In March, the student government at University of California at Santa Barbara advocated for professors to warn students before presenting material that could trigger symptoms of post-traumatic distress disorder, provoking a debate about whether these “trigger warnings” impinged on academic freedom, New York Times reported last weekend. The Dartmouth sat down with psychological and brain sciences professor Janine Scheiner to discuss the use of such warnings in the classroom.
From your perspective, do you think such trigger warnings are necessary, and why?
JS: For most students, such a warning is probablyunnecessary, but for a few vulnerable individuals this advanced warning can allow students to work with the professor to modify assignments without too much compromise to the integrity of the course. However,Ialso believe that if a significant portion of the class is based on material that may be triggering, that student may be better offavoiding thatclass all together. Idid have an instance in my career whenIrecommended that a student not take abnormal psychologybecauseof some personal vulnerabilities and because the student was triggered by somethingIsaid in the introduction to the course.
Do you believe trigger warnings can inhibit academic discussion or hinder learning?
JS:BecauseIteach courses about mental illness, it is especially important to let people know that an upcoming topic may be especially difficult, sensitive or provocative. Iguess it’s an ongoing trigger warning in a sense. The classrecently discussed the topic of suicide, which is a particularly sensitive topic for many students. While no one opted out of the class discussion explicitly,Iam sure the discussion was a hard one for some students.On the other hand, suicide is a veryimportanttopic, and not discussing difficult topics runs the risk of furthering taboos and stigmas related to mental illness. DoIthink trigger warnings should be mandated? Idon’t know.
In your classroom, do you use trigger warnings? If so, how? If not, why not?
JS:Ido not formally use trigger warnings and it is not written into the syllabus,butIthinkIwill try that going forward. At the same time it’s important for students to empower themselves withknowledge. They shouldvet their courses and review course syllabi before enrolling in courses. Students should also beequippedwith self-knowledge regarding their particular vulnerabilities. What are your triggers and sensitivities?
Proponents argue that combat veterans should receive warnings, while others would say professors should not restrict their teaching. Is there a compromise?
JS: The research is very clear that veteranswithPTSD may be triggered by multiple events, sounds, sights and smells in the environment, and that this can have anywherefrom aminor impact on the individual, to a major, debilitating effect. Attending a class whose topic is mental illness may be triggering for multiple reasons.If a bit of tweaking will allow the student to take thecoursewhile still preserving the integrity of the course content, thenIthink it is considerate to provide that option to students.
