Teenagers' experiences of life in lockdown: Implications for college and university support

We have all experienced significant change and disruption during the pandemic. Young people have been particularly impacted at a time when they are negotiating their transition through school to college or university. Dr Ola Demkowicz and her team reflect on their TELL research (Teenagers’ Experiences of Life in Lockdown

“We want it to be a culture”: children and young people’s perceptions of what underpins and undermines education-based wellbeing provision

Background: Provision that aims to promote the social, emotional, and mental wellbeing of children and young people (including their mental health) is increasingly implemented in education settings. As researchers, policymakers, and practitioners explore the complexities of promotion and prevention provision in practice, it is critical that we include and amplify children and young people’s perspectives. In the current study, we explore children and young people’s perceptions of the values, conditions, and foundations that underpin effective social, emotional, and mental wellbeing provision. Methods: We engaged in remote focus groups with 49 children and young people aged 6–17 years across diverse settings and backgrounds, using a storybook in which participants constructed wellbeing provision for a fictional setting. Analysis: Using reflexive thematic analysis, we constructed six main themes presenting participants’ perceptions: (1) recognising and facilitating the setting as a caring social community; (2) enabling wellbeing to be a central setting priority; (3) facilitating strong relationships with staff who understand and care about wellbeing; (4) engaging children and young people as active partners; (5) adapting to collective and individual needs; and (6) being discreet and sensitive to vulnerability. Conclusions: Our analysis presents a vision from children and young people of an integrated systems approach to wellbeing provision, with a relational, participatory culture in which wellbeing and student needs are prioritised. However, our participants identified a range of tensions that risk undermining efforts to promote wellbeing. Achieving children and young people’s vision for an integrated culture of wellbeing will require critical reflection and change to address the current challenges faced by education settings, systems, and staff

Using Creative Approaches and Facilitating Remote Online Focus Groups With Children and Young People: Reflections, Recommendations and Practical Guidance

The importance of engaging and involving children and young people (CYP) in research is widely recognised, especially for educational research exploring CYP’s perceptions and experiences of school processes. Historically, working with CYP to collect qualitative data has involved face-to-face interactions, however the social distancing requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic meant there was a need to move ‘online’ and work ‘remotely’. In this paper we share our experiences of undertaking remote online synchronous focus groups with CYP and discuss how we overcame the challenges associated with conducting qualitative research with CYP ‘from a distance’. We used remote online synchronous focus groups to explore CYP’s perspectives on how education settings can support social, emotional, and mental wellbeing. We reflect on approaches used to uphold rigour and quality, and work ethically and sensitively. We have organised this into five topics reflecting distinct parts of the planning, design and practice: 1) working with CYP as research advisors to shape the design, feasibility and suitability of the methods and approach; 2) developing creative approaches within the online focus groups to increase engagement and inclusion; 3) considering logistical and technical practice; 4) considering ethical practice underpinning online group data collection with CYP; and 5) valuing participation and disseminate findings when working from a distance with participants. We present reflections and guidance for other researchers considering the use of remote online synchronous focus groups with CYP, as a feasible and valuable means for collecting data in both a time- and cost-effective manner

Adolescents accept digital mental health support in schools: A co-design and feasibility study of a school-based app for UK adolescents

Schools in the UK are required to provide frontline mental health promotion and prevention to adolescents, but with few resources. School-hosted mHealth is one option which could meet needs. This study co-designed and feasibility tested a self-help, school hosted, digital intervention for adolescents showing early symptoms of deteriorating mental health. Via extensive co-design, we produced a youth-targeted web-app (MindMate2) and a low-intensity parent component (Partner2U). Feasibility was tested in four UK high schools with n = 31 young people (15-17y). We specified rules for progression to an effectiveness trial, tested candidate primary outcome measures and conducted an exploratory cost-effectiveness analysis. Co-design produced MindMate2U to be a six-week, self-help, smartphone-delivered program targeting risk and protective factors for adolescent mental health. Young people's MindMate2U account was set up by school after which they progressed independently through six topics of their choosing. User ratings (n = 19) and post- intervention interviews (n = 6) showed resource acceptability. We met our recruitment, retention and pre-post measure completion targets and identified the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire as the most sensitive outcome measure. This study established the feasibility of a co-designed, mental health app as a low-burden, school-hosted resource for symptomatic young people and opens up new possibilities for the integration of mHealth in schools. Support via schools to parents of symptomatic young people may need to be universal rather than targeted. Following some refinements of MindMate2U, a phase 2 randomised controlled trial is warranted to test its effectiveness

