Social Justice and Trauma-Informed Care in Schools

Current understandings of trauma and implementations of trauma-informed care (TIC; SAMSHA, 2014) in school environments can be limited because the conceptualization, assessment, and treatment of trauma tends to focus on specific, identified histories of abuse. This reflects the impact of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) prevalence study among the adult American population (Felitti et al., 1998). However, addressing and preventing trauma in youth populations encourages recognition of the particular and disproportionate ways trauma affects marginalized groups, especially in schools. Some advocates for TIC view TIC as a crucial partner in social justice (Crosby et al., 2018; Rigard et al., 2015). Social justice is defined as the elimination of systemic oppression and institutional barriers with the goal of ensuring equitable access to opportunities and resources for all (Graybill et al., 2018). This article aims to consider the intersections of trauma-informed care and the aims of social justice so schools might recognize trauma as both individual and systemic and make their trauma-informed frameworks inclusive of diverse experiences. This article suggests what can be done through the use of the TIC framework created by SAMHSA (2014), which will benefit from being integrated from school- and evidence-based frameworks like MTSS

‘‘The Internet is a Mask’’: High School Students’ Suggestions for Preventing Cyberbullying

Introduction: Interactions through technology have an important impact on today’s youth. While someof these interactions are positive, there are concerns regarding students engaging in negativeinteractions like cyberbullying behaviors and the negative impact these behaviors have on others. Thepurpose of the current study was to explore participant suggestions for both students and adults forpreventing cyberbullying incidents. Methods: Forty high school students participated in individual, semi-structured interviews. Participantexperiences and perceptions were coded using constant comparative methods to illustrate ways inwhich students and adults may prevent cyberbullying from occurring within their school and community. Results: Students reported that peers would benefit from increasing online security, as well asbecoming more aware of their cyber-surroundings. Regarding adult-provided prevention services,participants often discussed that there is little adults can do to reduce cyberbullying. Reasons includedthe difficulties in restricting online behaviors or providing effective consequences. However, somestudents did discuss the use of in-school curricula while suggesting that adults blame people ratherthan technology as potential ways to prevent cyberbullying. Conclusion: Findings from the current study indicate some potential ways to improve adult efforts toprevent cyberbullying. These strategies include parent/teacher training in technology andcyberbullying, interventions focused more on student behavior than technology restriction, and helpingstudents increase their online safety and awareness. [West J Emerg Med. 2014;15(5):587– 592.

School Personnel and Leadership Collaboration Model for Ideal Work Contexts

This article describes the school personnel and leadership collaboration (SPLC) model, a shared-responsibility framework for faculty, staff, and administrators. Prior research consistently demonstrates the need for (a) administrative support for teachers and other school personnel and (b) collegial support among staff. The SPLC model represents an amalgamation of this research and, moreover, integrates personnel support for leadership. In the managerial sciences, leader–member exchange (LMX) is a well-known relationship-based leadership approach that focuses on a dyadic or two-way relationship between supervisors and their employees. Though managers are responsible for overseeing operations, personnel contribute ideas, participate in decision-making, and follow through with their responsibilities. LMX is associated with positive work experiences and job performance outcomes. In contrast, schools are often run with a top–down leadership approach that solicits little to no input from staff, leading to low morale, high attrition rates, and negative school climate. Thus, the SPLC model was inspired by LMX and emphasizes practices, such as shared decision-making, staff autonomy, and shared responsibilities. Detailed examples of ways schools may apply the SPLC model to their practices are included

Teacher-Student Relationships: Strengthening the Impact of PBIS on Climate

Researchers have emphasized the importance of teacher-student relationships (TSRs), showing that the quality of these relationships can have significant, short and long-term effects on student outcomes and school climate (Baker, Grant & Morlock, 2008; Guess & Bowling, 2013; Hamre & Pianta, 2001). While School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) also has positive effects on school climate (Bradshaw, Waasdorp & Leaf, 2015), little research has been done to examine how SW-PBIS and TSRs intersect to influence student outcomes and school climate. This presentation will address the integration of these two factors as perceived by practitioners responsible for implementing SW-PBIS. Data will be presented from focus group interviews with SW-PBS teams and mental health professionals (N = 178) from three high-need, low-resource school districts in Georgia. Interviews were conducted to understand how participants perceived barriers and facilitators to SW-PBIS. Of specific interest were SW-PBIS team members’ views about how TSRs influence the implementation and efficacy of SW-PBIS, as well as how SW-PBIS implementation influences TSR quality and school climate. Results indicated that TSRs support positive student behavior in a preventative way that is consistent with the goals of SW-PBIS, while the rituals and routines of SW-PBIS also provide opportunities for positive interactions between teachers and students that enhance positive TSRs. Results also provided some evidence that poor TSRs may work against SW-PBIS goals by contributing to an increase in negative student behaviors. Presenters will discuss the implications of this bidirectional relationship for school professionals who want to improve SW-PBIS implementation and/or TSR quality. Implications from results are especially important for schools that serve diverse communities. Our results described how TSRs can be particularly important for the success of SW-PBIS in light of socioeconomic or racial/ethnic diversity within the student body, as it builds perceived trust between teachers, students and families

‘‘The Internet is a Mask’’: High School Students’ Suggestions for Preventing Cyberbullying

