Senior Project Advisor

Tracey Pyscher

Document Type

Project

Publication Date

Spring 2021

Keywords

adverse childhood experiences, trauma-informed practice, deficit, education

Abstract

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study by Kaiser-Permanente has significantly influenced trauma practice in many contexts. As a medicalized model, ACEs was intended to collect population information about traumatic experiences. However, many of its current applications are harmful in practice and in need of critique. More specifically, school systems must reconsider how ACEs is used in curriculum since providing screenings or “trauma-informed” models off of this study often portrays trauma as a deficit. By carefully examining my own education on ACEs and trauma theories at Western Washington University, alongside the experiences of other students and several professors, this deficit discourse remains consistent in their responses. It is time for trauma studies to shift to an “asset” approach, which sees trauma as a part of one’s identity instead of something needing to be fixed.

Department

Human Services and Rehabilitation

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Psychic trauma in children; Psychic trauma in literature--History and criticism; Psychic trauma--Study and teaching (Higher)--Washington (State)--Case studies; Human services--Study and teaching (Higher)--Evaluation

Subjects - Names (LCNAF)

Kaiser Permanente; Western Washington University

Geographic Coverage

Bellingham (Wash.)

Genre/Form

essays

Type

Text

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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