1. Phase 1 – Module 1 Trauma And Brain Development, Effects On Behaviour
Regional Community Childcare Development Fund Positive Behaviour Support in Early Childhood
Phase 1 – Module 1
Trauma And Brain Development, Effects On Behaviour
Supported by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program and the Department of Communities. 

2. Phase One Modules Trauma and brain development, effects on behaviour
What is Positive Behaviour Support?
Defining expected behaviours
Expectations
Behaviours
Procedures and Routines
Precorrections
Teaching behaviour to all children

3. Acknowledgements:
Dr Bruce Perry and the Child Trauma Academy The Australian Childhood Foundation especially the SMART online training u/smart-online-training

4. This is a draft document in development and supported by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program and the Department of Communities.
What is Trauma?
... An event which overwhelms the capacity to cope.  (Nijenhuis, 2005)
This is a draft document in development and supported by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program and the Department of Communities 4

5. What is Trauma?
… induces an abnormally intense and prolonged stress response (Perry, 2002).
Copyright © Georgetown University

6. What is Trauma?
… in children “may be expressed by disorganised or agitated behaviour.” DSM-IV-tr (2000)

7. Acute Response to Trauma
Terror
Vulnerable
few supports
Fear
Normal
with supports
Alarm
Vulnerable “with supports”
Dissociation or
Resilient
Vigilance
Calm
Traumatic Event
Slide from Dr Bruce Perry

8. Chronic Trauma Multiple traumatic events
Eg a child who is exposed to domestic violence, is involved in a serious car accident, and then becomes a victim of community violence—or longstanding trauma such as physical abuse, neglect, or war.
The effects of chronic trauma
are often cumulative.

9. Multiple Traumatic Events
Terror
Fear
Alarm
Vigilance
Calm
Event #1
Event #2
Event #3
Slide from Dr Bruce Perry

10. Dr Bruce Perry Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOsgDkeH52o
Seven Slide Series Video: The Human Brain
This is a free, 14 minute online video created and narrated by Bruce D. Perry.  Core concepts regarding brain structure and function are introduced providing the basis for developmentally sensitive and trauma-informed caregiving, education and therapy.
Perry, B.D., (The ChildTrauma Academy). (2013) 1: The Human Brain [Video webcast]. In Seven Slide Series. 

11. The Developing Brain Needs:
Healthy Relationships
Positive Experiences
Consistent and Secure Environment

12. Brains Develop in and with Interactions
Image from Dr Bruce Perry

13. Developing Brain - bottom up
Person brain
Mammal brain
Crocodile brain
Triune brain concept by American neuroscientist Paul D. MacLean
Graphic from Australian Childhood Foundation SMART Training

15. Professional Development
Record
On your page, write a brief summary of what the different parts of the brain do

16. The person brain is there to control the crocodile brain
This is a draft document in development and supported by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program and the Department of Communities.
The person brain is there to control the crocodile brain
This image is showing that the person brain is there to control the crocodile brain. It allows us to ‘not belt someone because they are annoying us’.
Image downloaded from
This is a draft document in development and supported by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program and the Department of Communities

17. The Person Brain and behaviour
This is a draft document in development and supported by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program and the Department of Communities.
The Person Brain and behaviour
Related to self control:
recognise future consequences
suppress unacceptable social responses
judgement & problem-solving
Graphic from eolas.org/2012/04/29/strengthening-your-self-control/
There is a powerful circuit linking the amygdala to the pre-frontal cortex, which is where decisions are made.
Inhibiting neurons can say “No,” to the amygdala. If these don’t work well then there can be dire consequences and such people are much more likely to be aggressive. Research has found that the pre-frontal cortex has a lower level of functioning in murderers.
Pre-frontal cortex – the “guardian of behaviour.”
There are few inter-connections between the FLs and limbic system in toddlers, but from 3-6 yrs. old they increase and the frontal lobes ‘come on line.’…i.e. the executive functions (Luria) The FLs are where 60% of brain activity occurs. (cf Richard Tremblay’s research – we learn NOT to be aggressive.
The FL development is related to self control – this is why very young children can’t control themselves well.
From 5-7 years a major shift occurs in which networks in the frontal areas achieve significant dominance with regard to exerting emotional self-regulation and behavioural control. Children who learn to label their feelings, see adults modelling claming down and learn to calm down themselves, develop stronger connections. So the FL becomes a wise decision-maker that doesn’t react to every emotion.
Pre-Frontal Functions
Regulative – inhibition…attention…managing emotions/impulse control. Marshmallow Test – intrusive thoughts interfered with non-waiters.
Executive functions involve: the ability to recognise future consequences resulting from current actions; to choose between good and bad habits; override and suppress unacceptable social responses; determine similarities and differences between things or events i.e. judgement and problem-solving.
PATHS has been scientifically demonstrated to change the structure of the FLs (“The Mediational Role of Neurocognition in the Behavioural Outcomes of a Social-Emotional Prevention Program in Elementary School childrens: Effects of the PATHS Curriculum” – by Riggs, Greenberg, Kushe and Pentz. Published in Prevention Science (2006)
The FLs also play an important part in retaining longer term memories which are not task-based. These are often identified with associated emotions, derived from input from the brain’s limbic system, and modified by the higher frontal lobe centres to fit generally acceptable norms.
The FLs have rich neurological input from both the alert centres in the brain-stem and from the limbic regions. 17
This is a draft document in development and supported by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program and the Department of Communities 17

18. In the brain of someone who has experienced a variety of emotional,
behavioral and cognitive stimuli, a “top heavy” ratio develops.
In this ratio, the cortical (thinking) brain matures to moderate the more primitive instincts of the midbrain/brainstem.
Information from Bruce Perry M.D., Ph.D. 1997

19. When key experiences (which develop the cortical/limbic part of the brain) are absent or minimal, the “higher” to “lower” brain ratio is impaired.
In this case, the ability of the brain to moderate impulsive, reactive responses and to work through frustration is diminished significantly.
Information from Bruce Perry M.D., Ph.D. 1997

20. Watch Video Harvard Centre on the Developing Child
Impact of neglect on the developing brain

21. Walk and Talk Talk to the person next to you about what you learnt.
Write a few notes on your record about how repeated trauma or neglect can impact the brain of a developing child.

22. Children raised in environments characterised by domestic violence, physical abuse or other persistent trauma will develop an excessively active midbrain/brainstem.
This results in an overly active and reactive stress response and a predisposition to aggression and impulsiveness.
Information from Bruce Perry M.D., Ph.D. 1997

23. When the developing brain is both deprived of sensory stimuli and experiences traumatic stress, the brainstem/ midbrain to cortical/limbic ratio is profoundly altered.
Information from Bruce Perry M.D., Ph.D. 1997

24. So what can we do to help?
Your interactions with children are valuable and healing!

25. Brains develop in and with interactions
Healthy Relationships
Positive Experiences
Consistent and Secure Environment
Image from Dr Bruce Perry

26. Every adult in your environment is a potential positive relationship for a child!
Traumatised children need repeated opportunities of positive exchanges with adults to change the lens they carry about how relationships are experienced.

27. Things we can do are:
Interacting warmly with children – enjoying playing with, talking to and being with them.
Teaching children the skills to be socially successful (we use program-wide Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) for this.

28. Professional Development
Record
We can make a difference!
Write a couple of things we can do to help children – whether they have a trauma history or not - be more socially and behaviourally successful.