A systematic review on the impact of trauma-informed education programs on academic and academic-related functioning for students who have experienced childhood adversity

The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the existing literature regarding trauma-informed education programs and their impact on academic and academic-related outcomes. The articles included for review (n 15) contained data on trauma-informed education programs implemented in preschool, primary/elementary, and high school settings. Academic and academic-related outcomes reported included attendance, disciplinary referrals, suspension, and academic achievement, as well as student resilience, school attachment, and emotional presentation. Findings from this systematic review highlight that trauma-informed education programs can improve students’ academic and academic-related outcomes; however, results were not consistent across the studies. Moving forward, recommendations include the need for additional trauma-informed school-based research to be conducted and dissemination of this research to ensure school systems are upskilled and responding appropriately to their traumatized students.