Classroom Practices for

Stressed Children (part 1)

Karen Peterson, Ph.D.

Department of Human Development

WSU Vancouver

Vancouver, WA 98686

petersok@vancouver.wsu.edu

Author: “Helping Them Heal: How

Teachers Can Support Young Children Who

Experience Stress and Trauma” 2014, Gryphon House.

“Starting Strong”

7th Annual ConferenceAugust 3-5, 2015 – Tacoma, WA

Session Goals• Understand the characteristics of

stress and trauma on young

children

• Identify the primary components

of evidence-based ways positively

impact stress effects

• Present options for classroom

practice designed to enhance

competence and reduce stress-

effects.

Definitions…..

• Stress: Physiological and psychological

reaction to excessive stimulation – real or

perceived

• Sources

• Physical: noise; crowding; extremes in temperature;

injury; illness; social disorganization

• Psychological: [threat to well-being (safety/security)]

loss; emotional overload; threatening/disorganized

behavior; fear

• Trauma: Events over which an individual has little or no

control and has lasting psychological/physical impact

Chronic/Toxic Stress • The experience of multiple and prolonged,

developmentally negative events; most often occur

within a child’s care-giving system

• High levels of unpredictability

• Persistent and multi-sensory

• Has more long-term, cumulative impact on children…..

• in most significant form identified as trauma

• Short and long term (permanent) physical damage with long term adult health implications

• Chromosomal changes

• Brain structural and functional changes

• Physiological reaction patterns

Physiology of Stress• The body’s stress response (cortosol production)

directly affects the functioning and structure of brain

• Stress effects force the areas of the brain focus on

survival and adaptation

• Cerebral cortex (prefrontal and frontal lobes) function

reduced resulting in problems with

• Problems with verbal skills, memory, and problem solving

• Underdeveloped corpus collosum – structure that allows for communication between the Left and Right hemispheres

• Problems in adaptive flexibility and emotional regulation

Perceived

Threat

Level Low High

Adaptive

Response

Receptive-

Ready to learn

Vigilance Freeze-

Withdrawal

Flight-

Fight

Flight-

Fight-Freeze

Regulating

Brain Region

Cortex Cortex-

Limbic

Limbic-Midbrain Midbrain-

Brain Stem

Brain Stem

Cognition Abstract Concrete Emotional Reactive Reflexive

Physical

State

Calm-Engaged Arousal-

Attention

Alarm Fear Terror

Threat-Arousal System Response Continuumadapted from B. Perry

Coping StrategiesInternalized &

Externalized

Behaviors

Physiological

Response

Stimuli

(Stressor)

STRESS

REACTION

PROCESS

Coping Strategies• Physical and psychological options to reduce

impact of stressor

• Not always socially desirable or effective

• Not always known to the child

• Sleep/eating disturbances; anxiety/fear

• Easily habituated behaviors

• May be both intentional and reflexive/reactive

• Highly resistant to change without assistance

• Become additive and cumulative over time

• More constructive coping options require cognitive flexibility and physical stability

Bottom line……..

• The effects of negative (especially chronic) stress/trauma places children at significant risk – for management of behavior and acquisition of learning skills

• Children cannot “de-stress” themselves

• they need adult assistance in learning how to manage the effects of stress AND acquire more effective coping strategies

Implications for Intervention

• Impacts of (chronic) stress CAN be softened, changed, and new skills developed

• Intentional intervention requires design and implementation of multiple strategies – BUILDING COMPETENCE

• Building connection and affiliation

• Reducing physiological effects

• Developing greater self-efficacy (sufficiency)

Addressing Stress and

Competence

Sensory

Overload

Environmental Disorganization

Skill Deficit

Response RegulationSelf Efficacy

Connection and Affiliation

Resilience and

Competence

Connection and

Affiliation

Supporting Connection and Affiliation 1

• Goal: Provide multiple options for children to be

connected to the classroom as a community of

support, engagement-contribution, and identity

(physical and social)

• Reduce the perception and feelings of

isolation, “different from”, and insecurity about

how to belong

Supporting Connection and Affiliation1-a

• Strategies:

• Attention to consistency in the routines for arrival, dismissal, transitions, caring for personal needs, special occasions

• Rituals & routines; greeting/separations; attendance

• Consistent use of print style, location of print information

• Outside visitors; use images of adults/other children in constructive and diverse settings and behaviors; honored quests

• Classroom identity – “blue room,” mascot/logo, use of words members, group, community (not family), song/chant; must be respectful!

• Care for living things

Building Connection – Environmental Support (1)

Space design

Priority for private and observation areas; use of

natural materials, display of adult & child

creations/arrangements

Consideration of sensory influences

Smell and taste

Smell triggers – perfume, cigarette smoke; food

preparation; need to identify smell and

characteristics; use of essential oils

Use of food events for positive social interactions;

identification of tastes

Building Connection – Environmental Support (2)

Visual

Variations in visual input – lighting;

organization/labeling of materials, areas

Sound

Sound reduction and cues for specific behaviors;

skills in sound identification; use of soothing sound for

relaxation repetition

Kinesthetic (tactile)

Connection with natural materials, traffic patterns,

sensory play, use of fidget toys, music and movement

in a variety of offerings

Regulating Responses

Regulating Responses • Goal:

• Increase foundational skills for cognitively-linked self-regulation skills

• Decrease the impact of stress-induced responses –anxiety; restlessness; heightened reactions; hyper-vigilance; aggression; withdrawal

• Strategies:

• Managing Classrooms

• Routines and physical needs

• *Self-regulation (regulation is dependent on external environment)

• Self-management of strong emotional responses

• *Relaxation (opportunities and techniques)

• Building personal options for habitual behavior

Regulating Responses: Self Management

• Blending physical actions with

management of feelings and responses

• Sad to happy: sit up tall; 2

breaths; Mona Lisa smile

• Angry to calm: stop dragon brain

(standing); 2 breaths; blow

dragon away

• Scared to safe: whisper to self

what is scary; 2 breaths; self hug

Regulating Responses: Relaxation and

Changing Habitual Behavior

Helping children manage (control) body sensations

Focused breathing

Take in deep breath (tummy goes “up”), hold and then release (in for 5 hold for 3 and out for 5)

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation

• Begin with head – feet; warm air moves down with each breath

• “Thought stopping “

• Visual image of “think of…”

• “Run-stop-shout”

• Controlled body movement

Regulating Responses: Relaxation and

Changing Habitual Behavior

Helping children manage (control) body sensations

Focused breathing

Take in deep breath (tummy goes “up”), hold and then release (in for 5 hold for 3 and out for 5)

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation

• Begin with head – feet; warm air moves down with each breath

• “Thought stopping “

• Visual image of “think of…”

• “Run-stop-shout”

• Controlled body movement