Interventions In School Settings Research Articles

Acute Physical Activity for Motor and Academic Learning in Education-based Settings

Numerous studies have shown that engaging in physical activity significantly benefits several cognitive domains. Among them, research findings indicate that even a single bout of physical activity positively impacts executive functions, motor learning, and academic performance. For that reason, many school settings have recently implemented acute exercise-based strategies to enhance their student's academic performance, such as active breaks or physically active learning. In this review, we suggest using acute physical activity interventions to improve the learning of motor-related academic skills in education-based settings. We base our recommendations on studies that demonstrate the capacity of acute exercise to facilitate skill acquisition during practice and consolidate long-term declarative and motor memory, thereby promoting motor and academic learning. It is proposed to include strategically located acute exercise strategies throughout the school hours to promote declarative and motor skills learning over the school period. In addition, we will look into the practical considerations for implementing these types of interventions in school settings. Lastly, we evaluated the limitations of the previous research and then discussed what next steps need to be taken.

The impact of storytelling on building resilience in children: A systematic review

Accessible SummaryWhat is known on the subject? Storytelling is an effective tool for communication, is universally comprehensible and transcends linguistic barriers, adapting to cultures easily. Storytelling has a strong influence on children and has been used for knowledge retention and for developing imagination, creativity and prosocial behaviours. What this paper adds to existing knowledge? The systematic review offers essential insights into the effects of storytelling interventions on the development of resilience in children. It indicates the various forms of storytelling interventions implemented and also the specific measures of resilience employed in the studies. The review has demonstrated that storytelling plays a crucial role in the development of protective factors in children including resilience. What are the implications for practice? Psychiatric and mental health nurses working in community, hospital or mental health units play an important role in mental health interventions, particularly when it comes to children and young adults. Employing storytelling techniques can help psychiatric and mental health nurses provide timely and consistent support to children while helping them explore support systems, mechanisms and coping strategies helping build resilience. This holds particular importance for low‐ and middle‐income countries where limited resources pose challenges in providing adequate support for mental health programmes for children. Methods such as storytelling are simple and adaptable to the specific challenges faced in the mental health setting. AbstractIntroductionResilience is a crucial aspect of mental health and coping that enables individuals to effectively recover from challenges. Fostering resilience in children becomes a significant objective. Storytelling is known to positively affect resilience, providing opportunities to share and develop narratives that help make sense of difficult experiences, find meaning in them, and building beliefs around our capacity to adapt well to challenging experiences.AimThe aim of this review is to synthesize peer‐reviewed studies on the impact of storytelling interventions in developing resilience in children.MethodThe review adhered to the updated PRISMA 2020 guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022365474). We conducted searches in 12 databases with search strings comprising of concepts regarding storytelling, resilience and children.ResultsThe review included 11 studies published between 2012 and 2022. The narrative synthesis of the studies indicates that storytelling interventions enhanced psychological resilience in children.DiscussionStorytelling‐based interventions in school settings with participatory approaches using cultural stories, and positive psychology‐based interventions were effective and feasible.Implications for PracticeThis review has scope for informing future interventions with children, especially those who live in marginalized communities in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs).

Influence of Menstrual Hygiene Management Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices and School Attendance among Girls in Public Primary Schools in Kisumu West Sub-County, Kisumu County, Kenya

School based comprehensive sexuality education that addresses Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) knowledge practices – including hygiene practices and management of menstrual pain may be an avenue for addressing both poor MHM practices and absenteeism, if they are locally adapted and practiced. Inadequate knowledge, lack of access to quality sanitary materials, cultural beliefs and taboos around menstruation and MHM, are common challenges that can negatively affect Education, Employment, Health and psychosocial outcomes. The study aimed at examining Menstrual Hygiene Management Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices in public primary schools in public Primary schools in Kisumu west sub-county. The respondents consisted of class 6-8 girls, teachers, Head teachers, and MoE officials who were key informants for the study. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and interview schedules. The data analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 software. Both quantitative and qualitative findings were presented in the study. The study revealed that there is high prevalence of poor MHM among adolescent girls, and there exist a strong association between poor MHM and low knowledge. The study concluded that menstrual hygiene management in public primary schools is greatly influenced by knowledge, attitudes and practices of school management and girls’ perceptions. The study recommends the need for comprehensive education interventions in school settings, delivered during early adolescence to reach pre-menarche girls, particularly in rural settings for improve menstrual hygiene practices. The government should have a clear monitoring tool to ensure pupils receive accurate and timely information on menstruation and menstrual hygiene management.

