A Preliminary Evaluation of the Trauma-Informed Child Advocacy Program at Mississippi State University

This thesis evaluated the Trauma-Informed Child Advocacy Certificate (TICA) at Mississippi State University which is hosted in the School of Human Sciences, specifically in the area of Human Development and Family Science (HDFS). HDFS students (N = 94) enrolled in coursework during Spring 2021 participated in the evaluation. Students were grouped by enrollment in TICA courses, with 43 students having participated in TICA coursework and 51 students having only participated in general HDFS courses. Assessments included a perceived knowledge survey and 10 application-based scenarios. Independent samples T-tests indicated TICA students perceived themselves to have more trauma-informed knowledge, and frequency analyses showed they were more effective at applying that knowledge than HDFS students who have not taken any TICA courses. Data were used to highlight strengths of the TICA program and make recommendations on ways to enhance the TICA coursework to promote knowledge of trauma-informed professional practices