Instructors’ Use of Trigger Warnings and Behavior Warnings in Abnormal Psychology

Abstract

College students have been increasingly demanding warnings and accommodations in relation to course topics they believe will elicit strong, negative emotions. These “trigger warnings” are highly relevant to Abnormal Psychology because of the sensitive topics covered in the course (e.g., suicide, trauma, sex). A survey of Abnormal Psychology instructors ( N = 131) indicated that the majority of them regularly warned students to avoid course-specific behaviors such as stigmatizing mental illness, diagnosing people they know, and sharing personal information. In contrast, the majority of instructors did not provide regular warnings over the course topics that might trigger students, and most instructors had neutral or negative opinions about trigger warnings. Overall, the results suggest that most Abnormal Psychology instructors do not view trigger warnings as essential to the teaching of sensitive topics.

Student reactions to traumatic material in literature: Implications for trigger warnings

“…In addition, it appears that both instructor and student attitudes towards trigger warnings are mixed [11][12][13][14]. For example, when asked whether they supported the use of trigger warnings in their training, medical students were evenly split among the options [13].…”

“Why Should I, the One Who Was Raped, Be Forced to Take Training in What Sexual Assault Is?” Sexual Assault Survivors’ and Those Who Know Survivors’ Responses to a Campus Sexual Assault Education Program

“…This is surprising given that the importance of trigger warnings 1 has been emphasized in strategies for teaching about sexual assault in the classroom (e.g., Branch, Hayes-Smith, & Richards, 2011; Byron, 2017; Carter, 2015; cf. Boysen, Wells, & Dawson, 2016). Without a clear understanding of student responses to campus education that acknowledges survivors’ and those who know survivors’ experiences, we are unable to establish empirically driven programs that could contribute to very real changes on college campuses.…”

Sınıflarda Travma Yaşantısı Olan Öğrenciler için Önleyici Bir Tedbir Olarak Tetikleyici Uyarısı Kullanımı

“…İntihar, yeme bozukluğu, cinsel taciz gibi bir dizi tetikleyici olabileceği öne sürülen unsuru ders konusu olarak içeren Anormal Davranışlar dersini veren öğretim üyeleri üzerinde yapılan bir çalışmada ise öğretim üyelerinin travma sonrası stres bozukluğu semptomlarını tetikleyebilecek içeriklerle ilgili öğrencileri uyarma gereği duymadıklarını ve çoğunlukla tetikleyici uyarıları konusunda nötr ya da negatif bir tutuma sahip oldukları bulgulanmıştır (Boysen, Wells, Dawson, 2016).…”