Abstract
This two-phase study investigated New Zealand primary school teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of childhood mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), and evaluated the effectiveness of a professional development workshop for enhancing teacher knowledge regarding mTBI. In phase one, 19 teachers from schools in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty engaged in interviews regarding their understanding of mTBI and their experiences of learning and professional development in regards to this topic. In phase two, 38 teachers across three schools participated in and evaluated a workshop that focused on increasing knowledge of possible mTBI effects and intervention strategies. The results of phase one found that teachers had a limited understanding of mTBI, its implications in childhood and how to manage its effects at school. Few had engaged in formal learning opportunities related to childhood TBI. In phase two, the brief professional development workshop resulted in a significant increase in TBI knowledge, with teachers identifying the need for practice adaptation. The findings enrich what is known regarding New Zealand teachers’ knowledge of mTBI and demonstrates the potential usefulness of brief professional development approaches to inform classroom practice and enhance functional outcomes for children who have experienced mTBI.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, N. J., Irons, E. J., Kirk, E., Monk, P., Carlson, N. L., & Allen, D. (2012). Educators’ knowledge of traumatic brain injury. National Social Science Journal, 37(2), 1–6.
Babbie, E. (2011). The basics of social research. Belmont: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.
Bazarian, J. J., McClung, J., Shah, M. N., Cheng, Y. T., Flesher, W., & Kraus, J. (2005). Mild traumatic brain injury in the United States, 1998-2000. Brain Injury, 19(2), 85–91.
Bickerstaff, L. (2010). Frequently asked questions about concussions. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group.
Borse, N. N., Gilchrist, J., Dellinger, A. M., Rudd, R. A., Ballestreros, M. F., & Sleet, D. A. (2008). CDC Childhood Injury Report: Patterns of unintentional injuries among 0-19 year olds in the United States, 2000-2006. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention.
Brady, D., & Brady, F. (2011). Sport-related concussions: Myths and facts. Available from http://concussiontreatment.com/imagse/Brady_and_Brady_Concussion.S_Myths_and_Facts.pdf
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.
Dise-Lewis, J. E., Lewis, H. C., & Reichardt, C. S. (2009). BrainSTARS: Pilot data on a team-based intervention program for students who have acquired brain injury. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 24(3), 166–177.
Farmer, J. E., & Johnson-Gerard, M. (1997). Misconceptions about traumatic brain injury among educators and rehabilitation staff: A comparative study. Rehabilitation Psychology, 42(4), 273–286.
Feigin, V. L., Barker-Collo, S., Krishnamurthi, R., Theadom, A., & Starkey, N. (2010). Epidemiology of ischaemic stroke and traumatic brain injury. Best Practice and Research in Clinical Anaesthesiology, 24, 733–741.
Feigin, V. L., Theadom, A., Barker-Collo, S., Starkey, N. J., McPherson, K., Kahan, M., et al. (2013). Incidence of traumatic brain injury in New Zealand: A population-based study. The Lancet Neurology, 12(1), 53–64.
Fullan, M. G., & Miles, M. B. (1992). Getting reform right: What works and what doesn’t. Phi Delta Kappan, 73(10), 745–752.
Garet, M. S., Porter, A. C., Desimone, L., Birman, B. F., & Yoon, K. S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 915–945.
Gersten, R., Vaugh, S., Deshler, D., & Schiller, E. (1997). What we know about using research findings: Implications for improving special education practice. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30(5), 466–476.
Guskey, T. R. (2000). Evaluating professional development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Iverson, G. L., Gagnon, I., & Griesbach, G. S. (2012). Active rehabilitation for slow-to-recover children. In M. W. Kirkwood & K. O. Yeates (Eds.), Mild traumatic brain injury in children and adolescents: From basic science to clinical management (pp. 281–302). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Keyser-Marcus, L., Briel, L., Sherron-Targett, P., Yasuda, S. I., & Wehman, P. (2002). Enhancing the schooling of students with traumatic brain injury. Teaching Exceptional Children, 34(4), 62–67.
Kirk, J. W., Slomine, B., & Dise-Lewis, J. E. (2012). School-based management. In M. W. Kirkwood & K. O. Yeates (Eds.), Mild traumatic brain injury in children and adolescents: From basic science to clinical management (pp. 321–340). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Kirkwood, M. W., & Yeates, K. O. (2010). Neurobehavioral outcomes of pediatric mTBI. In V. Anderson & K. O. Yeates (Eds.), Pediatric traumatic brain injury (pp. 94–117). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Linden, M. A., Braiden, H. J., & Miller, S. (2013). Educational professionals’ understanding of childhood traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 27(1), 92–102.
McKinlay, A. (2009). Controversies and outcomes associated with mTBI in childhood and adolescence. Child: Care, Health and Development, 26, 3–21.
McKinlay, A., Grace, R., Horwood, J., Fergusson, D., & MacFarlane, M. (2009). Adolescent psychiatric symptoms following preschool childhood mild traumatic brain injury: Evidence from a birth cohort. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 24(3), 221–227.
McKinlay, A., Grace, R. C., Horwood, L. J., Fergusson, D. M., Ridder, E. M., & MacFarlane, M. R. (2008). Prevalence of traumatic brain injury among children, adolescents and young adults: Prospective evidence from a birth cohort. Brain Injury, 22(2), 175–181.
Mohr, J. D., & Bullock, L. M. (2005). Traumatic brain injury: Perspectives from educational professionals. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 49(4), 53–57.
Molnar, S. B. (2010). Teachers’ understanding of traumatic brain injury (Unpublished thesis). Ohio University, Athens, USA
Moore, E. L., Terryberry-Spohr, L., & Hope, D. A. (2006). Mild traumatic brain injury and anxiety sequelae: A review of the literature. Brain Injury, 20(2), 117–132.
Olsson, K. A., Lloyd, O. T., Lebrocque, R. M., McKinlay, L., Anderson, V. A., & Kenardy, J. A. (2013). Predictors of post-concussion symptoms at 5 and 18 months following mild traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 18(11), 1135–1153.
Swaine, B., Gagnon, I., Champagne, F., Lefebvre, H., Friedman, D., Atkinson, J., et al. (2008). Identifying the specific needs of adolescents after a mild traumatic brain injury: A service provider perspective. Brain Injury, 22, 581–588.
Taylor, H. G., Dietrich, A., Nuss, K., Wright, M., Rusin, J., Bangert, B., et al. (2010). Post-concussive symptoms in children with mild traumatic brain injury. Neuropsychology, 24(2), 148–159.
World Health Organisation. (2006). Neurological disorders: Public health challenges. Geneva: WHO Press.
Yeates, K. O. (2010). MTBI and post-concussive symptoms in children and adolescents. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 16(6), 953–960.
Yeates, K. O., Kaizar, E., Rusin, J., Bangert, B., Dietrich, A., Nuss, K., et al. (2012). Reliable change in postconcussive symptoms and its functional consequences among children with mild traumatic brain injury. Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine, 166(7), 615–622.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Case, R.J.L., Starkey, N.J., Jones, K. et al. New Zealand Teachers’ Understanding of Childhood Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Investigating and Enhancing Teacher Knowledge and Practice. NZ J Educ Stud 52, 159–176 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40841-017-0080-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40841-017-0080-5