How Adolescent Students with Disabilities and /or Complex Needs Perceive the Notion of Resilience:A Study in Greece and England

Adolescents with behavioral and learning difficulties are at increased risk in relation to psychological and social well-being. This study aimed to investigate the views and experiences of adolescent students, diagnosed with a variety of complex needs such as behavioral, emotional and learning difficulties, to explore potential risk and protective factors that they perceive can enable or constrain resilience. Participants in the study were adolescents both from the UK (n=12) and Greece (n=14), all of whom were receiving additional learning and psychological support in their school settings. A qualitative research design employed the ‘draw and write’ technique in addition to face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Data analysis identified the protective and risk factors that adolescents associated with resilience. Two distinct categories of protective factors emerged from the data: a) personal (positive thoughts, nutrition and achievements) and b) socio-ecological factors (significant others, activities, pets, places). Risk factors were also divided into two categories: a) personal (negative thoughts and feelings and health problems) and b) socio-ecological factors (relational problems). Findings highlight the complex interplay between personal and socio-ecological factors in building resilience in adolescents who are at increased risk in relation to psychological and social well-being

Aspirations of vulnerable young people in foster care

Youth unemployment is significantly associated with mental health difficulties. This collaborative research project was conducted in Greece and the UK. It aimed to understand the work aspirations of a group of vulnerable young people in care and the barriers they face in terms of youth unemployment. The task within this work package was to support young people in foster care using a qualitative participative approach to identify resilience strategies to help other young people in care. Co-producing a resource that is of value to the young people involved in the task in each country was the main deliverable. This report provides a summary of the work conducted and provides an outline of the highly illustrated resources that were developed

School Bullying and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms: The Role of Parental Bonding

Much research on school bullying and victimization have outlined several individual, family, and school parameters that function as risk factors for developing further psychosocial and psychopathological problems. Bullying and victimization are interrelated with symptoms of psychological trauma, as well as emotional/ behavioural reactions, which can destabilize psychosocial and scholastic pathways for children and adolescents. The current study explored the various dimensions of psychological trauma (depressive symptoms, somatization, dissociation, avoidance behaviours) associated with school bullying/victimization in relation to parental bonding among 433 students (8–16 years old) from representative large cities in Greece. The following scales were employed: (a) Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, (b) Child Report of Post-traumatic Symptoms (CROPS), and (c) Parental Bonding Inventory instrument (PBI). Pathways analysis extracted a series of models which showed that maternal and paternal overprotection (anxious-controlling/aggressive) had positive association with post-traumatic stress symptoms. Specifically, the quality of parental bonding was related with children's bullying/victimization experiences and post-traumatic symptomology. Conversely, results indicated that maternal and paternal care can reduce the manifestation of post-traumatic stress symptoms. Implications for interventions are discussed

Analysis of the psychological trauma: the paradigm of school bullying

A plethora of research data, related to school bullying/victimization demonstrate a series of individual, family and school parameters which function as risk factors for the involvement of children and adolescents either as bullies or victims and the development of further psy-chosocial and psychopathological problems. Bullying and victimization are interrelated with symptoms of psychological trauma as well as emotional/behavioral reactions, which can destabilize the psycho-social and school pathway of children and adolescents. In the current study, we explore the various dimensions of psychological trauma (depressive symptoms, somatization) in relation to school bullying/victimization and the quality of parental bonding in 433 students (8-16 years old) from representative towns of Greece. The following scales were applied: (a) Οlweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, (b) Child Report of post-traumatic symptoms (CROPS) (c) Parental Bonding Inventory in-strument (PBI), (d) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-Hel)The Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated/extracted a series of models and re-lated pathways. In our presentation, we will focus on the way maternal and paternal over-protection (anxious-controlling/aggressive) are dynamically interrelated or lead to traumatic symptoms (depression, somatization,dissociation, avoidance behavior) with the mediation of bullying and victimization. Implication for interventions will also be discussed.Πληθώρα δεδομένων σε σχέση με τον σχολικό εκφοβισμό/θυματοποίηση υποδεικνύουν μια σειρά ατομικών, οικογενειακών και σχολικών παραμέτρων που λειτουργούν ως παράγοντες προστασίας/επικινδυνότητας για την εμπλοκή των παιδιών/ εφήβων, ως θύτες ή ως θύματα. Η ποιότητα των δεσμών/γονικών στάσεων έχουν αναδειχτεί ως σημαντικές διαστάσεις της ψυχικής ευαλωτότητας (συνθήκη θυματοποίησης) και της σκόπιμης επιθετικότητας. Η θυματοποίηση/εκφοβισμός παράγει υψηλά επίπεδα ψυχικού τραύματος και συναισθηματικών/συμπεριφορικών αντιδράσεων, με την ψυχιατρική έννοια του όρου (DSM), που διαταράσσουν την ομαλή ψυχοκοινωνική/ σχολική εξέλιξη των μαθητών.Στην παρούσα μελέτη διερευνήθηκαν οι μορφές του ψυχικού τραύματος σε σχέση με τον σχολικό εκφοβισμό και τους γονικούς τύπους δεσμού σε 433 μαθητές (8-16 χρόνων) σε αντιπροσωπευτικό δείγμα από πόλεις της Ελλάδα. Τα εργαλεία που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν ήταν (α) η Κλίμακα Olweus για τον εκφοβισμό/θυματοποίηση, (β) η Κλίμακα μέτρησης του τραύματος (CROPS), (γ) το Ερωτηματολόγιο διερεύνησης των γονικών δεσμών (PBI), (δ) Ερωτηματολόγιο Δυνατοτήτων και Δυσκολιών του παιδιού(SDQ-Hel). Η επιβεβαιωτική παραγοντική ανάλυση ανέδειξε μια σειρά μοντέλων διαδρομών (pathways analysis) συνδυάζοντας τις παραμέτρους: (α) τέσσερις διαστάσεις γονικού δεσμού, (β) επίπεδα /συμπτωμάτων ψυχικού τραύματος, (γ) είδος θυματοποίησης/εκφοβισμού. Ένα από τα βασικά ερωτήματα της έρευνας μας ήταν το ακόλουθο: με βάση τους γονικούς τύπους συμπεριφοράς/ δεσμού (φροντίδα, υπερπροστασία, αδιαφορία, ενθάρρυνση της ψυχικής αυτονομίας) ποια είναι τα επίπεδα και τα είδη των τραυματικών αντιδράσεων (Κατάθλιψη, Ψυχική απόσχιση, Σωματοποίηση, Αποφευκτική διαταραχή) σε σχέση με τις μορφές εκφοβισμού και πως διαμορφώνονται οι ρόλοι εκφοβισμού/ θυματοποίησης. Στην παρουσίαση θα συζητηθεί και θα αναλυθεί το συγκεκριμένο μοντέλο που αναδεικνύει πως συγκεκριμένοι τύποι δεσμού παράγουν συγκεκριμένες συναισθηματικές αντιδράσεις σε σχέση με το τραύμα και τον εκφοβισμό. Ένα από τα βασικά δεδομένα είναι ο αρνητικός ρόλος της υπερπροστατευτικής στάσης των γονέων (αγχώδους και ελεγκτικής/ επιθετικής) και οι συναισθηματικές αντιδράσεις/κίνδυνοι θυματοποίησης που προκύπτουν, για το σύνολο του δείγματος

