Systems Measures of a Trauma‐Informed Approach: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Interest in trauma‐informed approaches has grown substantially. These approaches are characterized by integrating understanding of trauma throughout a program, organization, or system to enhance the quality, effectiveness, and delivery of services provided to individuals and groups. However, variation in definitions of trauma‐informed approaches, coupled with underdeveloped research on measurement, poses challenges for evaluating the effectiveness of models designed to support a trauma‐informed approach. This systematic review of peer‐reviewed and gray literature identified 49 systems‐based measures that were created to assess the extent to which relational, organizational, and community/system practices were trauma‐informed. Measures were included if they assessed at least one component of a trauma‐informed approach, were not screening or diagnostic instruments, were standardized, were relevant to practices addressing the psychological impacts of trauma, were printed in English, and were published between 1988 and 2018. Most (77.6%) measures assessed organizational‐level staff and climate characteristics. There remain several challenges to this emerging field, including inconsistently reported psychometric data, redundancy across measures, insufficient evidence of a link to stakeholder outcomes, and limited information about measurement development processes. We discuss these opportunities and challenges and their implications for future research and practice.

I’m not as bright as I used to be – pupils’ meaning-making of reduced academic performance after trauma

“…Examples of practical and evidence-informed guidelines with modular approaches are Psychological First Aid (PFA) (Brymer et al, 2006) with a version adapted for schools (Brymer et al, 2012) and Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) (Berkowitz et al, 2010). In recent decades, the concept of trauma-informed approaches has spread, attracting interest among practitioners and scholars in various fields including education (Champine et al, 2019). Traumainformed schools (see, e.g., Luthar & Mendes, 2020;Overstreet & Chafoulea, 2016) are often anchored in theoretical frameworks such as Guidance for Traumainformed Approach (SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014).…”

“Is there anything else you would like me to know?”: Applying a trauma‐informed approach to the administration of the adverse childhood experiences questionnaire

“…A TI approach, although originally designed to guide organizational cultural change (Fallot & Harris, 2008), offers utility to practices and procedures of measurement and assessment through its guiding values. As awareness of the potential lifelong consequences of childhood trauma expands (e.g., Champine et al, 2019) and the utilization of the ACE questionnaire gains popularity as a standard screening tool (Underwood, 2020), it is imperative that we are thoughtful and deliberate in the ways in which we engage with individuals around their traumatic experiences.…”

“…However, a uniform definition of a TI approach does not exist (Hanson & Lang, 2016), which creates variation in how a TI approach is brought to life (operationalized), and complicates efforts to measure or evaluate the efficacy of a TI approach (Becker-Blease, 2017;Champine et al, 2019;Hanson & Lang, 2016). Extant literature often focuses on the efficacy of TI treatments on the well-being of a trauma survivor, or more recently, is concerned with embracing systems-based approaches to foster TI awareness (Champine et al, 2019). Screening for trauma is the step between fostering TI awareness and offering trauma-focused intervention, however, is just one interaction within a system of care.…”

“…This definition highlights both the ubiquitous and subjective nature of trauma; requiring our measurement of trauma to be equally open-ended. With the growing awareness of the prevalence and potential consequences of trauma across the lifespan, the broad application of a TI approach is gaining international steam across diverse sectors (e.g., schools, hospitals, service organizations, and cities; Champine et al, 2019).…”

The Role of Trauma in Addiction and Recovery: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis

“…관심이 급증하고 있다 [7,8]. TIA란 To investigate the growth process and loss of control over alcohol of children of the alcohol addictions and examine the process of recovery and find out the meaning of the experiential essence of alcoholic addicts.…”