Research
Research is one of the three pillars of the Institute of Childhood Trauma and
Attachment and our research aims to drive change in training, policy, and practice to better serve traumatized children, youth, and their families.
The research the Institute engages in is either applied clinical research, primarily related to promising interventions for childhood trauma and attachment disruption, such as SMART, EMDR, and Neurofeedback, and of trauma-informed and trauma-responsive principles and practices, such as trauma assessment and screening. Our research also supports the identification and response to gaps in the field and the information needed to drive necessary positive change.
The Institute’s research initiatives typically involve Centre staff and clients, which makes the Institute’s research pillar and research initiatives unique – they are delivered and designed within real-world services and circumstances. This helps make our research findings directly applicable to wider service provision and more easily used for advocacy and system change. Research initiatives are also conducted with partner service providers and agencies that stay true to this real-world research implementation context, including public sector service provision. Additionally, we partner with research, practice, and academic institutions across Canada and internationally to expand the reach and impact of our work – recognizing the incredible work and inspiring initiatives happening around the world, and that by working together we can amplify our collective contributions.
The Institute’s research focus areas include:
- Efficacy and implementation of promising interventions for childhood trauma and attachment disruption
- Trauma-focused assessment and screening
- Trauma-informed and trauma-response practice across various disciplines and at the individual, program/organization, and system-levels
- Prevention, early identification, and access to services
- Identification and response to systemic gaps related to childhood trauma and attachment disruption
Integration with the Training and Practice Pillars of the Institute
Research the Institutes engages in supports the interconnectedness of the Institute’s three pillars: Research, Practice, and Training. Engaging in training and actively contributing to the enhancement of practices within a children’s mental health agency (and through consultation with external partners), allows us to identify gaps in knowledge and the questions posed by providers, leaders, and organizations, as well as the specific needs of those directly supporting children and families – including the children and families themselves. The feedback received from individuals involved in training and collaborating with us in service provision serves as a valuable foundation for our research endeavors. Subsequently, our research findings contribute to the refinement of our training programs and facilitate knowledge translation.
Overview of Current/Previous Work:
At the George Hull Centre, we support the implementation of promising evidence-informed practices within public sector services, including SMART, Neurofeedback, EMDR, and trauma-focused assessment. We are also conducting efficacy research into these models.
The Institute has developed a trauma screening tool called the Child and Adolescent Screener for Traumatic Events and Response (CASTER™). This screening tool identifies trauma exposures and symptoms early in the assessment and treatment process, facilitates important conversations, and allows for appropriate clinical and case-planning. Content validity of the tool has been established in consultation with youth with lived experience, parents/caregivers, children’s mental health clinicians, and professional experts in trauma treatment. We have developed multiple versions of the CASTER™ for various ages and youth-self report and/or caregiver reports. All versions are currently available in English, French, and Spanish and can be found here, as well as more detailed information on the tool and its development. Additional research is both planned and in progress on the CASTER™, including the development of an associated protective-factors screener.
In addition, the Institute is conducting research on trauma screening practices and trauma-informed care adaptations. A current focus of this work is within speech-language pathology practice. Communication difficulty or difference is often the first sign of a developmental and/or mental health concern in young children and can be a symptom of early trauma exposure, putting speech-language pathologists in a unique position for early identification. This research began within our own public-sector Preschool Speech and Language Program at the Centre, and has expanded to include participants across Ontario. Within our Centre it has contributed to the early identification of young children and families with trauma exposure and mental health support needs, early access to services, enhanced clinical practice and collaborative practice across sectors supporting young children and families where there is an increased risk of early trauma exposure.
Governance
The Institute Director and Research Manager oversee the Research Pillar of the Institute. Research initiatives are led and implemented by Institute management and research staff in accordance with recommendations from the Institute’s Research Advisory Committee (RAC), and in partnership with organizations in Canada and internationally.
The Institute’s RAC advises Institute management and research staff regarding proposed and ongoing research initiatives, provides specific consultation and recommendations regarding funding opportunities and collaborative activities, and helps to foster a positive culture of Institute research participation at the Centre. The RAC includes researchers, staff, and management representatives from across the Centre and those with lived experience and expertise advising on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The Research Pillar is also guided by input and consultation through the Institute’s Advisory Board Committee and the Centre’s Research and Evaluation Department.