Pulling the Trigger: A Systematic Literature Review of Trigger Warnings as a Strategy for Reducing Traumatization in Higher Education

In the academic context, trigger warnings can be defined as explicit statements that alert a group of learners that certain content explored or discussed in a learning environment may contain potentially distressing material. Extant research highlights a relationship between traumatization and trigger warnings; however, the extent to which trigger warnings constitute a method of best practice for reducing traumatization in higher education has not been addressed. Thus, a systematic literature review was conducted to explore this relationship. A search conducted across academic databases to locate peer-reviewed articles published between November 2010 and November 2020, combined three areas of interest: (1) "trigger warnings," (2) "best practice," and (3) "higher education." Database searches and further manual searches yielded a total of 194 journal articles. Of these, 20 studies satisfied all inclusion criteria. Following the data extraction process, thematic analysis was employed to identify, analyze, and report patterns within data. The key themes identified through the review include trigger warnings as inclusive practice, as part of trauma-informed pedagogy, as ineffectual practice, and as harmful practice. The evidence suggests that when embedded as part of a broader, holistic, and trauma-informed approach, trigger warnings can be a valuable tool for assisting with the effective reduction of traumatization in the higher education context.

A Systematic Literature Review of the Teaching Considerations and Practices Provided to Children in an Education Setting with Comorbid Disability and Developmental Trauma

Developmental trauma and disability are frequently co-occurring lived experiences for children and young people. The present research explores the considerations and practices for pedagogy provided to children with a disability and who have experienced developmental trauma in an educational setting. A systematic literature review was conducted to explore and synthesise the current evidence base that exists relating to the considerations for quality teaching practice for this cohort of students within schools. Findings revealed five key themes, which contribute to an understanding of considerations and practices for teaching students with childhood trauma experiences whilst considering an additional dimension intersecting with disabilities including mental ill-health. The findings of this study broaden the understanding of the complexities facing the education sector in ensuring inclusion principles are enacted to increase impact and improve outcomes for these students with multiple and complex needs.

A Systematic Literature Review of the Career Choice of Helping Professionals Who Have Experienced Cumulative Harm as a Result of Adverse Childhood Experiences

The pervasive effects of cumulative harm resulting from adverse childhood experiences influence all aspects of an individual's life course. Research highlights a relationship between early trauma and career choice; however, there is a dearth of research pertaining specifically to cumulative harm and the influence on career choice in the helping professions. A systematic literature review was conducted to explore the associations of cumulative harm and childhood trauma on career decision making in people in the helping professions. A search was conducted across databases between February 1990 and February 2019 relevant to searches combining three areas of interest: (a) "childhood trauma," (b) "career choice," and (c) "helping professionals." Database searches and further manual searches yielded a total of 208 articles, and 28 studies satisfied all inclusion criteria. Only studies that were peer-reviewed and published between February 1990 and February 2019 were included. The evidence from the review indicated that family of origin dysfunction, parentification, individual characteristics, and traits developed through adversity, and experiential motivations were associated with the career choice in the helping professions. Further research is required to explore different professional cohorts and the utility of life themes as both a source of data for research and reflexive practice in helping professionals.

Separated parents' experiences with the Australian school system: an overview

For decades, the role of parental engagement in children's schooling has been central to the promotion of learning and wellbeing outcomes for children. However, the recognition of diverse family structures, including where a child's parents are separated, is largely absent from these models of engagement. Instead, prior research has focussed on the impacts of separation and divorce on children's learning, resulting in a dearth of work on separated parents' experiences of engaging with their children's schools. In order to document these parents' experiences, a qualitative survey was deployed. From this investigation, it is clear that diverse family structures, particularly those where parents are separated, are not well accommodated, or even well understood, in the schooling context. In many cases, however, small adjustments on the part of the school can make significant differences in enhancing parents' successful involvement in their children's education.

Reauthoring: The lived experience of cumulative harm and its influence on career choice

People's career choices are not necessarily the unfolding of normative experiences. Instead, trauma experienced as cumulate harm throughout childhood affects developmental trajectories and career choices. There is, however, a dearth of research into the influences of cumulative harm on career development. The present research addresses that gap in the literature by an investigation into helping professionals’ recollections of their lived experiences of cumulative harm and how they construct its meaningfulness with regard to their work as a helping professional. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was applied to the transcripts of interviews with n = 12 helping professionals. Participants sought to reauthor through the themes of meaning, value, adaptability and unintentional motivations. This reflected a journey for all participants from identity conclusions formed through childhood trauma to new territories of identity, achieved through a reconstruction of life narratives by integrating career narratives to reframe and make sense of their cumulative harm experiences.

Coping with COVID: pandemic narratives for Australian children

The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic can be recognised as traumatic for the way in which its sudden and unexpected onset disrupted a sense of ordinary life for so many around the world. Adults, and far less so children, were unable to prepare for the danger of the rapidly spreading disease. As such, both were left vulnerable to the experience of trauma and anxiety that surrounds the threat of COVID. Whereas adults, however, have access to a range of resources and strategies for mental health protection, children of various ages need targeted resources to enable them to understand, prepare for, and come to terms with a trauma situation. A great deal of research exists around the value of children developing their own narratives as a means of coming to terms with trauma, such that storytelling is identified as a primary coping device. Similarly, literature exists that compares parental narratives of trauma with those of their children. Moreover, the use of the fairy tale as a cautionary tale has long been examined. What has not been established is the way in which contemporary multimedia narratives – such as television programmes, animations, and digital stories – can be used to develop coping strategies in children and to mitigate anxiety in young people experiencing global or collective trauma. This article examines a selection of such narratives produced for Australian children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a cross-disciplinary framework, this work considers how these resources can help (or hinder) mental health recovery in young children under the age of five, as well as strategies for best practice in the future development of trauma-informed resources for this age group.

Responding to the accumulation of adverse childhood experiences in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic: implications for practice

In early 2020, the world as we knew it began to change dramatically and rapidly with the COVID-19 outbreak. Social distancing restrictions and lockdown measures have been the most effective course of action and an inarguably imperative approach at this time. However, in trying to keep the global population safe, social distancing measures unwittingly placed children already experiencing maltreatment and disadvantage in harm’s way. This paper will consider the evidence base which attests to the importance of considering the accumulation of adversity when seeking to understand risk and impact of child maltreatment and disadvantage. Given the unique and unprecedented circumstances which have accompanied the COVID-19 outbreak, and the dearth of research pertaining to the impact of pandemics on child welfare, the paper draws on an emerging body of literature about the effect of natural disasters, conflict and significant global events on child maltreatment. The paper synthesises the research to date in order to call attention to the cumulative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children already experiencing abuse and neglect. The paper concludes with an outline of the implications for practice in the helping professions.

Mechanisms leading to an acute rise in intraocular pressure in retinal vein occlusion

Forty patients with retinal vein occlusion were studied to investigate possible mechanisms leading to an acute rise in intraocular pressure. A rise in intraocular pressure on recumbency was found in 64% of eyes with a central retinal vein occlusion and 65% of eyes with a branch retinal vein occlusion. This finding correlated with glucose tolerance test score, and may be the result of abnormal glucose tolerance in these patients. Following provocative testing using pilocarpine and phenylephrine, no eye showed irido-corneal contact or angle closure, however over 50% of eyes release pigment into the anterior chamber. Fifty-two per cent of central retinal vein occlusion and 71% of branch retinal vein occlusion eyes that released pigment showed a rise in intraocular pressure.