Date of Award

Summer 9-15-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Educational Studies

First Advisor

Kabba Colley

Second Advisor

Margaret O-Hearn-Curran

Third Advisor

Salvatore Terrasi

Abstract

Childhood trauma significantly impairs students' cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning, yet teachers frequently lack the preparation necessary to address its effects in classroom settings. This mixed-methods study examined the perceptions of K-5 teachers regarding their preparedness to implement trauma-informed practices (TIPs) at a public elementary school in a mid-sized urban district in central Massachusetts. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed to gather data from 20 selected K-5 educators via a structured Likert-scale questionnaire and semi-structured Zoom interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed through inductive thematic analysis. Findings revealed that participants employed four primary trauma-informed strategies: relationship-building, structured routines and predictable environments, social-emotional learning (SEL) integration, and dysregulation supports. While teachers reported meaningful positive outcomes—including improved student emotional regulation, increased academic engagement, and stronger classroom community—self-efficacy ratings for formalized trauma-informed strategy implementation remained low (M = 2.05–2.35 on a 4-point scale). Significant structural barriers to implementation were identified, including near-universal inadequacy of institutional professional development (M = 2.05), time and academic pressure constraints, knowledge deficits, and insufficient qualified support staffing. Promoting factors included strong relational dispositions, perceived administrative support, and self-directed professional learning. Findings indicate that teachers are implementing trauma-informed practices primarily through personal values and practical experience rather than through structured institutional support. Implications for teacher preparation programs, school leadership, and district-level policy are discussed.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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