Date of Award
Summer 8-8-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Department
Education: Curriculum and Teaching
First Advisor
Rhonda Bondie
Academic Program Adviser
Bonnie Veronico
Abstract
Using attribution theory as a theoretical framework, this mixed methods study investigated how education professionals reported and perceived the relationship between their histories of trauma and their attributions for disruptive student behavior. Participants completed four surveys to measure Adverse Childhood Experiences, adulthood trauma, COVID-19-related trauma, and causal attributions for disruptive behavior. Bivariate correlations between each of the trauma history datasets and causal attributions datasets were conducted to investigate these relationships. Two semi-structured interviews with six participants were also conducted and analyzed using deductive and inductive coding processes. Quantitative analyses found a statistically significant relationship between participants’ reported adulthood trauma amounts and their causal attributions. Qualitative analyses surfaced participants’ perceptions of empathy related to causal attributions, definitions and expectations of trauma, and the importance of reflection. Convergent analyses of qualitative and quantitative findings confirmed frequently reported traumatic experiences and impacts between the data sets. Contradicting findings between data sets were also identified. Correlation findings regarding childhood and COVID-19 trauma and attributions diverged from participants’ perceptions of the relationships of their trauma histories and their causal attributions. Findings suggest relationships among personal trauma experiences and educator perceptions of students’ disruptive behaviors. Specifically, findings point to relationships among adulthood trauma experiences and education professionals’ causal attributions for students’ disruptive behaviors. Future studies might explore the implications of targeted professional development in this area for educators. Practical implications include potential for more informed referrals and reactions based on student behavior and benefits to teacher well-being.
Recommended Citation
Rodefeld, Christina D., "Investigating Relationships Between Education Professionals' Trauma Histories and Causal Attributions for Students' Disruptive Behaviors" (2025). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/1413
