A significant percent of students report one of more adverse experiences during their school-aged years. Systematic processes to identify the extent and severity of the problem as well as individuals’ resilience and ability to cope after traumatic experiences can assist professionals to adequately respond with appropriate individualized, school-wide, and community-based services. Initial studies into screening for traumatic risk among students have used a variety of methods to improve the feasibility and utility of screening within schools. This has included consideration of consent procedures; who might serve as the best informant of assessing traumatic risk among students (e.g., self-report, parents, teachers); how to use developmentally appropriate methods for assessing youth (e.g., interviews, rating scale); and planning for the amount of time needed to engage in universal screening practices. This brief developed by the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice provides an overview of the prevalence and impact of trauma among children and adolescents, the role of screening and assessment in the identification of trauma, school-based screening considerations, and how to link screening data with potential interventions within schools.
Resource Type