ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the physical, emotional and cognitive dimensions of the impact of trauma are discussed in relation to potential for learning, developing social relationships, and belonging and trusting. Particular attention is paid to the considerable impact of trauma in specific stages of child development which may impair the brain’s capacity to effectively develop the cognitive skills required to learn effectively. The informed perspectives of the research participants are presented, illustrating a critical awareness that the impact of trauma on the frontal lobes of the brain is frequently most damaging during the period of puberty and adolescence, impairing the successful development of the cognitive capacities of executive function.
