Trauma-Informed Practice Flashcards

When conducting a trauma assessment with a student, the school social worker should first prioritize:

Answer: Establishing safety and rapport before exploring trauma details

Establishing safety and rapport is essential before exploring trauma details, as trust allows for more accurate disclosure and prevents re-traumatization.

Which of the following is a validated screening tool specifically designed to assess childhood trauma symptoms?

Answer: Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS)

The Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS) is a validated self-report instrument specifically designed to measure PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents.

The concept of 'post-traumatic growth,' developed by Tedeschi and Calhoun, suggests that:

Answer: Some individuals experience positive psychological change as a result of struggling with trauma

Post-traumatic growth refers to positive psychological change — such as increased personal strength or deeper relationships — that can emerge from the struggle with highly challenging life circumstances.

A school social worker working with a recently arrived refugee student should recognize that:

Answer: The student may have experienced multiple layers of trauma including pre-migration, migration, and post-migration stressors

Refugee students often experience complex, multi-layered trauma across pre-migration (war, persecution), migration (dangerous journeys), and post-migration (acculturation stress, discrimination) phases.

Developmental trauma most significantly impacts which areas of functioning?

Answer: Attachment, emotional regulation, self-concept, and cognitive development

Developmental trauma disrupts multiple domains including attachment relationships, emotional regulation, self-concept, and cognitive development, as documented extensively in research by van der Kolk and Perry.

When a student discloses abuse during a counseling session, the school social worker's first legal obligation is to:

Answer: File a mandatory report with child protective services

School social workers are mandated reporters; upon receiving a disclosure of abuse, they are legally required to report to child protective services — this obligation supersedes confidentiality and other considerations.

Which of the following is the most consistently documented resilience factor that buffers children against the negative effects of trauma?

Answer: The consistent presence of at least one stable, supportive adult relationship

Research consistently identifies the presence of at least one stable, caring adult relationship as the most powerful protective factor against the negative developmental effects of childhood trauma.