STAR - Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience
Evidence-Based Outcomes
by Donna L. Minter, PhD, LP, Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute &
Kathleen Harder, PhD, Director, Center for Design in Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Kathleen Harder, PhD, Director, Center for Design in Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
STAR Training Objectives:
By the end of the STAR training, trainees have:
These STAR training objectives are operationalized in the research questions listed below. To provide quantitative data regarding the effectiveness of the STAR Training, since 2012 daily pre/post surveys have been collected at the STAR Trainings in Minnesota. Preliminary analysis revealed statistically significant increase in trainees’ capacity to fulfill the objectives toward understanding and addressing psychological trauma, breaking cycles of violence, and building resilience within their spheres of influence. In 2013, preliminary longitudinal results reveal significant retention, presumably because of implementation of the STAR concepts and strategies, when data is collected three to six months post STAR Training. Additionally, qualitative data has been collected from STAR graduates revealing the training’s effectiveness and how the concepts and strategies are used in their lives and work.
From 2014-2016 daily pre and post surveys were again administered to assess the change in 57 subjects’ level of confidence of the STAR Training’s conceptual and strategic topics. Each survey had 2-3 questions (12 questions total) using a 7-point Likert scale. Paired sample two-tailed t-test was used to analyze the data to determine statistical significance of subjects’ responses.
Day 1
1. I am confident in my capacity to name at least five types of trauma and the systems they impact.
Finding: 2.47 mean increase in confidence; SD: 1.36; p < 0.00001
2. I am confident in my capacity to describe why some individuals, families, and communities do not “just get over” trauma?
Finding: 1.46 mean increase in confidence; SD: 1.23; p < 0.00001
Day 2
3. I am confident in my capacity to identify at least one common longer term trauma reactions following a traumatic event from each of the following areas: physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, spiritual, and societal.
Finding: 2.41 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.90; p < 0.00001
4. I am confident in my capacity to provide psychological and emotional first aid to individuals, families, and communities.
Finding: 2.21 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.98; p < 0.00001
5. I am confident in my capacity to recognize cycles of violence associated with unhealed trauma.
Finding: 2.18 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.86; p < 0.00001
Day 3
6. I am confident in my capacity to identify at least three strategies of trauma acknowledgement from the STAR model.
Finding: 3.41 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.97; p < 0.00001
7. I am confident in my capacity to identify at least three strategies for reconnecting with “the other” from the STAR model.
Finding: 3.29 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.99; p < 0.00001
Day 4
8. I am confident in my capacity to identify at least three basic questions of the restorative justice process.
Finding: 2.65 mean increase in confidence; SD: 1.08; p < 0.00001
9. I am confident in my capacity to identify the four primary ways individuals and groups respond to violence and conflict.
Finding: 2.47 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.90; p < 0.00001
10. I am confident in my capacity to use the STAR model as an assessment tool for myself and community.
Finding: 1.91 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.89; p < 0.00001
Day 5
11. I am confident in my capacity to identify at least three factors of resilience in my own life.
Finding: 1.72 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.78; p < 0.00001
12. I am confident in my capacity to use self-care assessment tools to address my self-care needs.
Finding: 2.16 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.80; p < 0.00001
Summary: These evidence-based quantitative research findings in Minnesota strongly suggest that the STAR Training effectively increases subjects’ confidence to address psychological trauma, break cycles of violence, and build resilience. Future research will include larger research sample, longitudinal sustainability effectiveness of STAR concepts and strategies, and assessment of transfer of STAR concepts into subjects’ spheres of influence.
By the end of the STAR training, trainees have:
- Distinguished between various types of trauma and negative and positive responses to trauma and relate it to your individual, community, and societal history.
- Examined the links between unhealed trauma and cycles of victimhood and violence and described how s/he has seen these cycles operate in one’s own situation.
- Studied the STAR trauma healing model, analyzed it in light of her/his experiences, and identified ways to integrate it into her/his current work.
- Examined or practiced ways to build resilience and accompany individuals and groups on the healing journey through practicing useful personal and systemic interventions within one’s sphere of influence.
These STAR training objectives are operationalized in the research questions listed below. To provide quantitative data regarding the effectiveness of the STAR Training, since 2012 daily pre/post surveys have been collected at the STAR Trainings in Minnesota. Preliminary analysis revealed statistically significant increase in trainees’ capacity to fulfill the objectives toward understanding and addressing psychological trauma, breaking cycles of violence, and building resilience within their spheres of influence. In 2013, preliminary longitudinal results reveal significant retention, presumably because of implementation of the STAR concepts and strategies, when data is collected three to six months post STAR Training. Additionally, qualitative data has been collected from STAR graduates revealing the training’s effectiveness and how the concepts and strategies are used in their lives and work.
From 2014-2016 daily pre and post surveys were again administered to assess the change in 57 subjects’ level of confidence of the STAR Training’s conceptual and strategic topics. Each survey had 2-3 questions (12 questions total) using a 7-point Likert scale. Paired sample two-tailed t-test was used to analyze the data to determine statistical significance of subjects’ responses.
Day 1
1. I am confident in my capacity to name at least five types of trauma and the systems they impact.
Finding: 2.47 mean increase in confidence; SD: 1.36; p < 0.00001
2. I am confident in my capacity to describe why some individuals, families, and communities do not “just get over” trauma?
Finding: 1.46 mean increase in confidence; SD: 1.23; p < 0.00001
Day 2
3. I am confident in my capacity to identify at least one common longer term trauma reactions following a traumatic event from each of the following areas: physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, spiritual, and societal.
Finding: 2.41 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.90; p < 0.00001
4. I am confident in my capacity to provide psychological and emotional first aid to individuals, families, and communities.
Finding: 2.21 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.98; p < 0.00001
5. I am confident in my capacity to recognize cycles of violence associated with unhealed trauma.
Finding: 2.18 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.86; p < 0.00001
Day 3
6. I am confident in my capacity to identify at least three strategies of trauma acknowledgement from the STAR model.
Finding: 3.41 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.97; p < 0.00001
7. I am confident in my capacity to identify at least three strategies for reconnecting with “the other” from the STAR model.
Finding: 3.29 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.99; p < 0.00001
Day 4
8. I am confident in my capacity to identify at least three basic questions of the restorative justice process.
Finding: 2.65 mean increase in confidence; SD: 1.08; p < 0.00001
9. I am confident in my capacity to identify the four primary ways individuals and groups respond to violence and conflict.
Finding: 2.47 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.90; p < 0.00001
10. I am confident in my capacity to use the STAR model as an assessment tool for myself and community.
Finding: 1.91 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.89; p < 0.00001
Day 5
11. I am confident in my capacity to identify at least three factors of resilience in my own life.
Finding: 1.72 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.78; p < 0.00001
12. I am confident in my capacity to use self-care assessment tools to address my self-care needs.
Finding: 2.16 mean increase in confidence; SD: 0.80; p < 0.00001
Summary: These evidence-based quantitative research findings in Minnesota strongly suggest that the STAR Training effectively increases subjects’ confidence to address psychological trauma, break cycles of violence, and build resilience. Future research will include larger research sample, longitudinal sustainability effectiveness of STAR concepts and strategies, and assessment of transfer of STAR concepts into subjects’ spheres of influence.
Acknowledgements
Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience - STAR is a program of the
Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA
Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience - STAR is a program of the
Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA