The Use of Trigger Warnings in Classrooms as a Precaution for Trauma-exposed Students

Abstract

The concept "trigger" refers to stimuli that might lead the person who has experienced trauma to recall a previous traumatic memory. It has been suggested that, in educational environments, "trigger warnings" should be used to protect people who have been through traumatic experiences from the triggering stimuli and to make it easier for the traumatized person to have control over the decision to be exposed to the triggering stimuli. In this study; the literature and the discussions about "trigger warnings" have been examined with examples. It has been observed that the concepts of "trigger" and "trauma" are used in a different and wider meaning in the literature on "trigger warnings", compared to the usage in standard terminology of psychology. Small number of empirical research on "trigger warnings" has been examined. The purpose of this study is to introduce the concepts to the individuals and the institutions that give education and produce literature in Turkish, and also to provide a groundwork for future empirical studies. 

Keywords

• Trauma
• Trigger Warnings
• Microaggressions
• Educational Psychology
• PTSD

Sınıflarda Travma Yaşantısı Olan Öğrenciler için Önleyici Bir Tedbir Olarak Tetikleyici Uyarısı Kullanımı

Abstract

Tetikleyici kavramı, travma yaşamış kişilerde kişiyi zihninde travmanın yaşandığı anın anısına geri götüren uyaranları ifade eder. Eğitim ortamlarında, travma yaşantısı olan kişileri bu uyaranların ortaya çıkarabileceği olumsuz deneyimlerden korumak ya da bu uyaranlara maruz kalıp kalmamak konusunda karar noktasında kontrol sahibi olabilmelerini kolaylaştırmak adına tetikleyici uyarılarının kullanılması gerektiği öne sürülmektedir. Bu çalışmada tetikleyici uyarılarıyla ilgili alan yazın ve tartışmalar örneklerle incelenmiştir. Yapılan incelemede “tetikleyici uyarıları” üzerine oluşan literatürde “tetikleyici” ve “travma” kavramlarının psikoloji literatüründe kullanıldığından daha farklı ve daha geniş bir anlamda kullandığı görülmüştür. Alandaki az sayıda görgül çalışma incelenmiştir. Bu çalışmanın amacı Türkçe yazılı materyal üreten ve eğitim veren kurumları ve kişileri kavramla tanıştırmak ve ileride yapılabilecek yerel görgül çalışmalar için zemin hazırlamaktır.

Keywords

• Travma
• Tetikleyici Uyarısı
• Mikroagresyon
• Eğitim Psikolojisi
• Travma Sonrası Stres Bozukluğu

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