Trigger Warnings Are Not Enough: Trauma-Informed Prevention Programming

At Soteria Solutions, we implement programs focused on preventing sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking and discrimination. Therefore, nearly all of the content in any of our programs could be potentially triggering to participants who have directly experienced – or had someone close to them experience – interpersonal violence. We also focus on primary prevention programming, which is designed for participants who have not had previous conversations about violence.

Because of our focus on emotionally-charged topics, you may be surprised that we do not use the phrase "trigger warning” in our programs. Here are three reasons why:

1. We Aren’t Sure They Are Effective

Recent research about using trigger warning language also suggests that such warnings do not prevent or mitigate distress and may, in fact, increase distress.1,2,3 Although it is trauma-informed and survivor-centered to let participants know what is coming next throughout a program, by labeling a specific portion of a program as needing a trigger warning makes many assumptions about what specific post-traumatic stress disorder triggers may be for survivors.4 In other words, we do not want to make choices for survivors about what might cause distress but give them options throughout the program.

2. To Reduce Backlash

A goal of primary prevention programming using a bystander approach is to shift bystanders’ knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, intention and behavior a little bit, in a more positive direction, while mitigating backlash.5 With brief prevention programs, especially, we are walking a thin line between nudging participants forward a little bit and not inspiring pushback. The phrase “trigger warning” has unfortunately been politicized, and we don’t want to distract from the prevention programming message and skills practice when it isn’t necessary.

3. We Want to Be Holistically Trauma-Informed and Survivor-Centered

We advocate for a trauma-informed approach throughout our programs, which frequently involves foreshadowing what comes next and reminding participants about their upfront group agreement around self-care. For example, before beginning an exercise a facilitator might say "Now, we're going to be transitioning to an exercise that may provoke emotions like sadness or anger. Remember that you are welcome to participate at the level that makes sense to you right now and to take care of yourself.”

We will share more on trauma-informed prevention in future posts. In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more about multiple approaches to teaching in a trauma-informed, survivor-centered way, check out Dr. Nicole Bedera’s article on trauma-informed teaching here.6

To learn more about our proven prevention solutions for the workplace, colleges and high schools, contact us. Together we can make the world a safer and better place for all.

Dr. LB Klein is Director of Evaluation and Implementation with Soteria Solutions as well as an assistant professor in the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work and core faculty member of the Sexual Violence Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

References:

  • 1 Bellet, B. W., Jones, P. J., & McNally, R. J. (2018). Trigger warning: Empirical evidence ahead. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 134-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2018.07.002
  • 2 Boysen, G. A., Isaacs, R. A., Tretter, L., & Markowski, S. (2021). Trigger warning efficacy: The impact of warnings on affect, attitudes, and learning. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 7(1), 39–52. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000150
  • 3 Bridgland, V. M. E., Barnard, J. F., & Takarangi, M. K. T. (2022). Unprepared: Thinking of a trigger warning does not prompt preparation for trauma-related content. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2021.1017
  • 4 Boysen, G. A. (2017). Evidence-based answers to questions about trigger warnings for clinically-based distress: A review for teachers. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 3(2), 163–177. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000084
  • 5 Moynihan, M. M. & Barnyard, V. L. (2011). Educating bystanders helps prevention sexual violence and reduce backlash. Journal of Intimate Partner Violence Quarterly, 3(4), 293-303.
  • 6 Bedera, N. (2021). Beyond trigger warnings: A survivor-centered approach to teaching on sexual violence and avoiding institutional betrayal. Teaching Sociology, 49(3), 267–277. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092055X211022471
Jennifer Scrafford