Pre-service teachers’ knowledge and attitudes regarding school-based bullying

Pre-service teachers responded to two questionnaires regarding school violence, the Teachers' Attitudes about Bullying, and Trainee Teachers' Bullying Attitudes. Results suggest that teachers across all academic divisions view bullying as a serious concern important to their role within the profession. There were considerable differences regarding what was defined as bullying, with a consequent variability related to the potential of intervening to end the violence. Covert forms of bullying including relational, cyber and homophobic were viewed as less serious compared to overt violence and less worthy of attention. The necessity of training regarding anti-violence strategies for preservice teachers is presented. &nbsp

A Well Place to Be: The Intersection of Canadian School-Based Mental Health Policy with Student and Teacher Resiliency

This policy analysis identifies and critiques dominant narratives in the school-based mental health (SBMH) movement in Canada, with an eye to the ideas and resources being mobilized. The policy narratives were identified as SBMH problems and solutions, represented by the websites and links to other resources of the ministries and departments of education in Canada. There are three areas under-represented in the policy narratives that deserve more nuanced attention in SBMH initiatives; these are (a) to work with educators to develop communities of practice on school mental health around the notion of resiliency, (b) to consider the structural and material factors that affect people’s ability to be resilient at school, and (c) to extend the current focus on promoting student wellness to include teacher wellness. We ground these recommendations by contrasting the policy narratives with the story of our work with educators on a website about resiliency through the lenses of positive psychological health and a sociomaterial perspective on resources. We suggest that a sociomaterial approach to SBMH initiatives, using conceptual tools from implementation science and workplace psychological health, may help both students and teachers develop resiliency

Childhood Predictors of Adult Criminality: A Meta-Analysis Drawn from the Prospective Longitudinal Literature

Sufficient research now exists in the psychology of criminal conduct literature to address the long-term impact of early childhood and adolescent experiences on later adult outcomes. In the present meta-analysis, selected studies were prospective and longitudinal, tracking a variety of early childhood and family factors that could potentially predict later involvement in the adult criminal justice system. Thirty-eight studies met the selection criteria. Major findings indicate that dynamic versus static predictors are related to later adult criminal justice involvement. The older the child was at the time the predictor was measured, the stronger was the relationship to adult offending. Within the set of dynamic predictors, childhood and adolescent factors that rate most highly include a variety of behavioural concerns including early identification of aggression, attentional problems, motor restlessness, and attention seeking. Emotional concerns consistent with depression including withdrawal, anxiety, self-deprecation, and social alienation are also represented. Predictors also included family descriptors such as a variety of negative parenting strategies including coerciveness, authoritarian behaviours, lack of child supervision, and family structure variables such as witnessing violence, inter-parental conflict, family stressors, and poor communication. Results are discussed in relation to prevention strategies for targeted services that influence the probability of antisocial outcomes for children into adulthood

Direct and Indirect Forms of Childhood Maltreatment and Nonsuicidal-Self-Injury Among Clinically-Referred Children and Youth

Importance: Although exposure to direct forms of childhood maltreatment is among the most widely studied risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), research on NSSI has largely neglected the role of exposure to indirect forms of child maltreatment (i.e., exposure to intimate partner violence). Objective: To address this gap in the literature, the present study examined associations among both direct and indirect forms of maltreatment and NSSI among clinically referred children and youth. It was expected that exposure to both forms of maltreatment would be associated with increased risk for NSSI engagement. Design: Data was collected from September 2014 – August 2015 using the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health Assessment (ChYMH) at ten mental health agencies in Ontario, Canada. The ChYMH is a comprehensive standardized clinical assessment tool completed by trained assessors using multiple sources (e.g., child, parent, clinical charts, observations) at time of patient intake into clinical care. Setting: Data was collected by trained clinical assessors at both community-based mental health facilities and inpatient/residential treatment facilities in Ontario, Canada. Participants: The study included a convenience sample of 747 children and youth (68 % male) with complex mental health histories (i.e., impairments in physical, mental, and emotional functioning) referred for inpatient or outpatient care in Ontario, Canada. Participant eligibility criteria included: enrolled in outpatient/inpatient care at one of participating mental health agencies, informed consent from parent and child, verbal fluency in English for both parent and child, and the child or youth was between the ages of 8-18 years. Main Outcome and Measure: The primary outcome assessed was the presence/absence of NSSI as assessed on the Self-Injury Scale (SOS) on the ChYMH. Results: Univariate chi-square analyses reflected positive associations with NSSI and both direct (i.e., physical, sexual) and indirect child maltreatment (i.e., exposure to intimate partner violence). In a binary logistic regression analysis controlling for participant age and sex, only exposure to indirect child maltreatment emerged as multivariate predictor of NSSI. Conclusion and Relevance: The present study provides evidence that experiencing vicarious trauma in childhood is an important risk factor for NSSI. Implications for clinicians include developing targeted intervention and prevention strategies for NSSI among children and youth for children who have witnessed domestic violence in the home

