Trauma-Informed Care Principles & Practices Flashcards

A foster parent reports that their child screams and hides whenever a male adult raises his voice. This response is best understood as:

Answer: A trauma trigger linked to conditioned fear responses

The child's response is a classic conditioned fear reaction where a sensory cue (raised male voice) activates a survival response from past trauma.

Which neurobiological structure is primarily responsible for rapidly detecting threat and activating the fight-flight-freeze response in traumatized children?

Answer: Amygdala

The amygdala acts as the brain's alarm system and initiates survival responses before conscious processing occurs.

In trauma-informed care, 'trustworthiness' as an organizational principle is best demonstrated by:

Answer: Maintaining clear boundaries and following through on commitments consistently

Trustworthiness is built through consistent, transparent actions and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries over time.

A trauma-informed practitioner working with a child from a collectivist cultural background should be mindful that:

Answer: Trauma responses and healing pathways are shaped by cultural values and community context

Cultural humility requires recognizing that trauma expression and healing are influenced by cultural worldview, including collectivist values around family and community.

Which of the following describes 'secondary traumatic stress' in professionals working with traumatized children?

Answer: Traumatic symptoms arising from indirect exposure to clients' traumatic material

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) occurs when practitioners develop trauma-like symptoms through indirect exposure to clients' traumatic experiences.

A trauma-informed group home modifies its crisis de-escalation protocol to avoid physical restraints. This change primarily reflects which of SAMHSA's six trauma-informed principles?

Answer: Safety

Reducing or eliminating restraints directly addresses physical and emotional safety, a foundational principle of trauma-informed care.

When describing the ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Study's significance for trauma-informed practice, a consultant should emphasize that:

Answer: Higher ACE scores correlate with increased risk for poor health and social outcomes across the lifespan

The ACE Study demonstrated a dose-response relationship between childhood adversity and long-term physical, mental, and social health outcomes.