A Novel Evaluation of Trauma-Informed Practice Implementation in K-12 Education

A Novel Evaluation of Trauma-Informed Practice Implementation in K-12 Education | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article A Novel Evaluation of Trauma-Informed Practice Implementation in K-12 Education Mary Jo Hedrick, Becky Haas, Tess Ann Simpson, Andrea D. Clements This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6323703/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 12 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background: The school system is one of many possible protective factors that prevent or mitigate the effects of ACEs. Training school personnel in trauma-informed practice (TIP) should decrease ACEs and buffer against the impact of ACEs. Objective: We hypothesized that training all school system employees would change disciplinary actions in response to student behavior incidents in a rural south-central Appalachian school system. Methods: TIP training took place in Spring 2019 for all principals, assistant principals, and general administrative staff in a south-central Appalachian school system. All teachers were trained in Summer. Routinely collected student behavior incident and staff disciplinary response data were compared for the falls before (Fall 2018) and following (Fall 2019) TIP training. Results: There were 615 and 617 behavioral incidents and disciplinary actions in fall 2018 and fall 2019, respectively. The Chi-Square Test for Independence (student behavior incidents by year) indicated no significant change, X 2 (10, n = 1,232) = 16.035, p = .099, Cramer’s V = .114. However, a Chi-Square Test for Independence (disciplinary action by year) indicated a significant association, X 2 (6, n = 1,232) = 44.485, p <.001. Cramer’s V = .190. The highest frequency of disciplinary actions (i.e., detention, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension) was all lower (by count, not statistically), and two of the lowest (i.e., removed from class a teacher’s request, other) increased. Conclusions: These findings could be evidence of behavior change due to TIP training, but further study must confirm the results. Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 07 Jul, 2025 Reviews received at journal 26 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 May, 2025 Reviews received at journal 29 May, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Apr, 2025 Reviews received at journal 28 Apr, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Apr, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 22 Apr, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 22 Apr, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 22 Apr, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 17 Apr, 2025 First submitted to journal 17 Apr, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6323703","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":448584545,"identity":"a46c093e-873f-4474-ba75-d91cb1c5d997","order_by":0,"name":"Mary Jo Hedrick","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAxUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACdsYGEMXMD+VDuHgBM1SLZAMz0VqgtMEBYrXwMzO3SXzcs43d+Hj/4c88DDayGw4Q0CLZzNgmOePZbWazM4fZpHkY0owJajE4zNhszHMAqOVGMhszD8PhROK0/AFqMZ7/mBnosP9EaWl8zADUYiDBzAB02AHCWoB+aXzYA9QicSbZTHKOQbLxTEJa+NnbHxz4ceB2Mn/7wccf3lTYyfYR0gIDyVB3EqkcBOxIUDsKRsEoGAUjDQAAACdA4vVbPMEAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"ETSU Ballad Health Strong BRAIN Institute, East Tennessee State University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mary","middleName":"Jo","lastName":"Hedrick","suffix":""},{"id":448584546,"identity":"80cb9105-8d76-4b2a-81ba-9d1c86aeb81d","order_by":1,"name":"Becky Haas","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"ETSU Ballad Health Strong BRAIN Institute, East Tennessee State University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Becky","middleName":"","lastName":"Haas","suffix":""},{"id":448584547,"identity":"56d00eb2-8c72-4b50-b8f8-e09f0b864df1","order_by":2,"name":"Tess Ann Simpson","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Division of Behavioral Sciences, Maryville College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tess","middleName":"Ann","lastName":"Simpson","suffix":""},{"id":448584548,"identity":"7d79d2b2-8801-459c-a780-b88cb73c95aa","order_by":3,"name":"Andrea D. 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Training school personnel in trauma-informed practice (TIP) should decrease ACEs and buffer against the impact of ACEs. \u003cstrong\u003eObjective:\u003c/strong\u003e We hypothesized that training all school system employees would change disciplinary actions in response to student behavior incidents in a rural south-central Appalachian school system.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods: \u003c/strong\u003eTIP training took place in Spring 2019 for all principals, assistant principals, and general administrative staff in a south-central Appalachian school system. All teachers were trained in Summer. Routinely collected student behavior incident and staff disciplinary response data were compared for the falls before (Fall 2018) and following (Fall 2019) TIP training.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults:\u003c/strong\u003e There were 615 and 617 behavioral incidents and disciplinary actions in fall 2018 and fall 2019, respectively. The Chi-Square Test for Independence (student behavior incidents by year) indicated no significant change, X 2 (10, n = 1,232) = 16.035, p = .099, Cramer’s V = .114. However, a Chi-Square Test for Independence (disciplinary action by year) indicated a significant association, X 2 (6, n = 1,232) = 44.485, p \u0026lt;.001. Cramer’s V = .190. The highest frequency of disciplinary actions (i.e., detention, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension) was all lower (by count, not statistically), and two of the lowest (i.e., removed from class a teacher’s request, other) increased.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusions:\u003c/strong\u003e These findings could be evidence of behavior change due to TIP training, but further study must confirm the results.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"A Novel Evaluation of Trauma-Informed Practice Implementation in K-12 Education","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-04-28 03:42:30","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6323703/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-07-07T14:41:24+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-06-26T18:58:35+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"166205111718468864429290508619547185075","date":"2025-05-30T13:26:37+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-05-30T03:16:53+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"168921276731507473123965431980583634095","date":"2025-04-28T23:00:42+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-04-28T19:28:49+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"157745896578326105161399017567526772057","date":"2025-04-28T03:24:14+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"227425921519249537207078460966074344933","date":"2025-04-23T02:20:28+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-04-23T00:47:54+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-04-22T11:02:16+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-04-17T17:18:19+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Education","date":"2025-04-17T17:17:13+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-education","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"diedu","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Education](https://www.springer.com/journal/44217)","snPcode":"44217","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44217/3","title":"Discover Education","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"e939a5d4-4d1b-4253-a09b-ef59d0ead90e","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 28th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-08-27T15:53:39+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-04-28 03:42:30","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6323703","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6323703","identity":"rs-6323703","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}