Comparing the Experiences and Withdrawal Considerations of Treatment and Regular Foster Care Parents: The Canadian Perspective

This study investigated differences in the experiences of Canadian foster parents providing regular and treatment foster care and their consideration to withdraw from their position. Survey responses from 852 foster parents were analyzed subsequent to separating the participants into two groups based on the primary type of care they provided (regular N = 454; treatment N = 398). Results revealed that treatment foster care parents considered withdrawing at a higher rate compared to regular foster care parents. Subsequent analysis revealed numerous differences between the two groups regarding foster parents’ experiences in fostering and reasons to withdraw. The results are discussed in the context of increasing concern for a declining number of foster parents with the coincidental increase in the number of children who enter foster care with higher rates of trauma and mental health disorders requiring a treatment response

Shaping a mental health curriculum for Canada\u27s teacher education programs: Rationale and brief overview

It is a well-known and accepted statistic that one in five Canadian children will experience a significant mental health challenge prior to their 18th birthday; this is a conservative estimate given the many who suffer ‘under the radar’ with transient sadness, depression, and anxiety (Flett & Hewitt, 2013). And if we have yet to be sensitized to this critical period of childhood and adolescence, longitudinal studies indicate that 70% of adults who experience an emotional disorder report having their first onset episode prior to the age of 18 (Kessler et al., 2009)

Predicting patterns of service utilization within children\u27s mental health agencies

Background: Some children with mental health (MH) problems have been found to receive ongoing care, either continuously or episodically. We sought to replicate patterns of MH service use over extended time periods, and test predictors of these patterns. Methods: Latent class analyses were applied to 4 years of visit data from five MH agencies and nearly 6000 children, 4-to 13-years-old at their first visit. Results: Five patterns of service use were identified, replicating previous findings. Overall, 14% of cases had two or more episodes of care and 23% were involved for more than 2 years. Most children (53%) were seen for just a few visits within a few months. Two patterns represented cases with two or more episodes of care spanning multiple years. In the two remaining patterns, children tended to have just one episode of care, but the number of sessions and length of involvement varied. Using discriminant function analyses, we were able to predict with just over 50% accuracy children\u27s pattern of service use. Severe externalizing behaviors, high impairment, and high family burden predicted service use patterns with long durations of involvement and frequent visits. Conclusions: Optimal treatment approaches for children seen for repeated episodes of care or for care lasting multiple years need to be developed. Children with the highest level of need (severe pathology, impairment, and burden) are probably best served by providing high intensity services at the start of care

Teach Resiliency: A resource for teacher and student wellness

Canadians are talking about mental health like never before, through newspapers, social media, radio and television. We are finally asking the critical questions as we work together to address the challenges of mental illness

“Beyond cultural sensitivity”: Service providers\u27 perspectives on muslim women experiences of intimate partner violence

© 2018 Michigan Publishing. All rights reserved. This qualitative study examined frontline service providers\u27 perspectives on Muslim women\u27s experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV). Participants shared their knowledge and practical experiences in working with Muslim women IPV survivors. Themes emerged in discussions with service providers included: Immigration, Collectivist and Authoritarian Culture, Patriarchy, Honour and Shame, and Faith. These findings revealed the multiple cultural elements that mutually intersect and interact within the broader cultural values that drive IPV resources. These results add to the body of research in support of infusing additional cross-cultural training in service providers\u27 education and developing culturally informed interventions