Working with Trauma-Exposed Children and Adolescents

Far too often, children and youth experience trauma, from rare events such as mass shootings, terrorism attacks, and school lockdowns, to very common occurrences such as bullying, exposure to drugs and alcohol, or various mental health issues. They can experience these events both directly and indirectly (from surfing the internet, watching television, or through their friends). Our children spend a large portion of their day at school interacting with other students, teachers, and school personnel, where these topics are raised and discussed. This edited volume addresses how our teachers and school personnel can help students deal with these potentially traumatic events to reach the most positive possible outcomes.
This collection brings together leading experts, including academics and professionals working in the field, to provide the most current evidence-based practices on how to help students who may have experienced or witnessed trauma. It presents research and advice on how to respond to traumatic events regarding bullying; drugs and alcohol; sexual abuse; mental health; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) safety; stranger danger; childhood disruptive behaviors; school shootings and lockdowns; and terrorism. It also includes a chapter focused on how to implement a school safety program. Schools cannot deal with these issues alone; effective strategies must engage family members and the broader community. Hence, the collection includes a chapter on how schools can partner with families and the communities they reside in to bring about positive change. All this work pays close attention to cultural and religious sensitivity, socio-economic variabilities, diversity issues, and developmental stages.

Joanna Pozzulo is a Full Professor and the Chair of the Department of Psychology at Carleton University. Dr. Pozzulo's research and teaching broadly falls under the domain of Forensic Psychology (borrowing from developmental, social, and cognitive psychology). Dr. Pozzulo has published widely on the "young eyewitness". Craig Bennell is a Full Professor in the Department of Psychology at Carleton University. Dr. Bennell teaches in the areas of Forensic Psychology and Police Psychology. His research focuses on police use of force, police training, police investigations, and evidence-based policing.

Introduction Joanna Pozzulo and Craig Bennell 1. Talking About Bullying in the Classroom and Beyond Tina Daniels and Nicole Summers 2. Addressing Problematic Substance Use in Adolescence: What Works? Kara Thompson and Abby Goldstein 3. Talking to Young Children About Sexual Abuse Prevention Sandy K. Wurtele and Maureen C. Kenny 4. Talking About Mental Illness in Classrooms and Communities Julie A. Gocey and Shanda R. Wells 5. Promoting Safety for LGBTQ+ Kids in School Communities Brittany Allen and Sheri Hohs 6. Reframing Stranger Danger: Online Child Sexual Exploitation Roberta Sinclair, Kristin Duval, and Mauranne Ste-Marie 7. Using a Trauma-Informed Lens to Understand and Implement Evidence-Based Practices with Children Experiencing Disruptive Behavior in School and Beyond Leena Augimeri, Erin Rajca, Monique Verpoort, Andrea Blackman, and Margaret Walsh 8. School Shootings and School Lockdowns Jeffrey A. Daniels and Whitney Hyatt 9. Exposure to Terrorism and Political Violence Judith A. Myers-Walls 10. Implementing School-Based Programs Jonathan Pettigrew and Diana E. Gal 11. Schools: An Ideal Setting for Talking About Trauma Philip J. Ritchie Conclusion Joanna Pozzulo and Craig Bennell