Introduction: Interactions through technology have an important impact on today’s youth. While someof these interactions are positive, there are concerns regarding students engaging in negativeinteractions like cyberbullying behaviors and the negative impact these behaviors have on others. Thepurpose of the current study was to explore participant suggestions for both students and adults forpreventing cyberbullying incidents.Methods: Forty high school students participated in individual, semi-structured interviews. Participantexperiences and perceptions were coded using constant comparative methods to illustrate ways inwhich students and adults may prevent cyberbullying from occurring within their school and community.Results: Students reported that peers would benefit from increasing online security, as well asbecoming more aware of their cyber-surroundings. Regarding adult-provided prevention services,participants often discussed that there is little adults can do to reduce cyberbullying. Reasons includedthe difficulties in restricting online behaviors or providing effective consequences. However, somestudents did discuss the use of in-school curricula while suggesting that adults blame people ratherthan technology as potential ways to prevent cyberbullying.Conclusion: Findings from the current study indicate some potential ways to improve adult efforts toprevent cyberbullying. These strategies include parent/teacher training in technology andcyberbullying, interventions focused more on student behavior than technology restriction, and helpingstudents increase their online safety and awareness. [West J Emerg Med. 2014;15(5):587–592.

Promoting Self-Determination Strategies for Youth At-Risk in Alternative Education Settings

The presentation will highlight findings from a single-case study on self-determination. The presentation will also feature other empirically based strategies shown to be effective for students at-risk. Participants will have the opportunity to learn how self-determination has been used to improve challenging behavior and academic skills. Furthermore, participants will learn how promoting self-determination empowers youth to make learning more student-directed

A Case Study with an Identified Bully: Policy and Practice Implications

Objective: Bullying is a serious public health problem that may include verbal or physical injury as well as social isolation or exclusion. As a result, research is needed to establish a database for policies and interventions designed to prevent bullying and its negative effects. This paper presented a case study that contributed to the literature by describing an intervention for bullies that has implications for research, practice and related policies regarding bullying.Methods: An individualized intervention for an identified bully was implemented using the Participatory Culture-Specific Intervention Model (PCSIM; Nastasi, Moore, & Varjas, 2004) with a seventh-grade middle school student. Ecological and culture-specific perspectives were used to develop and implement the intervention that included psychoeducational sessions with the student and consultation with the parent and school personnel. A mixed methods intervention design was used with the following informants: the target student, the mother of the student, a teacher and the school counselor. Qualitative data included semi-structured interviews with the parent, teacher and student, narrative classroom observations and evaluation/feedback forms filled out by the student and interventionist. Quantitative data included the following quantitative surveys (i.e., Child Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index [CPTS-RI] and the Behavior Assessment Scale for Children, 2nd Edition). Both qualitative and quantitative data were used to evaluate the acceptability, integrity and efficacy of this intervention.Results: The process of intervention design, implementation and evaluation are described through an illustrative case study. Qualitative and quantitative findings indicated a decrease in internalizing, externalizing and bullying behaviors as reported by the teacher and the mother, and a high degree of acceptability and treatment integrity as reported by multiple stakeholders.Conclusion: This case study provided important contributions by describing an intervention that is targeted to specific needs of the bully by designing culture specific interventions and working with the student’s unique environmental contexts. Additional contributions included the use of mixed methods to document acceptability, integrity and efficacy of an intervention with documented positive effects in these areas. In addition, implications for policy and practice related to the treatment of students identified as bullies and future research needs are discussed. [West J Emerg Med 2011; 12(3)316-323]

Using Ethnographic Methods for Development of Culture-Specific Interventions

Cultural specificity is considered important in developing effective school- and community-based interventions. This article illustrates the use of ethnographic research to enhance understanding of students\u27 cultural experiences and facilitate the development of culturally specific interventions. Ethnographic data were collected during formative and intervention phases of a school-based mental health promotion project. Data were coded using an interactive deductive–inductive process. Culture specificity was defined as the integration of etic (universal) and emic (culture-bound) perspectives. Four culture-specific themes were identified: adult-sanctioned behaviors and practices, adolescents\u27 perspectives about the present and aspirations for the future, and societal factors. These themes encompassed code categories reflecting cultural attitudes, beliefs, customs, expectations, norms, and values; and reflected the ecological framework that guided the research. Future research is needed to address the use of combined etic–emic conceptualizations of culture in the development of culture-specific interventions

Using Ethnographic Methods for Development of Culture-Specific Interventions

Cultural specificity is considered important in developing effective school- and community-based interventions. This article illustrates the use of ethnographic research to enhance understanding of students\u27 cultural experiences and facilitate the development of culturally specific interventions. Ethnographic data were collected during formative and intervention phases of a school-based mental health promotion project. Data were coded using an interactive deductive–inductive process. Culture specificity was defined as the integration of etic (universal) and emic (culture-bound) perspectives. Four culture-specific themes were identified: adult-sanctioned behaviors and practices, adolescents\u27 perspectives about the present and aspirations for the future, and societal factors. These themes encompassed code categories reflecting cultural attitudes, beliefs, customs, expectations, norms, and values; and reflected the ecological framework that guided the research. Future research is needed to address the use of combined etic–emic conceptualizations of culture in the development of culture-specific interventions