1. Introduction
‘Trigger warnings’ are warning messages that appear before potentially distressing content. They allow people with past trauma to make an informed decision about how best to engage with the content.
People with past trauma can find certain content acts as a trauma trigger, a psychological stimulus that prompts an involuntary recall of a previous traumatic experience. The trigger can be anything that provokes fear or distressing memories in the affected person. This leads to an uncontrollable reaction such as a panic attack. It is not merely something that makes a person feel uncomfortable or offended.
However, more recently, trigger warnings have also been used to describe content warnings. These are messages that indicate that the following content may offend, make a person feel uncomfortable or be upsetting.
2. Trigger Warnings for Students
If a student has declared past trauma, post-traumatic stress or triggers, these will appear in their Student Support Recommendations (SSR). You can find their SSR on Blackboard, and reasonable adjustments need to be made.
Some distressing content is essential to certain courses and students on that course may have to study upsetting or difficult topics to complete a module. The University has a duty to protect the well-being of its students while also providing world-class education. Trigger warnings (including content warnings) allow for a more inclusive and respectful learning environment. By providing trigger warnings (and content warnings), you give the students agency over their learning. This lets students prepare for the topic, removing the shock factor and, if necessary, the student can then engage with the content at a time and in a manner suitable to them.
Part of a trigger warning or content warning should also include an explanation of why studying the content is important (aside from its relevance to a particular job) and, if possible, provide alternative means of engagement. They may also suggest that the student discusses the content with the instructor or teaching staff to establish a suitable route to meeting the required learning outcome.
3. Trigger Warnings for Staff
While students will be the primary audience for learning content, it should be considered that other people may view the content, including admin staff, note takers, teaching assistants, postgraduate researchers and more. These people might not have a full understanding of the course or the content that is likely to be covered, and therefore providing a trigger warning or content warning gives them the option of whether to avoid particular content or not.
4. Things to consider
In its simplest form, think of the content warnings at the start of a TV show. While there are no rules for implementing a trigger warning (or content warning), here are a few things to consider:
- A warning should mention the themes being covered and how the content is being delivered (written, images, video, etc).
- Warnings can be written, verbal and pictorial, however, it should be obvious what content it refers to and clearly visible.
- The warning should be given in plenty of time based on the content. For example, a basic content warning could be given at the start of a lecture, but a more serious trigger warning should be given in advance. This gives students time to prepare for the material or discuss alternatives with the instructor.
- Warnings should not alienate anyone or make someone feel embarrassed for having to take a different approach.
- The warning should include a reason why studying the content is important, how it meets the learning outcomes and if possible, provide an alternative.
Bear in mind that trigger warnings are easy to implement but can have a significant positive impact for some students.