Child Advocacy Research Articles

The Randomized Controlled Trial and Child Counseling Interventions: The Why and the How

ABSTRACT Counselors are ethically bound to facilitate counseling interventions supported by rigorous research methods. Randomized controlled trial (RCT) designs are considered the gold standard of credible quantitative designs in the determination of evidence-based counseling interventions. The purpose of the current article is to present rationale to promote the implementation of RCTs in the field of child and adolescent counseling and to further provide step-by-step actions that illustrate the procedures involved in conducting RCTs.

Support, Advocacy, and Mental Health Interventions for Children in Vulnerable Circumstances and Distress: A Unique Public Child Mental Health Initiative in India

Support, Advocacy, and Mental health interventions for children in Vulnerable circumstances And Distress (SAMVAD) is a National Initiative and Integrated Resource for Child Protection, Mental Health, and Psychosocial Care, established by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India; this initiative is located in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS. With the aim of enhancing child and adolescent psychosocial well-being, through the promotion of transdisciplinary and integrated approaches to mental health and protection, SAMVAD was established to extend its support and activities to all the states in the country. It comprises a multidisciplinary team of childcare professionals, with expertise in training and capacity building, program and policy research pertaining to child mental health, protection, education, and law.

Analisis Mutu Pelayanan KIA Melalui Peran Kader di Posyandu Mawar Desa Tuntungan I Medan

Currently, there are still many maternal and child health problems, especially for vulnerable groups, such as groups of pregnant women, breastfeeding, postpartum women and newborns. This is a priority for the government, where the progress of a country is also calculated from the health of mothers and children. A healthy mother will give birth to the next generation of a healthy and productive nation. This study aims to analyze the quality of health services through the role of cadres on maternal and child health at Posyandu Mawar, Tuntungan I Village, Medan, North Sumatra. The method used in this study is descriptive qualitative, which describes the data that has been obtained and uses interview techniques and compares with theories in previous studies obtained from the Google Scholar database. In this study, the results showed that there were 3 roles of cadres in improving maternal and child health, namely socialization, counseling and assistance. The role of cadres in the village has been running smoothly, but researchers found obstacles experienced by cadres in improving the welfare and health of mothers and children. This is due to the lack of community participation in posyandu activities in the village. Thus, more in-depth socialization or counseling is needed so that people's interest can increase and increase their knowledge of maternal and child health.

Is cerebral palsy associated with successful ureteral access during the initial attempt at ureteroscopy for urolithiasis in children and young adults?

Ureteroscopy is a common treatment for urolithiasis, but initial ureteral access is not always possible, particularly in pediatrics. Clinical experience suggests that neuromuscular conditions such as cerebral palsy (CP) may facilitate access, thus avoiding the need for pre-stenting and staged procedures. We sought to determine if probability of successful ureteral access (SUA) during initial attempted ureteroscopy (IAU) is higher in pediatric patients with CP vs. without CP. We reviewed IAU cases for urolithiasis (2010-2021) at our center. Patients with pre-stenting, prior ureteroscopy, or urologic surgical history were excluded. CP was defined using ICD-10 codes. SUA was defined as scope access to urinary tract level sufficient to reach stone. Association of CP and other factors with SUA were evaluated. 230 patients (45.7% male, median age: 16 years [IQR: 12-18y], 8.7% had CP) underwent IAU, with SUA in 183 (79.6%). SUA occurred in 90.0% of patients with CP vs. 78.6% of those without CP (p=0.38). SUA was 81.7% in patients >12 years (vs. 73.8% in those <12), and the highest SUA was in those >12 years with CP (93.3%), but these differences were not statistically significant. Renal stone location was significantly associated with lower SUA (p=0.007). Among patients with renal stone only, SUA in those with CP was 85.7% vs. 68.9% in those without CP (p=0.33). SUA did not differ significantly by gender or BMI. CP may facilitate ureteral access during IAU in pediatric patients, but we were unable to show a statistically significant difference. Further study of larger cohorts may demonstrate whether CP or other patient factors are associated with successful initial access. Improved understanding of such factors would help preoperative counseling and surgical planning for children with urolithiasis.

Black Moms Matter: A Qualitative Approach to Understanding Barriers to Service Utilization at a Children's Advocacy Center Following Childhood Abuse.

