News from the Field Related to Wraparound
Making the Grade: A Progress Report and Next Steps for Integrated Student Supports
December 8, 2017
Child Trends has published a report on Integrated Student Supports (ISS) initiatives which help schools connect children with needed services (housing, medical care, food assistance, etc.) in order to support their academic success. Making the Grade: A Progress Report and Next Steps for Integrated Student Supports is an update on the developments in the field since 2014, when Child Trends first published a report on the topic. This 2017 report includes details on the growing number of evaluation studies on these programs and examples of successful implementation in specific cities.
Parent Perspectives from Participating in a Family Component for CBITS
December 4, 2017
Research published last year in Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy explores parents’ responses to a family component developed as an addition to the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS). Results from qualitative interviews conducted with 15 low-income, Latino parents, showed a high level of satisfaction with the family component. The article includes clinical implications for implementing culturally sensitive, school-based interventions with parents
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Depression increasing in US, particularly among youth
November 28, 2017
Recent research published in October in Psychological Medicine found significant increases in depression among Americans aged 12 years and older, particularly among the youngest individuals. Researchers analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) for individuals aged 12 years and older (n = 607,520) from 2005 to 2015. Significant increases in depression were found in the youngest and oldest age groups, with a higher rate of increase among youth.
New evidence that students’ beliefs about their brains drive learning
November 15, 2017
Growth mindset, the belief that intelligence and talent can change, has been established by research as an important factor in student success. A new research report published this month by the Brookings Institute, looked into this further with data from five school districts in California that measure growth mindset for students in 3rd to 8th grade. The researchers found that
“traditionally under-served students… are less likely to hold a growth mindset”. The results also show that students from all groups with a growth mindset learned more in a year than similar students without a growth mindset.
New York Times Opinion Page: The ‘Problem Child’ Is a Child, Not a Problem
October 25, 2017
In this recent piece from the Opinion page of The New York Times, author and developmental psychologist, Suzanne Bouffard describes the repercussions caused by school discipline over behavioral issues in young children. According to the article, “nearly 1 in 10 preschoolers is suspended or expelled for behavior problems”. The article details the promising results found using Collaborative Problem Solving (C.P.S.) to teach self-regulation skills.
Anxiety and depression caused by childhood bullying decline over time
October 18, 2017
New research published recently in JAMA Psychiatry found that the negative effects of bullying on the mental health of children and teens decreased over time. The research involved more than 11,000 participants in the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) in the UK. When the children were 11, 14 and 16 years old, children and their parents responded to surveys measuring for indications of experiencing bullying and mental health challenges. The researchers found a decrease in mental health symptoms over time, which they saw as an indicator of the resilience of children and the importance of continued focus on intervention and treatment.
Research Shows Benefits of Online Parent Training for Young Children with ADHD
October 16, 2017
Research published recently in The Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology found positive benefits of online parent training on behavior therapy for children with ADHD. The study included 47 families in Pennsylvania with children 3-5 years old who met diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Families were randomly assigned to in-person parent education, online parent education or the wait-list control group. The study results showed that online training was similarly effective to the in-person training.
How ‘Sesame Street’ is helping kids learn to cope with trauma
October 6, 2017
Sesame Street in Communities has released a new set of free materials designed to help young children and their families deal with trauma. The online resources include videos of the beloved Sesame Street Muppets focused on coping strategies and strengthening children’s natural resilience. The launch was timed with the release of new analysis of the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health indicating that nearly half of American children experience adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). While these experiences have been shown to have a negative impact during childhood and into adulthood, responsive care can help minimize that impact.
Read the NPR article on the Sesame Street in Communities resources»
Research: New Model of Treatment for Youth with Anxiety
October 5, 2017
A report published this month in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) on a study of a “stepped care” model of treatment delivery for children and adolescents with anxiety shows promising results for potential cost and times savings, according to the researchers. In the study 281 youth and teens (6-17 years of age) with clinical anxiety disorders were treated with either traditional or stepped care model. In the stepped care model patients begin with a self-help step and move on to therapy if needed. According to the study results, 40% of those in the stepped care improved with self help and did not need further treatment.
New Research on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Questioning, Gender Nonconforming & Transgender (LGBQ/GNCT) Youth in the Justice System
October 3, 2017
In an article published in the 2017 issue of the Harvard Kennedy School’s LGBTQ Policy Journal, Angela Irvine and Aisha Canfield examine new data on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Questioning, Gender Nonconforming, and Transgender (LGBQ/GNCT) Youth in the Justice System. The authors reviewed survey data collected during 2013-2014 from 1,400 youth in seven juvenile detention halls across the country. Of those surveyed, 40 percent of the female population and 13 percent of the male population were LGBQT and gender non-conforming. And 85 percent of the LGBQ/GNCT youth, are also youth of color. The article includes the authors’ recommendations for providing juvenile justice processes to better meet the needs of this population.
Read “Reflections on New National Data on LGBQ/GNCT Youth in the Justice System”»