Overcoming Childhood Adversity

Whisman, Kristyn

Whisman, K. (2021). Overcoming Childhood Adversity: A Collective Case Study of the Influence of ACEs on the Work of Special Education Teachers.

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Title	Overcoming Childhood Adversity
Abstract	In order to fully realize student-focused trauma-informed care, educational settings must become trauma-informed environments wherein all who are served and all who are employed are supported through trauma-informed care. The purpose of the study was to identify the ways in which adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) influenced the work of special education teachers, how they overcame their ACEs, and describe the supports that are necessary to create a trauma-informed environment for them. The literature review revealed the significant toll ACEs have on physical and mental health, as well the social and emotional tone of a classroom. A holistic collective case-study design and narrative analysis was used to evaluate three semi-structured interviews with special education teachers employed in the 2020-2021 school year in southern Pennsylvania. Semi-structured interview transcripts were combined into one composite interview transcript, which served as the data set for analysis. Analysis revealed the following salient themes: special education teachers are called to their work, ACEs created an adulthood awareness childhood struggles, ACEs encouraged connections with students and their families, personal relationships were the key to overcoming ACEs, trauma-informed care is for students only, resilience in the real world, and the division that exists between general education and special education teachers.
Date	2021

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Title: Overcoming Childhood Adversity
Sub-Title: A Collective Case Study of the Influence of ACEs on the Work of Special Education Teachers
Author: Kristyn Whisman
Abstract: In order to fully realize student-focused trauma-informed care, educational settings must become trauma-informed environments wherein all who are served and all who are employed are supported through trauma-informed care. The purpose of the study was to identify the ways in which adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) influenced the work of special education teachers, how they overcame their ACEs, and describe the supports that are necessary to create a trauma-informed environment for them. The literature review revealed the significant toll ACEs have on physical and mental health, as well the social and emotional tone of a classroom. A holistic collective case-study design and narrative analysis was used to evaluate three semi-structured interviews with special education teachers employed in the 2020-2021 school year in southern Pennsylvania. Semi-structured interview transcripts were combined into one composite interview transcript, which served as the data set for analysis. Analysis revealed the following salient themes: special education teachers are called to their work, ACEs created an adulthood awareness childhood struggles, ACEs encouraged connections with students and their families, personal relationships were the key to overcoming ACEs, trauma-informed care is for students only, resilience in the real world, and the division that exists between general education and special education teachers.
Advisor: Dr. Jeremy Lynch
Committee Members: Dr. Jason Hilton
Dr. Antony Smith
Date Issued: 2021
Degree Granting Institution: Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
College of Education
Special Education
Degree Name: Degree of Doctor of Education (Ed. D.)
Degree Level: Doctorate Degree
Degree Discipline: Special Education
Genre: Dissertation/Thesis
Topics: Special Education Teachers
ACEs
Case Study
Resilience
Career Choice
Copyright Statement: The copyright to this item is owned by the author and falls under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)