‘It's scary starting a new school’: Children and young people's perspectives on wellbeing support during educational transitions

Background Children and young people experience various transitions throughout their education. Theory and evidence highlight that these can be complex, and poor experiences of transitions can be associated with worsened outcomes, necessitating a need to develop and implement wellbeing support. However, children and young people's views are lacking in the literature, and studies tend to focus on specific transitions rather than on what matters for wellbeing during transitions generally. Aims We explore children and young people's own perceptions of what would support wellbeing during educational transitions. Sample We engaged with 49 children and young people aged 6–17 years, using purposeful maximum variation sampling to facilitate engagement of a diverse sample across a variety of education setting types. Methods We undertook focus groups, using creative methods centred around a storybook, asking participants to make decisions as headteachers about wellbeing provision in a fictional setting. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Analysis We constructed four themes: (1) helping children and young people understand what to expect; (2) developing and sustaining relationships and support; (3) being responsive to individual needs and vulnerabilities; and (4) managing loss and providing a sense of closure. Conclusions Our analysis highlights a desire among children and young people for a considered, supportive approach that recognizes their individual needs and their connection to educational communities. The study makes a methodological and conceptual contribution, demonstrating the value of adopting a multifocussed lens to researching and supporting transitions

Working With the Tangible: Radiation, A Twenty-First Century Interpretation

The intangible means of expression was a topic of investigation across various disciplines when Michael Chekhov was developing his pedagogic practice. In the world of science, Harold Saxton Burr and Albert Szent-Gyorgi, were examining the body as a conductor of energy. Their research was relevant to Chekhov's approach regarding how the actor communicates with internal and external stimulus. This article begins with an analysis of Chekhov's theories on Radiation, it moves on to offer insights into science and energy work with reference to cell Biologist James Oschman and his concept of ‘the living matrix’ and Mae Wan Ho's critique of quantum cohesion. Examples of praxis demonstrate that contemporary science and body work can provide a greater understanding of how Radiation and the organisation of energy can enhance performance

Nr4a1-eGFP Is a Marker of Striosome-Matrix Architecture, Development and Activity in the Extended Striatum

Transgenic mice expressing eGFP under population specific promoters are widely used in neuroscience to identify specific subsets of neurons in situ and as sensors of neuronal activity in vivo. Mice expressing eGFP from a bacterial artificial chromosome under the Nr4a1 promoter have high expression within the basal ganglia, particularly within the striosome compartments and striatal-like regions of the extended amygdala (bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, striatal fundus, central amygdaloid nucleus and intercalated cells). Grossly, eGFP expression is inverse to the matrix marker calbindin 28K and overlaps with mu-opioid receptor immunoreactivity in the striatum. This pattern of expression is similar to Drd1, but not Drd2, dopamine receptor driven eGFP expression in structures targeted by medium spiny neuron afferents. Striosomal expression is strong developmentally where Nr4a1-eGFP expression overlaps with Drd1, TrkB, tyrosine hydroxylase and phospho-ERK, but not phospho-CREB, immunoreactivity in “dopamine islands”. Exposure of adolescent mice to methylphenidate resulted in an increase in eGFP in both compartments in the dorsolateral striatum but eGFP expression remained brighter in the striosomes. To address the role of activity in Nr4a1-eGFP expression, primary striatal cultures were prepared from neonatal mice and treated with forskolin, BDNF, SKF-83822 or high extracellular potassium and eGFP was measured fluorometrically in lysates. eGFP was induced in both neurons and contaminating glia in response to forskolin but SKF-83822, brain derived neurotrophic factor and depolarization increased eGFP in neuronal-like cells selectively. High levels of eGFP were primarily associated with Drd1+ neurons in vitro detected by immunofluorescence; however ∼15% of the brightly expressing cells contained punctate met-enkephalin immunoreactivity. The Nr4a1-GFP mouse strain will be a useful model for examining the connectivity, physiology, activity and development of the striosome system