Black families are significantly less likely to receive evidence-based trauma treatment services; however, little is known about factors impacting engagement, particularly at Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs). The goal of this study is to better understand barriers and facilitators of service utilization for Black caregivers of CAC referred youth. Participants (n = 15) were randomly selected Black maternal caregivers (ages 26-42) recruited from a pool of individuals who were referred to receive CAC services. Black maternal caregivers reported barriers to accessing services at CACs including a lack of assistance and information in the referral and onboarding process, transportation issues, childcare, employment hours, system mistrust, stigma associated with the service system, and outside stressors such as stressors related to parenting. Maternal caregivers also shared suggestions for improving services at CACs including increasing the length, breadth, and clarity of investigations conducted by child protection services and law enforcement (LE) agencies, providing case management services, and having more diverse staff and discussing racial stressors. We conclude by identifying specific barriers to the initiation and engagement in services for Black families, and we provide suggestions for CACs seeking to improve engagement of Black families referred for trauma-related mental health services.

Creative arts, physical activity, and children’s play in early childhood

ABSTRACT This issue contains 8 unique manuscripts that present the implications of research on the benefits of creative play and the arts for young children. The intention is to help educators and administrators to understand optimal practices in classrooms and schools. Knowledge of recent research and the theoretical frameworks will help educators to implement and apply creative play practices. It is important for all of us to become advocates for children's rights to play and the arts.

Improving Environmental Health in Schools

School environmental conditions have immediate and long-term effects on student health and learning. Relying on disconnected, inconsistent, voluntary, or unenforced environmental standards has not resulted in sufficient protection of students from toxic insults. Furthermore, the United States public school system was not prepared to navigate a potentially deadly infectious disease like COVID-19. Although Department of Education agencies have policies to establish clean and safe learning spaces, deficiencies are evident. This article highlights common environmental challenges in schools and opportunities for improvement. Voluntary adoption of rigorous environmental policies by grassroots efforts alone is unlikely to occur in all school systems. In the absence of a legally enforced requirement, the dedication of sufficient resources to update infrastructure and build the environmental health workforce capacity is equally unlikely to occur. Environmental health standards in schools should not be voluntary. Science-based standards should be comprehensive, and part of an actionable, integrated strategy that includes preventive measures and addresses environmental health issues sustainably. Establishing an Integrated Environmental Management approach for schools will require a coordinated capacity-building effort, community-based implementation efforts, and enforcement of minimal standards. Schools will need ongoing technical support and training for staff, faculty, and teachers sufficient to enable them to assume greater oversight and responsibility for environmental management of their schools. Ideally, a holistic approach will include all environmental health components, including IAQ, IPM, green cleaning, pesticide and chemical safety, food safety, fire prevention, building legacy pollutant management, and drinking water quality. Thus, creating a comprehensive management system with continuous monitoring and maintenance. Clinicians who care for children can serve as advocates for children's health beyond their clinic walls by advising parents and guardians to be aware of school conditions and management practices. Medical professionals have always been valued and influential members of communities and school boards. In these roles they can greatly assist in identifying and providing solutions to reduce environmental hazards in schools.

Burden experienced by informal caregivers of children with sickle cell disease (SCD): a qualitative exploratory study at Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana

ObjectiveThis study sought to explore the burden experienced by informal caregivers in caring for their children with sickle cell disease (SCD).DesignA qualitative exploratory design was employed in the study using...

Increasing Access to Medical Forensic Care for the Pediatric Patient.

Child sexual abuse is a major public health problem. About one in every four girls and one in every 13 boys in the United States experience sexual abuse. In order to best serve these patients and families, the forensic nurse examiner team from a large urban Level 1 trauma center partnered with the local child advocacy center to provide ready access to educated, competent pediatric examiners who provide developmentally appropriate medical forensic care in a child-friendly environment. Consistent with national best practice standards, this occurs as part of a coordinated, colocated, highly functional multidisciplinary team. These services are provided free of charge and regardless of timeline from abuse. This partnership removes several key barriers to this care, including difficulty coordinating with multiple organizations, cost, lack of knowledge regarding available resources, and decreased ability to provide medical forensic care to nonacute patients.

International Counseling Values: Recognizing Valued Approaches Identified by International Counseling Professionals Through Qualitative Inquiry.

People may assume that the counseling profession functions with a shared set of values that promote well-being and mental health to individuals, families, and communities across the globe. Common values, such as described in training programs, ethical codes, and other areas, reflect the approach and direction for providing professional counseling services among counseling professionals throughout the world. The researchers designed this qualitative study using a phenomenological approach to explore how counseling values are experienced and implemented across various cultures. The 16 participants of the study include counseling professionals from different countries to increase representation from eight regions of the world. The researchers recognize valued approaches commonly identified among the participants implementing counseling services, including marital and family counseling, child and school counseling, faith integration, indigenous practices, and person-centered safe spaces. While each of these valued approaches is described in detail, final applications of the data offer proposed steps to improve the advancement of counseling on a global scale, including strategies for transcultural counseling training, resource adaptability, and bilateral development in the profession.

