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Article
Trigger Warnings in Psychology Classrooms?: Comparing Sexes from a Diverse Religious Institution
Richard Macksey Journal
  • Jasmine Collard, Andrews University
  • Herbert W Helm, Jr, Andrews University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-15-2021
Keywords
  • trigger warning,
  • sex,
  • sensitive topics,
  • psychology,
  • education
Disciplines
Abstract

Sensitive, oftentimes unsettling topics are inherent, especially in psychology education (Boysen et al., 2018). Prior notification - also known as trigger warnings - to help students prepare for, or avoid, possibly disturbing, upcoming education topics (Boysen, 2017, p. 164) are being pushed for by college students on potentially disturbing content. We previously replication Guy A. Boysen’s “Trigger Warnings in psychology Classes: What Do Students Think?” and found that students from a diverse, religious institution had few significant differences, but, in general, the results from the two data sets were quite similar (Kim et al, 2020). To expand on this knowledge, we compared the results of the different sexes within our sample by using an independent samples t-test to examine whether they are significantly different in rating the appropriateness of sensitive topics and warnings thereof in psychology classrooms. Of the 16 sensitive topics indicated in the questionnaire - sexual assault, child abuse, suicide, racial issues, self-harm, sexism, violence/trauma, eating disorders, religious issues, human sexuality, psychological symptoms, sexual orientation, stigma, social class, physical disability, and substance abuse - 10 were significantly different between the sexes. Females reported higher discomfort in all 16 sensitive topics, indicating more distress. Implications for informed preventions for various stakeholders, such as schools will be discussed.

First Department
Behavioral Sciences
Acknowledgements
Free and open access article retrieved from https://mackseyjournal.scholasticahq.com/article/27931
Citation Information
Jasmine Collard and Herbert W Helm. "Trigger Warnings in Psychology Classrooms?: Comparing Sexes from a Diverse Religious Institution" Richard Macksey Journal Vol. 2 Iss. 63 (2021) p. 1 - 15
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/herbert_helm/46/