Adults Can Help Teens Manage Academics During Trauma

As 2017 comes to a close, many teens are feeling the effects of devastating events, including school shootings, natural disasters and terrorist attacks.

"They are bombarded constantly, and they are very connected to it," says David Head, director of mental health and wellness for Communities In Schools Houston, part of a national nonprofit that provides services to underserved students.

Students directly and indirectly affected by these events may be feeling the effects of trauma – including difficulty concentrating, anxiety, fear, withdrawal from others and loss of control. And these could hurt their academic performance, he says.

Head also notes that trauma can be more complex than one event. For instance, students may be experiencing trauma because of poverty or abuse.

However, high school teachers and parents can help.

"The best intervention for students in trauma is to have a conscious adult in their life," Head says.

Read the full story at U.S. News and World Report