Guidance on Content and Trigger Warnings
Content warnings are verbal or written notices that precede potentially sensitive content. These notices are intended to flag the contents of material that follows, so readers, listeners, or viewers can prepare themselves to adequately engage or remove themselves from the environment for the benefit of their own wellbeing. Trigger warnings are a specific variety of content warnings that attempt to forewarn audiences of content that may exacerbate physiological and psychological symptoms in those students with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other anxiety based diagnoses. These mental health diagnoses which are “triggered” by stimuli, forces an individual to recall an experience of trauma. These individuals have no control over what actually triggers them, but they may have coping mechanisms or personal strategies that they utilize when encountered. The importance of trigger warnings lies in the ability to forewarn individuals requiring them so as to be prepared in advance of the encounter. Considering these strategies/mechanisms are most effective when the trigger is expected, it can allow them to make best use of their strategies to decrease the harmfulness of the triggering material or content.
Within the classroom, content warnings may be provided on the syllabus, articulated during lecture, sent out in emails or posted on Blackboard. Forewarning of challenging or difficult moments in assigned readings, lectures, videos or topics that may come up in discussion are also helpful in facilitating such an accommodation. Know that as a result of the warning, students may mitigate by meditating, seeking a counselor or therapist’s assistance, or simply require more time to process the material under controlled conditions. This may also require a student needing to disengage fully from the classroom while the material is being discussed or to simply skip the pages where that particular topic is being discussed.
While it is understandably difficult to foresee all potential triggers, we have found the most common triggers include depictions of sexual violence, oppressive language, blood, gunshots and instances of self-harm. Additional tags that may prove problematic are issues of abuse, pedophilia/incest, miscarriages/abortion, racism and racial slurs, sexism and misogyny, Islamophobia, transphobia and trans misogyny, homophobia and heterosexism, eating disorders/body hatred/fat phobia, etc.
Obviously this list is not extensive, but intentional inclusion of these specific concerns will illustrate to students that their concerns are taken seriously and are being addressed absent of judgment. The inclusion of content/trigger warnings is an acknowledgment that the lives, histories, and struggles of individuals do not disappear when they become students, and that instructors value accessibility as well as the mental health and wellbeing of others.
If there are any questions, comments or concerns about how designated learning objectives can be achieved regarding particular content or triggers associated, please feel free to contact us directly.
Additional resources on why trigger warnings matter:
- “My Students Need Trigger Warnings—and Professors do too” by Aaron R. Hanlon
- “I use trigger warnings—but I’m not mollycoddling my students” by Onni Gust
- “This powerful comic perfectly explains why we should all use trigger warnings” by Evette Dionne with a comic by Madeleine Slade
