An initial aim of the TIA-HE Steering Group is to establish a working definition for trauma-informed approaches (TIAs) in higher education in the UK and beyond, informed by practical, evidence-based strategies and research. A working definition is needed if universities are to embed TIAs in their policies, practices, and broader institutional cultures.
Drawing upon earlier definitions, some of which are outlined below, our current working definition of trauma-informed approaches in higher education is:
Adoption of institution‑wide practices, policies, and pedagogies that are grounded in an understanding of how trauma affects individuals (students, staff, and any other stakeholders) and communities. Trauma-informed approaches aim to create higher education environments that reduce risks of re‑traumatisation and promote inclusion and positive outcomes by applying trauma-informed principles.
There is no single, agreed-upon definition of trauma. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2014) in the USA defines individual trauma as resulting:
from an event series of events, or set of circumstances that [are] experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening and [which have] lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.
Notice SAMSHA’s emphasis on individual experience. A widely held view in trauma studies is that trauma is not the event itself, but the way in which persons experience and live with the event. An event that is traumatising for one person may not be for another.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) currently uses the following general definition of trauma:
Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.
The International Classification of Diseases (ICD), produced by the World Health Organization (WHO), has this general definition:
Exposure to extremely threatening or horrific events or series of events.
The UK Trauma Council (2026) has a useful explainer and comparison piece on the DSM and ICD definitions and criteria.
Some of the criticisms of DSM and ICD, as well as some of their affordances, are considered by Fritscher (2026) and Pickersgill (2013) focuses on a critique of the DSM.
Trauma-informed approaches (TIAs) are strengths-based, person-centred approaches to practice and service design and delivery, grounded in the understanding that trauma exposure can impact an individual’s development and experiences in wide-ranging settings. Trauma-informed approaches recognise these impacts and aims to reduce risks of further harm or re-traumatisation by removing barriers to engagement.
Trauma-informed approaches recognise trauma as arising from diverse sources including individual, interpersonal, social, structural, historical, and identity-based sources. Trauma-informed approaches were originally described for use in mental healthcare settings, where it was noted that individuals impacted by trauma may experience barriers to engaging with and benefitting from healthcare services. These approaches are now applied in wide-ranging services and setting including healthcare generally, legal and justice systems and education at all levels.
Trauma-informed approaches, pedagogy or practice do not require specialist trauma skills or replace specialist trauma therapy, where this is indicated. Being trauma-informed doesn’t require omission or avoidance of challenging or distressing content but instead aims to remove barriers to engagement and promote greater safety.
Some key terms are used interchangeably including “trauma-informed approaches” “trauma-informed care”, and “trauma-informed practice”. These broadly have the same premise and apply similar assumptions are core principles. For further reading, the UK Government has a working definition of trauma-informed practice for health and social care contexts (OHID, 2022)
Trauma-informed pedagogy is an approach to teaching and learning that acknowledges the presence and impact of trauma in students’ lives and enables educators to appreciate that trauma exposure among students may impair self-regulated learning and result in academic challenges (Bitanihirwe and Imad, 2023).
“Trauma-informed pedagogy (TIP) seeks to provide opportunities for meaningful learning by minimizing disruptions to both cognitive functioning and relationships within the classroom” (Anderson, 2026).
Trauma-informed practice and pedagogy have important links to inclusion and social justice. In particular, research suggests, community and connection are essential to students’ sense of wellbeing, and universities must adopt genuinely intersectional perspectives, as individuals’ experiences of trauma are shaped by differences of race, class, gender, sexuality and more (Bryce et al., 2026).
