Date of Conferral

10-2-2026

Date of Award

October 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Robin Friedman

Abstract

Latino immigrant students in U.S. public high schools are disproportionately exposed to trauma related to migration experiences, family separation, poverty, and acculturative stress, yet many teachers report feeling underprepared to address students’ trauma-related needs in culturally responsive ways. Limited research has examined high school teachers’ lived experiences implementing trauma-informed practices with Latino immigrant students, particularly from teachers’ own perspectives. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore high school teachers’ lived experiences implementing trauma-informed practices with Latino immigrant students, including their perceptions of preparedness and the factors influencing implementation. Guided by principles of trauma-informed care (TIC) and relational-cultural theory (RCT), the focus of the study was to understand teachers’ professional experiences related to trauma-responsive teaching. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 13 high school teachers and analyzed using Moustakas’s transcendental phenomenological method. Five themes emerged: (a) building trusting relationships; (b) understanding cultural, family, and immigration experiences; (c) trauma across the immigration experience; (d) emotional, behavioral, and academic manifestations of trauma; and (e) need for trauma-informed training and systemic supports. Findings emphasized the importance of relationships, cultural understanding, and stronger trauma-informed preparation and support. The study may contribute to positive social change by informing culturally responsive, trauma-sensitive educational practices that support Latino immigrant students’ academic and emotional well-being

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