When Disclosure Fails to Substantiate Abuse: Child and Perpetrator Race Predict Child Sexual Abuse Substantiation.

We examined the effects of child race, perpetrator race, and abuse disclosure status (within the context of a formal forensic interview) on abuse substantiation outcomes. Specifically, we coded child sexual abuse disclosure, abuse substantiation, and race of 315 children (80% girls, M age = 10, age range = 2-17; 75% White, 9% Black, 12% Biracial, 3% Hispanic, 1% Asian) who underwent a child forensic interview in a Midwestern child advocacy center. Supporting hypotheses, abuse substantiation was more likely in cases involving (a) abuse disclosure (vs. no disclosure), (b) White children (vs. children of color), and (c) perpetrators of color (vs. White perpetrators). Also supporting hypotheses, the effect of abuse disclosure on increased abuse substantiation was greater for White children than for children of color. This research suggests that even when children of color disclose their experiences of sexual abuse, they nonetheless face barriers to abuse substantiation.

Screening for and Responding to Suicidality Among Youth Presenting to a Children's Advocacy Center (CAC).

Youth presenting to a Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) for a forensic interview are at increased risk for suicidality, but no data exist for suicidality or suicide screening and response at the time of the forensic interview. The current study applied a suicide and traumatic stress screening and response protocol, the Care Process Model for Pediatric Traumatic Stress (CPM-PTS), with youth (11-18 years) presenting for a forensic interview to one of 16 participating CAC locations, 2018-2020.46.2% of youth screened for traumatic stress and suicidality (N = 1651) endorsed thoughts of suicide or self-harm in the past two weeks, and 13.6% were assessed as high risk for suicide. High symptoms of traumatic stress increased the risk of suicidal thinking as well as of high risk suicidality. CAC workers, both clinicians and non-clinicians, facilitated screening and provided prevention response. Suicide screening and response at the CAC at the time of the forensic interview appears important and feasible.

A Comparison of the Readiness of Youth Service Agencies to Implement a Technology-Based Toolkit to Support Treatment Delivery.

Implementation initiatives and technology-based resources aim to address barriers to Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) use by creating generalizable techniques that can be used for a variety of youth-serving agencies. However, research has not carefully examined unique differences between agency types or individual programs in readiness to use such technologies and implementation strategies. The current study explored differences between community mental health clinics and child advocacy centers on organizational cultural factors (e.g., ability to change and commitment for change) to implement a novel technology-based toolkit to support delivery of Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). Results indicated that TF-CBT providers from child advocacy centers reported greater commitment to change and more support to use the technology-based system than those from community mental health centers. Findings suggest that implementation initiatives should address the needs of individual agencies and service settings and adaptations should be explored to best meet the needs of these settings.

Concretization, please: A commentary on Turcotte, Holmes, and Murray.

Concretization, please: A commentary on Turcotte, Holmes, and Murray.

Examining Bullying Victimization, Bullying Perpetration, and Positive Childhood Experiences.

The National Academy of Sciences has recognized bullying as a serious public health issue, with the outcomes of bullying immediate and long-term. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between 7 selected positive childhood experiences, such as having a mentor, and bullying victimization, and bullying perpetration. We used cross sectional data from the 2019-2020 National Survey of Children's Health, children ages 6 to 17 (n=43,999). Bivariate analyses were used, with p < .05 deemed significant. To examine the association between experiences and bullying victimization or perpetration, multivariable regression models were used. Children who experienced any of the following positive childhood experiences had a lower odds of perpetration of bullying victimization: resilient family; safe neighborhood; supportive neighborhood; or connected caregiver. The following covariates had a lower odds of perpetrating bullying, across all models: race other than white, female sex, age of 13 or older, primary language not English, and a guardian education of a high school diploma or less. Schools can play a formative role in promoting positive childhood experiences identified herein. Findings from this study may be beneficial for educators, policy makers, and child advocacy stakeholders as they design and implement school or community-based youth development programs.

