School-Based Trauma: A Scoping Review

Abstract

School-based trauma is not a new concept, but scholars have not yet developed a comprehensive definition that coalesces. In this paper, I conduct a scoping review of scholarship across three decades and map existing definitions of school-based trauma onto a theoretical framework. I propose an updated definition for school-based trauma that encompasses existing definitions and includes a systemic lens to thinking about the concept. In doing, I invite scholars to take up the concept in a theoretically sound and comprehensive way to support children better and work towards creating school spaces that do not cause trauma.