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Trauma and Resilience in Toddlerhood and Preschool Stages
How traumatic events during the first five years of life can impact a child is well-
understood. Early childhood, including toddlerhood and preschool stages, are crucial
developmental periods when trauma can lead to changes in developmental pathways.
Specifically, this paper focuses on the developmental impact of trauma in toddlers and
preschoolers, the concept of resilience, and the possibility of spiritual development as a buffer.
Toddlers, as are in this stage, are relatively sensitive to trauma since they depend on the
caregivers and have developing brains. The primary concern at this stage is the disruption of
attachment as a consequence of trauma. A safe attachment base is crucial for a child's affective
regulation and socio-emotional functioning (Noroña‐Zhou & Tung, 2020). For example, children
who experience neglect can develop an insecure attachment style, which can result in relational
problems and difficulty with affect regulation in adulthood. These attachment patterns cause
clinginess, withdrawal, and lack of trust in others. However, another domain of development
traumatized in toddlerhood is cognitive development. Such occurrences include head injuries,
which, when experienced during the developmental years, affect language and problem-solving.
For instance, children or toddlers who have been exposed to high stress or violence might take
longer to develop speaking or thinking abilities. These delays in cognitive development affect
academic and social development and lead to difficulty as the child grows into the following
stages of development and childhood.
If a child experiences some sort of trauma in the preschool years, then the child is likely
to exhibit various behavioural and emotional concerns. A child who goes through one or several
traumatic events before starting school is likely to have behavioural difficulties like aggression,
hyperactivity, and anxiety. For instance, children who experience acts of domestic violence
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before they go to school may exhibit signs of high aggressiveness or anxiety, which make them
insecure or have no control over their actions. These disruptive behaviours can affect the child's
learning process and social relationships, making his/her development difficult (Wong et al.,
2021). Another impact of trauma that is commonly observed in preschoolers is known as
emotional dysregulation. Some of the expected effects of traumatic stress observed in youngsters
are temper tantrums, isolative behaviour, and inability to handle ordinary stressors. Such
dysregulation affects the individual's ability to develop and sustain reciprocal relationships with
peers and other adults. For example, a preschooler who lost a parent might demonstrate complex
emotions when facing small stressful events and have difficulty learning to interact with peers,
play, or do age-appropriate work in preschool.
Resilience is of great importance to reduce trauma’s impact on toddler and preschool
children. Recommended early childhood experiences include having a supportive caregiver,
patient care and relationships that create coping mechanisms for traumatized children to provide
better outcomes. Other strategies that strengthen caregiving relationships between caregivers and
their children or improve the caregiving environment are crucial for developing resilience (Wong
et al., 2021). Speaking of examples, one can mention such therapeutic programs that aim at
enhancing the level of non-directive caregiving because disrupted relationships can cause delays
in the child's cognitive development. Preschooler resilience may be supported through primary
attunement, positive reinforcement tactics, and curative factors such as play therapy. For
example, play therapy for preschoolers is a method that enables children to act out their feelings
and incidents in a safe context and, thus, to modify their tendencies for the worse in the event of
being traumatized.
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Studies show that spiritual development may serve as an effective preventive measure
against the impact of trauma. Religion and religious involvement also enable people to find
purpose, optimism and belonging in life, enhancing recovery and strength (Onyishi et al., 2022).
For instance, participation in religious or spiritual organizations provides companionship and a
sense of purpose in life, which may also help in healing after a traumatic event. Spiritual
development could also enhance optimism and strategies for addressing childhood stress and
adversity. Prayer, meditation, and other religious activities can improve one's self-control, thus
mitigating the effects of trauma.
In conclusion, traumas during toddlerhood and preschool age can significantly affect
development, which can be observed in insecure attachment, cognitive impairments, behavioural
difficulties, and affective dysregulation. The impact of these effects can be diminished by
resilience, including beneficial relations, stability, and therapeutic approaches. Moreover,
spiritual development provides another tool that can be used to rehabilitate and prevent
traumatized individuals. Future studies could be carried out to establish how spiritual growth acts
as a protective factor and to identify how spiritual practices can be incorporated more
specifically in the treatment itineraries for traumatized youthful children.
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References
Noroña‐Zhou, A. N., & Tung, I. (2020). Developmental patterns of emotion regulation in
toddlerhood: Examining predictors of change and long‐term resilience. Infant Mental
Health Journal, 42(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.21877
Onyishi, C. N., Eseadi, C., Ilechukwu, L. C., Okoro, K. N., Okolie, C. N., Egbule, E., & Asogwa,
E. (2022). Potential influences of religiosity and religious coping strategies on people
with diabetes. World Journal of Clinical Cases, 10(25), 8816–8826.
https://doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v10.i25.8816
Wong, D. W., Hall, K. R., & Wong Hernandez, L. (2021). Counselling individuals through the
lifespan. Sage.
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