The Trauma-Informed Attitudes and Practices of Early Childhood Special Education Teachers: A Mixed Methods Exploration

Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma · 2026-02-12

Young children with disabilities experience trauma at high rates. Early childhood special education teachers play a critical role in supporting these children through the use of trauma-informed care. This study explored early childhood special education teachers' trauma-informed attitudes and practices. Twelve early childhood special education teachers in one Midwestern state participated in this study. A mixed methods study was conducted, with participants completing a survey to measure trauma-informed attitudes and participating in interviews to explore trauma-informed practices. Participants were aware of the impact of trauma on the children in their class and described various factors that impacted their use of trauma-informed care. Implications for research and practice are discussed related to the provision of trauma-informed care for young children with disabilities.

Editorial

Topics in Early Childhood Special Education · 2025-04-18

Challenging Paradigmatic Homogeneity in Special Education Research: A Systematic Review

Remedial and Special Education · 2025-11-03

The field of special education has privileged positivistic paradigms and, consequently, has underutilized qualitative methods. For those skeptical of this claim or curious about its accuracy, the purpose of this literature review was to: (a) understand the prevalence of qualitative methods within the broader context of the research methods published in top special education journals and (b) compare quantitative and qualitative features of the qualitative research published in those journals. Using a positivistic lens historically privileged in special education, we demonstrate in this review that quantitative methods remain the most prevalent method in special education research and that quantitative ways of knowing often infiltrate qualitative research in top special education journals. Thus, rather than solely focusing on increasing the diversity of methods used, the more impactful and pressing need is to increase the diversity of thought (i.e., paradigms) represented in the researchers, reviewers, editors, and gatekeepers that determine the paradigms that are present and privileged in special education research.

What Influences Early Childhood Special Education Teachers’ Use of Trauma-Informed Practices in Pyramid Model Classrooms?

Topics in Early Childhood Special Education · 2025-03-20

The need for trauma-informed care in early childhood special education settings is well established. Previous research has suggested that training is a primary driver for use of trauma-informed care. However, not all U.S. states require training on trauma-informed care, suggesting that other factors might be influencing early childhood special education teachers’ use of trauma-informed care. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore what is influencing how early childhood special education teachers in Pyramid Model sites use trauma-informed care. In this qualitative research study, we recruited twelve early childhood special education teachers from Pyramid Model implementation sites to participate in two semi-structured interviews. We identified five main factors that participants shared as influences on their use of trauma-informed care: (a) school curriculums and frameworks, (b) experiences with children and families, (c) personal experiences with trauma, (d) previous training, and (e) colleagues. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.

Head Start Teachers’ Perceptions About Problem Behaviors and Social-Emotional Competence: Is There Evidence of Systematic Differences?

Early Education and Development · 2025-03-31

Understanding Factors that Predict Referral for Special Education Evaluation for Services by School Entry for Young Children with a History of Maltreatment

Topics in Early Childhood Special Education · 2025-04-17

We aimed to understand the relation between child maltreatment and special education (SPED) service evaluation referrals in U.S. childcare settings. Extant data (N = 1,354) from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) was used to address the study aims. Results indicated that the odds of teacher-initiated service evaluation referrals at age 6 years were 2.5 times higher for boys than girls. Results for model 2 indicated that parental perception of the need for services was 2.6 times higher for children who were screened for developmental delays and 0.08 times lower for children who attended center-based childcare or preschool. Early identification and intervention are critical to improving the long-term outcomes for young children with disabilities. More research is needed to understand how to accurately make referrals for evaluation of SPED service needs and how to best support early childhood educators in accurately and effectively referring students for evaluation of SPED service needs.

A Scoping Literature Review of the Pyramid Model

Early Childhood Education Journal · 2025-01-24

Learning Landscapes, caregivers, and young children: Results from a multiple methods study

Infant Mental Health Journal · 2025-07-14

Learning Landscapes (LLs) are family-friendly structures that transform community spaces (e.g., parks and bus stops) into engaging activities. The community structures are designed to encourage children to explore their environment while fostering developmentally supportive interactions (DSI) and learning opportunities between caregivers and children, including children with disabilities. Playful learning provided through LLs could result in developmental gains for children from lower-income backgrounds. The purpose of this multiple methods study, conducted in the US, was to examine 10 caregivers' perceptions and play interactions with their children while at one outdoor LL. Observational data revealed high caregiver-child engagement, and interview data indicated that caregivers perceived improved positive interactions during LL activities. The LL also promoted caregivers' knowledge of child development and impacted some participants' perceptions of generalized strategy use. Taken together, environmental prompts, such as those within LLs, can promote DSI in everyday environments, offering opportunities to boost children's early development.

The Unintended Consequences of Expulsion in Early Childhood Settings: Caregivers’ Perspectives

Early Childhood Education Journal · 2024-09-19 · 6 citations

Exploring how early childhood exclusionary practices persist for multiply marginalized children

Early Childhood Research Quarterly · 2024-01-01 · 14 citations