Relationship between Personality Traits and Emotional Intelligence among Male Adolescents of Boarding School in Pakistan

This study was conducted to explore the relationship between Personality Traits (PT) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) among male (12-18 years M: SD:) boarding students of Pakistan. This research hypothesized that there is a significant positive relationship between PT and EI among boarding adolescents. Non-probability convenient sampling was used to collect the data from 267 participants, residing in a boarding school in Pakistan. Personality traits were assessed using International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), while emotional intelligence was assessed using Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (EIQ). Pearson product-moment correlation analysis yielded highly significant results which indicated that there is a strong positive relationship between PT and EI among boarding adolescents. Understanding this relationship between emotional intelligence and personality traits can help them in deciding the appropriate career for their coming professional life. Moreover, it can also help educational institutes to identify the appropriate professional fields for students depending upon their personality traits and emotional intelligence so that they can arrange counseling for parents and children about the future.

Sharing the Land, Sharing a Future: The Legacy of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples ed. by Katherine A. H. Graham and David Newhouse

Reviewed by: Sharing the Land, Sharing a Future: The Legacy of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples ed. by Katherine A. H. Graham and David Newhouse Adam Thomas Murry Sharing the Land, Sharing a Future: The Legacy of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Edited by Katherine A. H. Graham and David Newhouse. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2021. ix + 487 pp. Figures, tables, index. $31.95 paper. Sharing the Land, Sharing a Future is an essential read for any scholar, government official, or student that is interested in the ways the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People (RCAP, 1996) has influenced efforts to improve Indigenous services, status, and policies in Canada. To many, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's (2015) report is front and center for guidance on how to address the effects of hundreds of years of assimilationist policies, the racist and oppressive colonial ideologies that justified them, and the inequities they produced. What many do not know is that Canada already had volumes of insight and consultation from Indigenous leaders and community members in the RCAP; this book does well to detail them. Following the RCAP report, a series of papers were written to explicate how recommendations from the report could be actualized. This text is a collection of these papers, covering governance, health, economic development, education, child welfare services, policy, counseling and therapy, research, and public engagement. The first section of the book contains two chapters that outline the context of the RCAP and the definitions RCAP produced around sovereignty, self-determination, and self-governance, particularly in terms of health governance, jurisdiction, and responsibility, asserting the joint responsibility of First Nations and the Canadian government. This section also reviews important constitutional sections, legal decisions, and treaty agreements that empower First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities in our era, as well as the complexities and challenges given the lingering authority of the Indian Act. The second section contains eight chapters, or eight letters, presented at the 2016 conference Sharing the Land, Sharing a Future: A National Forum for Reconciliation, which commemorated and reflected on the 20 years since the RCAP report was published. Written by the RCAP cochairs, national chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations and Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, presidents of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Métis National Council, and Native Women's Association of Canada, and the minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, the letters present leaders' perspectives on the vision and intentions of RCAP, the history since it was released, how it has been used along with other reports to advance self-determination and self-governance at the local level, and what remains to be done to establish healthy and collaborative Nation-to-Nation relationships between Indigenous Nations and the Crown and federal government. The third section, which comprises most of the text, are chapters written by Indigenous scholars and non-Indigenous partners in concentrated areas affected by RCAP's recommendations. Topical areas include education, poverty, economic development, health and wellness, cultural safety, child services, healing, and research. With an impressive list of co-authors, such as Jo-ann Archibald, David Newhouse, Caroline Tait, and Amy Bombay, each issue is discussed both in terms of cutting-edge perspectives as well as RCAP recommendations. Central across all domains is the duty for governments to consult with the affected Indigenous communities in question before and during policy and program development, for localized solutions to be born out of respect for communities' self-determined goals, grounded in their right for survival as distinct cultural peoples, and with the long-term commitment to foster independent, healthy, and financially stable Nations. The fourth and final section, appropriately named "Moving to Action," is a set of chapters dedicated to raising public awareness and engagement, improving research funding opportunities and standards, writing and rewriting policy, and shifting public opinion. Despite the numerous ways this text documents our failures to achieve the vision set forth by RCAP, it simultaneously demonstrates [End Page 60] the many concrete ways progress has been made, with a hopeful eye toward the future. Adam Thomas Murry Department of Psychology University of Calgary Copyright © 2023 Center for Great Plains Studies