The Methodology of Psychological Clinical Intervention in School Settings: Case Studies with Students with Special Emotional and Educational Needs

The school context, following an overall complexification of society, presents several situations in which it is necessary to build a transformative setting based on the suspension of educational action and the use of in-depth interpretations of divergent behaviors. Method: Two teachers with psychological training present and discuss cases studies of psychological intervention based on the analysis of demand methodology. Results: The two case studies presented concern, respectively, a difficult inclusion of a foreign pupil in the classroom and a school phobia of a student before graduating. In both cases, the classes are reconceived as clinical settings thereby giving new meaning to the psycho-social relationships of the students. The teachers promoted an overcoming of critical events: in the first case the pupil reaches school inclusion in a short time; in the second case the pupil reaches the diploma. Conclusion: The method of psychological intervention is proposed as an innovative practice of negotiation of new emotional symbolic structures in which to reproduce a coexistence in the scholastic context. It therefore appears necessary to equip schools with professional skills in the analysis of demand in order to train teachers to recognize the emotional dimensions within the class context.

Book Review: Consultation and Mental Health Interventions in School Settings: A Scientist-practitioner’s Guide

Book Review: Consultation and Mental Health Interventions in School Settings: A Scientist-practitioner’s Guide

PREVALENCE OF EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN PAKISTAN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence and severity of emotional and behavioral problems among adolescents. STUDY DESIGN Cross Sectional study PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY The study was conducted at private sector secondary schools of Karachi, from August, 2021- February, 2022. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Sample comprised o 1470 students between the age 11 to 17 years from different private sector secondary schools of Karachi.. The sample was collected through purposive sampling technique. Socio demographic Information Form, Asian Adolescents Depression Scale (AADS) and School Children Problem Scale (SCPS) were used. SPSS 26 was used to analyze the data. RESULTS The mean age of study respondents was 13.62 years (SD 1.39). Findings of present study reveal that emotional and behavioral problems were more common among female adolescents as compared to their male counterparts. Overall all 20% of study respondents were found to have very severe level of emotional and behavioral problems, and aggression was the most common problem among 14% of adolescents, followed by academic problems in 9.7% of adolescents. About 20% of the school going adolescents struggling with emotional and behavioral problems (i.e., anxiousness, aggression, social withdrawal, rejection, somatic problems, & depression), and academic problems. Further, there found to have statistically significant association between gender and emotional and behavioral problems. Mental health experts should focus on prevention and treatment interventions in school settings to reduce the risk of emotional and behavioral problems of Pakistani adolescents so that they could grow socially and emotionally healthy and excel in their academics and contribute to their family and community.

Challenges of Preadolescence in the School Context: A Systematic Review of Protective/Risk Factors and Intervention Programmes

Preadolescence is a critical period, characterised by changes in physical, hormonal, cognitive, behavioural, and emotional development, as well as by changes in social and school relationships. These changes are accompanied by the transition from elementary school to middle school. The literature shows that this transition is one of the most stressful events for preadolescents, which can have a negative impact on their well-being. The main objectives of this review, focused on the school context, were to identify protective and risk factors influencing the well-being of preadolescent students and to describe the interventions implemented. A systematic search of peer-reviewed papers published between 2011 and 2021 was conducted following the PRISMA reporting guidelines. A total of 36 full-text articles met the inclusion criteria. Studies converge in identifying risk factors that may affect student well-being in this age group: individual factors (levels of emotional awareness and self-esteem) and relational factors (friendship, teachers’ and parents’ supporting actions and roles). Intervention programs are mainly focused on improving emotional and social regulation skills that also influence academic achievement. Our findings have important implications for both research and intervention in school settings.

School-Based meditation in adolescents: an integrative literature review.

Utility of cognitive-behavioral practice interventions in school settings have been discussed by the scientific community regarding their possibility of insertion in the educational field. In this way, this review article analyzes thescientific production on the practice of meditation offered at school in adolescents, since the appropriation ofstudies that point to reflections and perspectives of meditative practice can favor the development of new pedagogical trajectories in the school environment. The electronic databases VHL, PubMed, and CAPES were consulted, using the combination of the terms related to meditation, adolescents, and school. This analysis resulted in eight articles, including field research and reviews, published between 2010 and 2021. The articles showed improvement in emotional coping skills, social relationships, self-regulation, control of mood levels, stress, depression, and anger, and significant gains in self-reflection and academic attention. They pointed out that elementary and high school students present more significant responses, and these factors, such as duration, frequency, and systematization of the session, can interfere with these responses. These results indicate that meditation practice in adolescents can be a valuable strategy for health promotion and educational training in the school environment.

