Exploring Trauma and Its Impact on Disabled Students: An Analysis Using the Future of Families Study

The American Psychological Association (APA) (n.d.) defines trauma as an emotional reaction to a terrible life event like rape, violence, or natural disaster. When trauma is experienced by a child on a repetitive and pervasive basis, it is referred to as complex trauma (van der Kolk, 2005). Felitti et al. (1998) coined the term adverse childhood experience (ACEs) in their study exploring the impact of adverse events on later life health outcomes. In the United States, nearly two thirds of adults have experienced at least one ACE and nearly one fifth have experienced four or more ACEs (Swedo et al., 2023). In the education setting, exposure to ACEs can lead to decreased educational attainment and engagement. However, little is known about the educational outcomes or interventions for students with disabilities. This dissertation explores the current intervention strategies for students with disabilities in education who have experienced trauma, the impact of ACE exposure on education outcomes for students with disabilities compared to their non-disabled peers, and critiques the methodology used to study ACEs.