Self-ethnography on Qualitative Reaserach Methdology Course Experience

이 글은 아동상담 대학원생이 타 대학원의 질적연구방법론 수강에 대한 경험을 자문화기술로 탐구한 내용이다. 나는 2022년 2학기 질적연구방법론 과목을 수강한 약 4개월간의 이야기를 위해 강의계획서, LMS 게시판, 과제, 필기 노트, 교수자 피드백, 성찰일지, 수업 활동 사진으로 자료를 수집하였고, 전사하여 목록화한 다음 내용분석과 분류분석하여 주제를 구성하였다. 고백적, 에믹과 에틱적 글쓰기를 하였고, 질적연구 수업자와 동료 간 협의를 3회 하였다. 동료 수강생에게 발표를 하며 타당도와 연구윤리를 지키려고 노력하였다. 세 개의 주제와 아홉 개의 하위 범주로 결과를 논의하였다. 첫째, 생활세계와 친숙한 질적연구에서는 색다른 수업 경험과 질적연구방법론 수업과 가까워지기, 주변의 모든 것이 연구주제가 될 수 있는 경험을 탐색하였다. 둘째, 체험으로 출발해 이론에 도착하는 수업에서는 인터뷰 실습에서 나의 일깨움과 타인의 논문을 비평하는 나의 인식과 안목, 아주 커다란 포스트 잇을 해체하였다. 셋째, 상호작용이 있는 질적연구방법론의 힘에서는 먼저 열어 보이는 k선생님, 목소리 좀 낮추고, 함께해서 의미 있는 질적연구방법론을 논의했다. 타과의 질적연구방법론 수업 경험을 다룬 이 글이 질적연구를 어려워하거나 질적연구방법에 사소한 오해를 가진 연구자들의 편견을 깨는 연구사례로 활용되기를 기대한다.This paper explores the experience of child counseling graduate students taking qualitative research methodology at other graduate schools with self-ethnography. I collected data with syllabus, LMS bulletin boards, assignments, notes, instructor feedback, reflection journals, and class activity photos for four months of qualitative research methodology courses in the second semester of 2022. I have peer reviewed three times between instructor and colleagues to increase validity and reliability. Results were discussed in three topics and nine subcategories. First, qualitative study familiar with the living world, a different class experience, getting closer to the class of qualitative research methodology, and an experience where everything around them can be a research topic were explored. Second, class star s from experience and reaches to theory, I dismantled my awakening in interview practice, my perception and perspective of criticizing other people’s papers, and a very large post. Third, in the power of a qualitative research methodology with interaction, we first discussed a meaningful qualitative research methodology by matching the open k teacher and voice. It is expected that this article will be used as a research case that breaks the prejudice of researchers who have difficulty in qualitative research or have minor misunderstandings in qualitative research methods.

특수아상담을 위한 전문상담교사의 개별화상담계획 과정에 대한 근거이론적 접근

연구목적: 본 연구는 특수학교 전문상담교사가 인식하는 특수아상담의 고유성과 사례개념화 방식을 조사하고 특수아상담을 위한 개별화상담계획 모형을 도출하기 위해 실시되었다. 연구방법: 이를 위해 특수학교 전문상담교사 5인을 통해 근거자료를 수집하고 근거이론 연구방법론으로 분석하였다. 연구결과: 본 연구결과 199의 개념, 22개의 범주, 10개의 상위범주가 도출되었으며, 중심현상으로 ‘특수아상담 사례개념화의 어려움’이 나타났고, 핵심범주로 ‘직무윤리에 기반한 전문성 실천’이 도출되었다. 한편 특수학교 전문상담교사의 사례개념화 방식을 관찰한 결과 특성화 단계, 핵심화 단계, 조절화 단계, 고유화 단계로 분류되었다. 이로부터 특수학교 전문상담교사의 특수아상담을 위한 개별화상담계획(Individualized Counseling Plan, ICP)를 실체모형으로 완성하였다. 결론: 본 연구결과를 통해 특수아상담의 실무적인 틀을 마련하고 전문상담교사의 전문성과 직무정체성을 확립하고자 하였다.

“The Parallel Dialogue”: Parental experience of their role in the relationship with their child's counsellor/psychotherapist

AbstractThe parent–therapist relationship is a central consideration in child counselling and psychotherapy, particularly in private practice where parents are typically financially, emotionally and practically invested in the process. The relationship, which can be ambiguous and anxiety‐laden on both sides, has historically received scant attention in therapeutic discourse, leading to gaps in practitioner confidence and training. In this context, and seeking to centre parent voices, this study provides an interpretative phenomenological analysis of four mothers' experiences of their role in the relationship with their child's therapist. Key identified themes encompass parental expectation of involvement; the destabilising, disorienting nature of the relationship; the centrality of trust; and critical evaluations of value. Findings are discussed in relation to attachment theory and cultural expectations of parental responsibility. The study concludes that the relationship is a live and potent property with potential to impact the course of the intervention, and recommends that practitioners thoughtfully consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of meeting or frustrating parental involvement expectations.