Implementing Trauma-Informed Education: Translating Intentions into Practice

In recent years, continuing professional education in trauma-informed practices for educators has increased, yet the determinants for successful implementation are understudied. Through a two-phase survey, this study incorporated implementation science and the theory of planned behavior to investigate how school and early childhood educators applied their learnings after a university-based course on trauma-informed education. While participants (N = 72) initially had high intention scores, indicating positive beliefs and strong perceived support, the 41 who completed the 6-month follow-up survey reported varied success in implementing these practices. Implementation success was not predicted by initial intention scores, indicating the limitations of the theory of planned behavior in predicting actual behavior in complex, real-world settings. Instead, individual factors and perceived “buy in” were the most important facilitators, with system and organizational factors acting as influential barriers. This underscores the importance of understanding these ecological factors when addressing implementation challenges. The findings suggest that successful implementation of trauma-informed practices requires professional learning to extend beyond individual knowledge and motivation, emphasizing the need for system and organizational-level support to facilitate meaningful change.