The Impact of Professional Development on Trauma-Informed Practices (TIPs) in a Teacher\u27s Feeling of Self-Efficacy

The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental, static-group comparison design study was to determine the increase or decrease of self-efficacy for elementary and secondary teachers regarding instructional strategies, student engagement, and classroom management after professional development in TIPs. TIPs in the school setting provide comprehensive interventions to address childhood trauma that could promote positive academic progress. There has been little research provided on the impact of TIPs regarding instructional strategies, student engagement, and classroom management as it relates to teacher-efficacy. The results of this study found significant differences in survey responses from teachers in two school districts. The Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) was utilized to collect data on teacher’s sense of self- efficacy from 100 teachers in two urban school districts in Mississippi. According to the results of three independent t tests, there is an indication that TIPs may impact teacher self-efficacy. Teachers do not receive appropriate training at the university level to overcome the effects of trauma in the classroom setting; therefore, professional development in TIPs should be implemented at the school level. The researcher recommends further research into the role of TIPs at improving social-emotional learning of students and increasing teacher self-efficacy