Trauma-Informed Care and Practices Flashcards

Intergenerational trauma (also called historical trauma) refers to:

Answer: The transmission of trauma effects across generations through biological, psychological, and social mechanisms

Intergenerational trauma describes how the effects of trauma — including epigenetic, behavioral, and cultural changes — can be passed down across multiple generations.

Which of the following best describes 'complex trauma' as relevant to CRSS practice?

Answer: Repeated, prolonged trauma often occurring in contexts of dependency or captivity

Complex trauma typically involves chronic, repeated experiences such as childhood abuse, domestic violence, or trafficking — often within relationships of dependency — leading to pervasive developmental impacts.

A peer consistently cancels appointments and avoids one-on-one meetings with their RSS. Through a trauma-informed lens, this behavior most likely indicates:

Answer: A possible trauma response such as avoidance or distrust of helping relationships

Avoidance of helping relationships is common in people with relational trauma histories; reframing this as a protective response guides a more effective, compassionate approach.

Self-care for recovery support specialists working with trauma-affected peers is considered:

Answer: An ethical responsibility that protects both the RSS and the peers they serve

Self-care is a professional ethical obligation; an RSS who neglects their own wellbeing is at increased risk for burnout and impaired judgment that directly affects peer safety.

Which of the following organizational practices most directly supports a trauma-informed workplace culture?

Answer: Providing regular supervision, debriefing opportunities, and access to employee support resources

Regular supervision and debriefing create structured opportunities to process secondary trauma, reducing burnout and sustaining staff capacity to deliver trauma-informed care.

When a peer discloses a history of sexual trauma, the most appropriate initial response for an RSS is:

Answer: Thank the peer for trusting you, validate their courage, and ask how you can best support them

Validating the disclosure, expressing gratitude for trust, and asking what support the peer needs honors their agency without projecting assumptions or prematurely redirecting.

The phrase 'universal precautions' in trauma-informed care means:

Answer: Assuming every peer has a trauma history and applying trauma-sensitive practices with everyone

Just as universal health precautions assume potential infection risk, trauma-informed universal precautions assume that any person may have trauma history, so supportive practices are applied broadly rather than only when trauma is disclosed.