‘One Step Forward': Resilient strategies supporting the aspirations of vulnerable young people in foster care

Young people with mental health difficulties are much more likely to have difficultyfinding any form of employment. Young people who have grown up in foster careexperience multiple disadvantages. Within the STYLE project, we established acollaborative research project between Greece and the UK to examine these issues.It aimed to understand the work aspirations of a group of vulnerable young people incare and the barriers they face in terms of youth unemployment.The task within the project was to support young people in foster care using aqualitative participative approach to identify resilience strategies to help other youngpeople in care. The main outcome from the collaboration resulted in co-producing anopen-access resource book called One Step Forward, which is of value to the youngpeople involved in the task in each country. We wanted to explore with the youngpeople the questions ‘What are the work aspirations of vulnerable young people incare? And what barriers do they face in finding work?

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Containment Measures on Families and Children with Moderate and High-Functioning ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

The present study focuses on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) transmission prevention measures and, in particular, home confinement of families with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Greece. It is assumed that the implemented new measures during the pandemic constitute a profound change for children on the spectrum, considering that the core ASD symptoms include the persistence and adherence to routine and stability, a condition that also directly affects the children’s parents. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted. Participants were 10 caregivers with a child diagnosed with ASD of medium or high functioning in Greece. The ages of the children range from 6.5 to 15 years old. The results of the thematic analysis revealed three main themes: (1) the educational framework, (2) the management of daily life, and (3) the construction of the new daily routine. These three themes represent the levels that have undergone a decisive transition, and the sub-themes recommend the areas, individual ways of dealing with this shift. So far, the impact of the pandemic mitigation measures cannot be described as generally positive or negative, as there have been advances and setbacks for children and families alike. Finally, governmental measures and technology-assisted teaching (distance learning) were considered necessary but not sufficient enough for full adaptation

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Containment Measures on Families and Children with Moderate and High-Functioning ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

The present study focuses on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) transmission prevention measures and, in particular, home confinement of families with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Greece. It is assumed that the implemented new measures during the pandemic constitute a profound change for children on the spectrum, considering that the core ASD symptoms include the persistence and adherence to routine and stability, a condition that also directly affects the children’s parents. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted. Participants were 10 caregivers with a child diagnosed with ASD of medium or high functioning in Greece. The ages of the children range from 6.5 to 15 years old. The results of the thematic analysis revealed three main themes: (1) the educational framework, (2) the management of daily life, and (3) the construction of the new daily routine. These three themes represent the levels that have undergone a decisive transition, and the sub-themes recommend the areas, individual ways of dealing with this shift. So far, the impact of the pandemic mitigation measures cannot be described as generally positive or negative, as there have been advances and setbacks for children and families alike. Finally, governmental measures and technology-assisted teaching (distance learning) were considered necessary but not sufficient enough for full adaptation

E-Accessibility Policy for Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Tourism Marketing. Case Study From Regional Hotel Units in Greece

Nowadays, there is a growing interest for social inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in tourist industry. Tourism is vital part of modern lifestyle and is considered beneficial for individuals with disabilities enhancing personal development and promoting quality of life. This project aims to investigate policies implemented and kind of services offered in tourist industry concerning persons with disabilities who have barriers for leisure time, not only physical but also internal, cultural and social. Research is being carried out on hotel units of four and five stars in Greece. Given the fact that tourism is considered as an important sector in the economy which improves the standard of living in a country, its adaptation to web tourism with innovations in technology and development of social policies appropriate for persons with disabilities, that can facilitate travelling, can promote tourist movement and also can offer a travel motive for them