RAND Research Topic: Childhood Trauma

Helping Kids and Families Cope with Violence

Mar 30, 2017

This research brief presents findings from evaluations of community-based interventions to reduce violence's harmful effects on children.

An Examination of Measures Related to Children's Exposure to Violence for Use by Both Practitioners and Researchers

Jun 9, 2017

This review of measures to screen, assess, and track outcomes for exposure to violence among children identifies gaps in available measures and recommends establishing a centralized item bank accessible to researchers and practitioners.

Helping Kids and Families Cope with Violence

Mar 30, 2017

Kids who have been exposed to violence are more likely to develop mental health problems and engage in risky behaviors. The need for interventions to help them is clear, but evidence about what works is still emerging. What can be learned from studying Safe Start Promising Approaches?

Improving Outcomes for Children Exposed to Violence

Mar 14, 2017

Researchers partnered with community-based sites to develop rigorous evaluations of interventions to reduce violence's harmful effects on children and analyze outcome data. This report presents findings and perspectives from this evaluation.

The Association Between Youth Violence Exposure and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Symptoms in a Sample of Fifth-Graders

Nov 11, 2015

The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between violence exposures (no exposure, witness or victim only, and both witness and victim) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Bounce Back

Sep 4, 2015

Bounce Back, a program for elementary school students exposed to traumatic events, reduces symptoms of post traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety.

Early Life Adversity and Adult Biological Risk Profiles

Feb 19, 2015

Authors determine whether there is a relationship between early life adversity (ELA) and biological parameters known to predict health risks and to examine the extent to which circumstances in midlife mediate this relationship.

Treatment Services Adaptation Center for Resiliency, Hope, and Wellness in Schools

Jun 16, 2014

In partnership with UCLA, USC, and the Los Angeles School District, RAND researchers are providing information, national training, and technical assistance to schools on the delivery of evidence-based strategies to support students exposed to violence or trauma. This resource provides online training and implementation support for trauma-focused interventions that can make a difference.

School Intervention Related to School and Community Violence

Mar 28, 2014

This article describes how schools can circumvent several key barriers to mental health service provision, outcomes that school interventions target, and the role of the family in school-based services.

Peer Victimization in Fifth Grade and Health in Tenth Grade

Mar 1, 2014

Both chronic and current bullying are associated with substantially worse health. Clinicians who recognize bullying when it first starts could intervene to reverse the downward health trajectory experienced by youth who are repeated targets.

Contributions of the Social Environment to First-Onset and Recurrent Mania

Jan 1, 2014

We investigated the role of childhood adversities and adulthood stressors in liability for bipolar disorder using data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

Effects of Trauma on Students

Jan 1, 2014

The current chapter provides an overview of the effect of trauma on students, and describes the development and core components of the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS).

Helping Children Cope with Trauma: A School-Based Intervention

Dec 20, 2013

Exposure to violent events or other trauma can inflict lasting emotional damage on children. Yet a high percentage of children affected by trauma never receive treatment.

Back to School: Focus on Challenges Faced by Children and Adolescents

Sep 26, 2013

As the school year begins for children in Pittsburgh and throughout the nation, it's a good time for the rest of us to reflect on how to best support their success in school and in life. Our panelists will explore several aspects of students' experiences, inside and outside of the classroom.

Predictors of Study Retention from a Multisite Study of Interventions for Children and Families Exposed to Violence

Jul 27, 2013

We examine predictors of retention (demographics, violence exposure, child mental health, caregiver demographics, and engagement in intervention) in a large multisite national study of interventions for children exposed to violence.

Resources for Schools and Parents Following the Deadly Oklahoma Tornado

May 29, 2013

The toll of the tornado on school students in Moore, Oklahoma, cannot be overstated. To assist with recovery, RAND's CBITS program offers resources on psychological first aid for schools, as well as additional materials for educators and parents.

At 65, RAND Continues to Make a Difference

May 14, 2013

To celebrate our first 60 years, we created 60 Ways RAND Has Made a Difference, an online book to illustrate our most notable contributions. On our 65th birthday, we provide five of the most recent ways in which we at RAND are proud to have made a difference.

How Much Does "How Much" Matter?

Apr 1, 2013

The study explores whether and how lifetime violence exposure is related to a set of negative symptoms: child internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, child trauma symptoms, and parenting stress.

Children's Exposure to Violence: Frequency May Not Be the Best Predictor of Negative Symptoms

Feb 4, 2013

Whether at home, at school, or in the community, exposure to violence raises concerns about not just the potential for physical harm, but also the longer-term developmental and mental health risks for children.

Assessing Programs Designed to Improve Outcomes for Children Exposed to Violence

Feb 1, 2013

The study tests whether participation in interventions offered by a subset of sites from the National Safe Start Promising Approaches for Children Exposed to Violence initiative improved outcomes for children relative to controls.