Exposure To Community Trauma

Trauma can range from bullying in schools to natural disasters, community trauma, and second-hand trauma in which, for example, a child witnesses a traumatic event (Layne et al., 2014; Morton, 2012). Children’s exposure to traumatic events can affect them differently in different stages of development. Early exposure to traumatic events can cause children to develop psychiatric disorders, cognitive impairment, and academic functioning (Bücker et al., 2012; Goodman, Miller, & West-Olatunji, 2012; Porche et al., 2011). Children can either internalize or externalize their behaviors due to trauma exposure (Garfin et al., 2014; Goodman et al., 2012; West et al., 2014). Internalizing behaviors are often unseen such as withdrawal, sadness, anxiety,

Most young children experience trauma at home because the majority of a young child’s life is spent at home socializing with the family (Campbell et al., 2016). Community trauma such as robbery affects one in four students (Alisic, 2012; Barron, Abdallah, & Smith, 2013; Hardaway, Larkby, & Cornelius, 2014). Students may not be a part of the community trauma but can have a family member involved causing the student anxiety. Research suggests that exposure to community trauma can cascade student’s behavior to issues in school (Hardaway et al.,

Traumatic stress symptoms often get overlooked as a child trying to gain attention or conduct problems (Goodman et al., 2012). Five common factors of traumatic stress among children are: (1) re-experiencing through a flashback or nightmare, (2) avoidance by emotional detachment, (3) trouble concentrating, hyperactivity, or irritability, (4) internalizing behavior, and (5) externalizing which includes aggression or acting out (Goodman et al., 2012). These behaviors can cause a child to a suspension or eventually drop-out of school (Ramirez et al., 2012). School personnel can assist a child through a traumatic event can support a student to be prosperous. Traumatic events can affect children’s psychological, social and physiological development, which can disrupt learning and academic achievement (Porche et al., 2011). Cognitive function can also be negatively affected. It is important to determine the cognitive deficits in children early to help a child through the critical cognitive development (Bucker et al., 2012). Academic achievement of students from low-socioeconomic status has educational barriers without being exposed to a traumatic event (Goodman et al.,