Trauma-informed environment in General Secondary Education Institutions: systematization of international models and perspectives for Ukraine (a scoping review)
Abstract
This study examines models of trauma-informed environment development in general secondary education institutions (GSEI) through a scoping review. The methodological framework follows Arksey & O’Malley (2005), with results reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR (Tricco et al., 2018). The literature search was conducted via the Primo platform of the University of Minnesota Libraries using the search string («trauma-informed») AND («school») AND («system»), covering publications from 2020 to 2025.
Following a two-stage screening process, 36 studies were included for analysis. The concept of a «trauma informed school environment» is clarified as a complex systemic property of the educational environment that comprehensively integrates SAMHSA principles into school culture, policy, and interaction practices.
Models were identified and systematized across three domains: individual, institutional, and systemic. Individual-level models were found to correspond to the trauma-awareness and trauma-sensitivity stages of the Missouri Model. Institutional models implement trauma-responsiveness and trauma-informed practice as a comprehensive school ecosystem. Systemic-level models are realized through school collaboration with community social institutions. Institutional models with structured implementation frameworks and models supporting internally displaced persons are identified as most relevant for the Ukrainian wartime context. Adaptation of international experience requires consideration of the collective and prolonged impact of war, sustained exhaustion and traumatization of educators, and the need for coordination across diverse social institutions within the community.
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References
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