Tools for Transformative Practice: A Serious Game for Trauma-Informed Early Education

• In Event: Approaches to Trauma-Informed Teaching in Early Childhood Education: Responding to Childhood Adversity Through Pedagogical Change

Abstract

Objectives: Trauma-informed (TI) interventions for early childhood educators (ECE) have grown in popularity (Compton et al., 2023), yet evidence of their effectiveness remains limited (Maynard et al., 2019). Most rely on didactic instruction and lack opportunities for real-world skill-building (Thomas et al., 2019). Serious games — designed to improve knowledge or change behavior through interactive play — offers an innovative, scalable, evidence-based solution. These experiential, active, and problem-based tools are more effective at increasing knowledge and skills than traditional didactic training methods (Haoran et al., 2019). By integrating interactive, scenario-based learning with real-time feedback, they can address the limitations of existing TI ECE interventions. Serious games can also provide learning environments that approximate professional stressors (Bruzzone & Massei, 2017; Davis et al., 2021; Haoran et al., 2019; Stavroulia & Lanitis, 2019), such as the cognitive load of navigating the social-emotional needs of trauma-exposed young children in a classroom setting.
This paper will review preliminary feasibility data gathered during the iterative development of a serious game TI mobile tool focused on providing TI training to preschool teachers.

Theoretical Framework: The TI mobile tool is guided by the Prosocial Classroom Model, which links teacher skills and social-emotional competencies to child behavioral, social, and relational outcomes (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009). Game design centers teachers’ emotional regulation and relational engagement with students, operationalized through an action economy framework: Teacher Energy (TE) and Student-Teacher Relationships (STR) shift based on user actions during the game, highlighting the impact of teacher choices on student well-being.

Modes of Inquiry/Data Sources: A user-centered design approach guided development, incorporating mixed-method feedback across phases. Several rounds of user research feedback was gathered during the iterative development process. Before game development, this included interviews with ECE experts at the initial game design stage (n=5 ECE). After the initial game development, user research testing was conducted with game development experts (n=3) and interdisciplinary TI content experts (n=5). Data gathered including in-game analytics (e.g., play duration before loss condition) and qualitative feedback regarding feasibility, acceptability, and user experience. Data informed the iterative development process.

Results: Initial expert feedback informed the game design, including win/loss conditions and the use of “random events” to reflect external stressors. User testing informed refinements included:1) revising teacher response options to student behavior, 2) embedding emotion regulation supports that simulate reflective supervision; 3) streamlining feedback and tips to improve TI content uptake. Users found the game acceptable and engaging, especially as classroom complexity increased (e.g., from 3 students on Day 1 to five on Day 3). Feedback emphasized the importance of linking emotion regulation activities to gameplay benefits, such as increased energy during classroom scenes, to reinforce key TI concepts.

Significance: This project contributes to emerging scholarship on innovative TI professional development tools that leverage digital technology and serious games. Early findings suggest serious games may provide a feasible, cost-effective, and engaging platform for enhancing TI practices in ECE settings.

Authors

• Alysse Loomis, University of Utah

• Ashley Guajardo, University of Utah

• Arjun Shivakumar, University of Utah

• Rose McLaughlin, University of California - Davis

• Kristine Campbell, University of Utah