10.6 Health and Wellness
Stressors that Impact Information Processing
Two major stressors that impact children’s ability to process information are the bandwidth tax and trauma. Bandwidth tax refers to the cognitive capacity for attention, making decisions, or planning. The bandwidth tax impacts children and their information-processing abilities when they are in a scarcity mindset, facing an unmet need that consciously or unconsciously occupies their attention (Mullainathan & Shafir, 2014; Ong et al., 2019). A need for sleep, food, safety, or even environmental comforts such as temperature or seating preoccupies the mind and makes it hard to sustain attention, process information, or make decisions. Scarcity impacts individuals’ executive functions and overall ability to process information. What does this mean for middle childhood? What might this mean for students? Listen to the video clip in figure 10.9 to hear the application of scarcity in decision making and the accrual of disadvantages over time given this tax on bandwidth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV1ESN8NGh8
Trauma is another stressor that can impact information processing. Trauma can be any physical or emotional threat or harmful event that a child experiences. Traumatic experiences create both physiological and psychological responses. Any time the brain perceives a traumatic event, the stress hormone cortisol is released and triggers a primitive stress response that is often called fight, flight, or freeze. While this stress response is a survival mechanism, it is not preventative or determinative of how trauma will impact individuals in the future.
Trauma is generally categorized as being either acute or chronic. Acute trauma is a single traumatic incident that can have lasting effects. For example, a child who experiences a car accident may show fear of being in a vehicle for many years. While acute trauma occurs once, chronic trauma occurs repeatedly or is ongoing, as is the case with domestic violence or war. Chronic trauma can also have lasting effects. Complex trauma is a type of chronic trauma that involves repeated traumatic experiences that may be varied and are inflicted by a caregiver. This includes, but is not limited to, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and verbal or emotional abuse, also known as psychological abuse. Complex trauma leaves a child confused and conflicted because of the personal nature. The person who inflicted harm was supposed to be the one protecting them and keeping them safe. When that trust is violated, the child is left feeling unsafe, alone, and scared.
Experiencing trauma does not guarantee the occurrence of lasting physical or psychological impacts. Resilience or the ability to withstand or bounce back from traumatic experiences may mitigate the occurrence and severity of physical and psychological impacts related to trauma (APA, 2017). Therefore, promoting resilience is key to children having the tools needed to better cope with traumatic experiences and potential future trauma.
Several factors promote the development of resilience. The most critical factor is connection with a safe and supportive adult. Additionally, helping children build confidence by providing opportunities to strengthen and promote resilience in the face of adversity. Beyond promoting resilience, a trauma-informed approach can support individuals who have experienced trauma. The National Center for Trauma-Informed Care, in conjunction with the Center for Disease Control’s Center for Preparedness and Response, co-developed a trauma-informed public health approach guided by six principles.
These six guiding principles include:
- ensuring physical and psychological safety
- employing transparency in decision-making and the building and maintenance of trust
- fostering peer support that empowers, builds trust, and establishes safety
- sharing power and decision-making appropriately
- recognizing individual experiences and building on strengths rather than focusing on deficits
- leveraging the value of cultural connections, as well as recognizing and addressing stereotypes and biases
Optional Resources Related to Trauma
The organization Futures without Violence provides a video that explains the effects of trauma on the brain and provides many recommendations for how one can help others who have experienced trauma:
Licenses and Attributions for Health and Wellness
“Health and Wellness” by Kelly Hoke and Terese Jones is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
