New trauma measure now available for school psychologists

LUTZ, Fla., Oct. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Trauma is the leading cause of mortality in children.¹ Adverse childhood experiences are occurring at a staggering frequency, and they have significant downstream effects on behavior and learning potential.

Because trauma experienced anywhere has an impact on kids' school performance, school psychologists continually seek ways to quantify the impact of traumatic experiences on school-based functioning. And because teachers observe students in a classroom environment on a daily basis, they frequently notice symptoms of trauma that others don't.

The Feifer Assessment of Childhood Trauma (FACT) Teacher Form is a new teacher rating scale that measures how stress and trauma affect children's behavior and performance in school. Appropriate for students ages 4–18 years, the instrument relies on the teacher's perspective to gather information about how kids function in the classroom. It should be completed by a classroom teacher familiar with the student's typical behavior and day-to-day functioning.

Entirely digital, the test is administered through the PARiConnect online testing platform, which means it can be administered regardless of the teacher's physical location.

Test author and noted school psychologist and educational neuropsychologist Steven G. Feifer, DEd, aimed to develop a tool that would enable school staff to formulate targeted interventions that better meet students' needs. As a result, the FACT Teacher Form covers a broad range of trauma symptoms and comprises four clinical scales (Behavior, Emotional, Physiological, Academic), one index (Trauma Index), a supplemental Resiliency scale, and two validity scales. 

Critical items are included to help identify children who may need immediate follow-up or intervention.

Development of the full instrument, which will include parent and self-reports, is ongoing. However, this prepublication version has been made available for immediate use during the 2021–2022 school year.

For more information, or to order the FACT Teacher Form, visit parinc.com/FACT_Teacher or call PAR Customer Support at 1.800.331.8378.

Founded in 1978, PAR is a leading publisher of assessment instruments, software, and other related materials. Over the past four decades, PAR has earned a reputation for providing customers with innovative assessment solutions and unparalleled customer service.

¹ Paneitz, D. C., & Ahmad, S. (2018). Pediatric trauma update. Missouri Medicine, 115(5), 438–442.

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SOURCE PAR, Inc.