Chapter 2

Review of related literature

The related literature and studies about trauma were collected in order to have a

better understanding about the statement of the problem. Studies such as causes,

effects, manifestation, ways to overcome trauma, and results of other studies were

included to serve as a guide for the researchers to expand their views about the

research.

According to Magruder et. al (2017) traumatic events can be influenced by a

person's personality, peer relationships, community characteristics, and sociopolitical

factors in addition to just happening at random. The social fabric of society and

communities can be severely impacted by catastrophic events like natural and man-

made disasters and terrorist attacks, which can also result in property destruction

and infrastructure damage in addition to injuries and fatalities. .In the related

literature of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2015), it

shows that two thirds of children experienced at least 1 traumatic events like abuse,

violence, national disaster, sudden lost of a loved one, illness, war experiences, and

physical or sexual assault. Morever, study of Center for Substance Abuse Treatment

US (2014) states that the most common trauma reported is the sudden death of a

loved one with 30.5%, followed by witnessing violence with 21.8%, and lastly,

experiencing intrapersonal violence with 18.8%. This shows that a wide variety of

reasons regarding the cause of trauma is present not only to the social status of a

person but also their environment.

 Fear, guilt, anger, and depression are the most common initial reaction to a

trauma. It also includes exhaustion, confusion, sadness, anxiety, agitation, physical

arousal, numbness, disassociation (Jackson, 2022). Students with trauma has a

behavioral manifestations of work avoidance, feelings of emptiness, or low self-

efficacy. In the last two years, students have disclosed their difficulties during during

class with personal troubles, ranging from unplanned pregnancies, financial

difficulties, loss of a family member, homelessness, to long-term illness or injury.

Whereas some students can respond to events by suggesting support, self-efficacy,

and access to what they need to successfully engage in their coursework after

experiencing an adverse, significant event, others may appear withdrawn, stop

regularly attending classes, turn in assignments late or not at all, and may not reach

out for support.(Bohannon, Clapsaddle, & McCollum, 2019). This shows, a severe

traumatic experience may dramatically change a person's attitude towards life and

the world and, thus, the way this person is acting. It impacts their overall attitude

towards their peers, family, and friends which directly impacts their self as well. This

impact differs widely from being bad to good depending on the variety of factors that

may result in different outcomes on how these individuals handle their

attitude/situation and how the trauma changes the person's life.

Survivors may readily rely on family, friends, or other social supports—or they may

avoid support, either because they think no one will be understanding or reliable, or

because they think their needs would burden others. Strong emotional or physical

reactions, like convulsions during nightmares, may cause survivors to withdraw even

more out of concern that they won't be able to control their own behavior or

safeguard the safety of others. Trauma survivors frequently feel guilty of their stress

responses, which makes it harder for them to utilize their resources and support
networks effectively (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment US, 2014). Meanwhile,

based on the study of (Frieze, 2015), students who are exposed to trauma affects

stundent’s learning and behavior. They are unable to concentrate in school and tend

have attention problems, lower cognitive functioning, achievement problem, and

grade repeats. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2015)

also states that it have a long-term health problems such as diabetes and heart

disease. According to the study of Miller (2023), students who have trauma may

have experience trouble forming relationships with teachers and hypervigilance. In

the study of Sànchez-Cardona et. al (2021) (as cited in the of Porche et. al 2011)

study of it shows that of 16% young adults have dropped out of highschool after

experiencing a trauma and mental health problems. This conclude, there are a

variety of ways a person who has gone into trauma handle their situation. Some

remains productive and on the latter some may otherwise stop functioning entirely, it

just depends on the person and the environment they are put it.

Students have different coping mechanism to overcome their trauma.According to

Anastasova (2014), there two types of coping strategies: Engagement or positive

coping and disengagement or negative coping. In the study of Anastasova (2014) (as

cited in Pargament et. al 1998), religious coping strategies can be both positive and

negative coping. Religious purification, forgiveness, seeking spiritual support, and

benevolent religious appraisal were all included in positive coping mechanisms to

lessen the distress, while coping strategies like spiritual discontent, demonic or

punishing God reappraisal and interpersonal religious discontent were all negative

coping. Moreover, the study of Anastasova can bee seen in the findings of Tumuti &

Wang’eri (2014), that the most effective coping strategies and coping mechanisms of

a student were positive coping strategies including attempting to solve the problem,
striving to forget the problem existed, seeking help from others, and seeking to avoid

trauma triggers while the negative coping strategies like smoking cigarettes and

drinking alcohol were the least commonly reported coping mechanisms.

Furthermore, the majority of students preferred to seek assistance from close friends

and family, with only a small percentage seeking assistance from university

programs such as psychological counseling and other social support systems.

Anastasova (2014) (as cited in Croog & Levine, 1972) also states that positive

coping strategies were used more than the negative coping mechanisms. In short,

students tend to seek the more positive coping mechanism rather than oping for the

less positive one. These examples show us that not only do students prefer a much

healthier and greater approach in dealing with their trauma, it also shows us that

choosing to depend on families and peers is the best solution over all. The help that

they bring is undisputed and is by far the best option in dealing with trauma rather

than the other options.