ERIC Number: EJ1253857
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1534-6102
EISSN: N/A
Tracings of Trauma: Engaging Learners and Challenging Veteran Stigma through Collaborative Research-Based Theater
Hooyer, Katinka; Ruffalo, Leslie; Franco, Zeno
Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, v24 n1 p127-142 2020
Military veterans are stereotyped in the media as either broken human beings or invincible heroes, often creating implicit bias and affecting medical providers' ability to establish trusting relationships. Interactive learning methods can challenge stigma and create empathic connections with veterans in a manner that conveys sensitivity. Community-engaged theater has been successfully used in health education to transfer knowledge on both emotional and cognitive levels. This article reports on a research-based theater intervention, "Tracings of Trauma," codesigned by veterans and aimed at orienting medical/allied health students to the unique experiences of combat veterans. Early stage assessment demonstrated statistically significant improvement in students' self-perceived awareness of stigma and their ability to talk to veterans and empathize with veterans' experiences. Results suggest that interactive, performance-driven dissemination can provide deeper learning experiences regarding stigmatized groups who experience trauma. Evaluating long-term impact on practice will be critical in linking this intervention to clinical outcomes.
Descriptors: Veterans, Learner Engagement, Social Bias, Negative Attitudes, Theater Arts, Health Education, Intervention, Allied Health Personnel, College Students, Student Attitudes, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Mental Health, Attitude Change, Community Involvement, Pretests Posttests, Allied Health Occupations Education
Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, University of Georgia and the Institute of Higher Education. Treanor House, 1234 South Lumpkin Street, Athens, GA 30602. Tel: 706-542-6167; Fax: 706-542-6124; e-mail: jheoe@uga.edu; Web site: http://openjournals.libs.uga.edu/index.php/jheoe
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Health Resources and Services Administration (DHHS)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: T32HP10030