School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists' Attitudes and Knowledge About Trauma-Informed Care.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the attitudes and knowledge of school-based speech-language pathologists toward trauma-informed care. School-based speech-language pathologists (N = 116) completed the Attitudes Related to Trauma-Informed Care Scale Version 45 Education (ARTIC-45) survey via an online survey platform and provided information about their work experience, history with trauma training, and demographic variables. Although speech-language pathologists had responses that, on average, aligned with trauma-informed perspectives, those perspectives varied and were not at ceiling. Characteristics such as age, years of experience, and foster care experience did not significantly influence the results, but self-rating of trauma-informed care knowledge did correlate with the ARTIC-45 survey. Participants who had engaged in trauma-informed care trainings had more trauma-informed perspectives and knowledge than participants who had not. The results of this study provide preliminary evidence that trauma-informed care trainings may benefit those speech-language pathologists working with children who have experienced trauma. This study also provides preliminary evidence supporting the validity of the ARTIC-45 for use with speech-language pathologists.