Virtual training in trauma-informed care core principles: Program design and evaluation

ABSTRACT

This quantitative research study evaluates the effectiveness of virtual training in trauma-informed care that was designed as part of the investigation to disseminate knowledge on SAMHSA's six core principles among human service providers and facilitators in community mental health settings. The online training was designed on the university learning platform Blackboard and used a pretest-posttest design to assess participants' baseline and acquired knowledge and their satisfaction ratings on the course. A convenience sample of 50 participants was recruited from Albizu University's human services program and nearby mental health and behavioral services in the community. A total of 46 participants (92% of those enrolled) completed the training, including licensed professionals (e.g., mental health, family therapists, behavioral analysts), clinical mental health facilitators (e.g., registered behavioral therapists, registered nurses), and social workers. Enrolled participants reviewed course materials and completed pre-and post-training assessments to determine baseline and acquired knowledge on TIC and a final survey rating their perceptions of the training's usefulness. The researcher elaborated the pre-and post-training quizzes as a modified version of the TICOMETER (Bassuk et al., 2016), and the course satisfaction survey was implemented using all 12 items (yes or no questions) of the Training Satisfaction Rating Scale by Holgado Tello, and collaborators (2006). Results showed that the virtual training designed in this investigation enhanced participants' understanding of TIC, with positive difference scores between post-training and pre-training assessments in most participants (42/46, 91%). Only 4 participants (licensed professionals) showed maximum scores at both pre-and post-training assessments. Moreover, all participants rated the training satisfactorily (average score in the sample of 11 out of 12), and 96% of participants rated it at a maximum of 12 points as highly satisfactory.As hypothesized by researchers, the level of knowledge on TIC was lower during the pre-test and increased significantly after the training. There were some differences by occupation where clinical facilitators seemed to benefit the most (higher difference scores post-training minus pre-training) compared to licensed professionals. There were also some trends due to the education levels (higher difference scores in those with bachelor's degrees compared to those holding master's and doctoral degrees). However, these trends by occupation or education level did not reach statistical significance. The study concludes that the design and use of virtual training on SAMHSA's TIC principles effectively disseminate knowledge among professionals and human services providers in the community. The use of the online modality allowed more flexibility through asynchronous activities that can be completed at the participant's own pace and facilitated its applicability. Future studies are needed to improve course materials, adjust content levels of difficulty, enhance participant engagement, and increase sample representativeness for different occupations, roles, and educational levels. This study was not intended or accredited for certification. However, this online modality further investigated and validated may become helpful for SAMHSA considering the current post-COVID situation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)