the academic growth students exhibited in comparison to their historical growth data. Using an inductive thematic analysis, results suggest a positive impact on academic-related behaviors for students with an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) score of two or more. Continued exploration and research are recommended over a greater period to determine if long-term effects are seen and if more quantitative data can be gathered.

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