Pediatric Approach to Trauma, Treatment, and Resilience (PATTeR) for Trainees: A Standardized Trauma-Informed Care Training for Pediatric Residents

Introduction Despite increasing recognition of the importance of trauma-informed care (TIC), pediatric trainees often lack structured opportunities to develop and practice trauma-responsive communication skills. We developed and implemented a standardized training program to improve pediatric residents' TIC knowledge, confidence, and communication skills. Methods In collaboration with content experts, we developed the Pediatric Approach to Trauma, Treatment, and Resilience (PATTeR) for Trainees curriculum, implemented during the Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics rotation. The training included a 2-hour didactic session co-led by a pediatric faculty member and a clinical psychologist, along with 2 standardized patient (SP) encounters conducted before and after the didactic session. SP scenarios reflected common pediatric developmental and behavioral encounters in the context of trauma. Residents completed retrospective pre- and posttraining self-assessments of TIC knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). During SP encounters, residents were evaluated by faculty, SPs, and themselves using a validated TIC communication skills assessment tool. Results A total of 34 pediatric residents participated, 21 completed matched pre- and posttraining KAP surveys, and 23 completed matched pre- and posttraining SP encounters. Residents demonstrated statistically significant improvements in self-assessed TIC knowledge and confidence across multiple domains (median increase of 1-2 points, p < .05). TIC communication skills during SP encounters also improved significantly across faculty, SP, and resident raters (p < .05). Discussion The PATTeR for Trainees curriculum led to measurable gains in knowledge and skills and offers a scalable model for integrating TIC into pediatric residency education. Future directions include multicenter implementation and real-world performance assessment.