Abstract:

Half of all children under the age of 17 have experienced at least one traumatic experience. Trauma in children causes difficulty concentrating, fears, aggression, lack of self-confidence, and school problems. For 20 years, the beneficial effects of writing about traumatic or stressful events have been demonstrated. Writing outcomes for children, adults and adolescents have measured increased GPA, decreased dropout rates, self-reported physical health outcomes, self-reported emotional health outcomes, objective long-term benefits, physiologic changes such as cortisol shifts, and outcomes for medical conditions. Such outcomes have rivaled the power of drug studies. The author’s observation of both child and adult patients indicated greater improvement when focused expressive writing were used, particularly those which addressed perspective switching. The structure that emerged was drawn from both the empirical cases and from the great body of literature in expressive writing as a therapy. This standardized method has been applied to approximately 3000 students and adults. It is a process that can be replicated in a variety of settings where children and adults who have experienced trauma reside, particularly in schools as part of a writing curriculum or group process.

Keywords:

Trauma in children, schools, expressive writing, free writing, improving GPA, decreasing dropout rates, trauma.