Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
2025
Department
Human Development and Family Science
Abstract
Current rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in undergraduate students point to a need for evaluating the impact of these events on student well-being, particularly in the context of courses that contain sensitive and trauma-based content. The current latent profile analysis study included 94 students and sought to identify patterns of exposure to adversity, stress management, and self-reported experiences in a trauma-based undergraduate course. Profile results indicated three distinct groups, interpreted as low-ACE exposure, moderate-ACE exposure, and high-ACE exposure. Student perceptions of sensitive course content were generally favorable across groups, suggesting that despite varying levels of prior adversity and stress management practices, students adequately coped with potential stress of being exposed to sensitive course content. This study addresses gaps in empirical research and implications for trauma-informed teaching practices for sensitive and trauma-based course material.
Publication Title, e.g., Journal
College Teaching
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Cless, J. D., Johnston, C. A., Nelson Goff, B. S., & Edwards, O. K. (2025). Childhood adversity, stress management, and reactions to sensitive content: A latent profile analysis of undergraduates. College Teaching. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2025.2516519
Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2025.2516519
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This is a pre-publication author manuscript of the final, published article.
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