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Childhood Trauma : Developmental Pathways And Implications For The Classroom, Mollie Tobin

Student learning processes

New understandings in developmental and neuroscience research have challenged popular ideas about trauma exposure and brain development during childhood. There is a general misconception that children are more resilient than adults to the effects of trauma and will ‘outgrow’ traumatic experiences (Lieberman & Knorr, 2007). However, these ideas are incorrect and are not supported by current research. In the classroom, children’s trauma symptoms may be understood as attentional deficits, learning disabilities, or behavioural or conduct problems (Downey, 2007). Researchers like Teicher et al. (2003) argue that trauma-informed behaviours are important coping mechanisms that a child may develop to survive extremely …