Feasibility of a Psychodynamic School-Partnered Mental Health Service: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACT Despite a long and rich history of psychoanalytically informed interventions in school settings, influencing child guidance and psychotherapeutic services provided to children and families, cognitive behavioral interventions have become the predominant method for working with children in schools. In the last 20 years there has been a reemergence of psychodynamic school partnerships, addressing many of the barriers to the provision of school-based psychotherapy. However, little research exists on the implementation and feasibility of delivering psychodynamic psychotherapy services through partnerships between psychodynamic clinical teams and schools. This pilot study examines psychotherapy outcomes within one such partnership between the New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute and six New York City public schools during the 2020–21 school year. Therapists provided treatment using Regulation Focused Therapy for Children (RFP-C), a short-term manualized, psychodynamic intervention for children presenting with externalizing behaviors (delivered remotely/online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and hybrid school formats). After participation in RFP-C, parents reported a significant decrease in children’s symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder and some improvement in secondary attentional problems. This study also assessed the feasibility of implementing a school-based telemental health program in New York City. Strengths and limitations of the study, implications for future research, and clinical implications are also discussed.

Effects of nutritional intervention strategies in the primary prevention of overweight and obesity in school settings: systematic review and network meta-analysis

ObjectiveTo examine the effects of different nutritional intervention strategies in the school setting on anthropometric and quality of diet outcomes by comparing and ranking outcomes in a network meta-analysis.DesignSystematic review...

Teachers' Familiarity, Confidence, Training, and Use of Problem Behavior Interventions for Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder in School Settings.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10882-022-09885-2.

Does Gratitude Work at School? Piloting the Modified Interventions for Managing Academic Stress in Pakistani High Schools

The present research measures the effectiveness of gratitude interventions in dealing with academic stress and daily hassles among Pakistani high school students. A total of 162 students randomly assigned in experimental (82) and control groups (80) took part in a four week interventions program. The gratitude interventions included Count Your Blessings, writing Gratitude Letters, and Loving Kindness Meditations which were modified & adapted into Urdu. The pretest and posttest assessment was done. The results of paired sample t-test showed significant decrease in academic expectation scores (t = 5.76**, M1 + SD1 = 31.44 + 6.56, M2 + SD2 = 27.30 + 6.75) with medium effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.65), and also for daily hassles decrease. Further results showed high level of stress about personal future, academic concerns and excessive social demands which were decreased after interventions. This study supports the use of gratitude interventions in school setting especially in developing country like Pakistan where structured counseling services are limited.

A Web-Based Intervention to Improve Health Literacy and Obesogenic Behaviors Among Adolescents: Protocol of a Randomized Pilot Feasibility Study for a Parallel Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundPredictive theoretical models suggest that health knowledge works in conjunction with motivation and behavioral skills to influence adolescents’ obesogenic behavior. However, most of the existing adolescent interventions target these variables in isolation. Furthermore, health literacy (HL), a precursor to health knowledge, is necessary for translating health knowledge into behavior and is negatively related to adolescents’ obesity status. However, HL has not been included in obesity interventions targeting adolescents.ObjectiveThis study aims to pilot the feasibility of a 2-armed web-based obesity prevention intervention in school settings and assess the preliminary effectiveness of adding an HL module to an obesity prevention intervention for adolescents.MethodsThis web-based pilot feasibility study will take place in the Northeastern United States. Participants will be adolescents (aged 13-16 years) attending school, and recruitment will be conducted through flyers to parents and adolescents in participating classes or advisory groups at the school. The intervention includes 2 arms: an experimental arm that will receive an HL module and 3 obesity prevention modules and a comparison arm that will receive a vaping module and 3 obesity prevention modules. A blinded randomized procedure will be used to allocate classrooms and advisory groups to the experimental and comparison arms. The intervention will be fully web-based. Participants will complete measures of their HL and obesogenic behavior–related health knowledge, motivation, and behaviors at 3 time points (baseline, 1 month after the intervention, and 3 months after the intervention) via web-based surveys. The primary outcomes will be the measures of study feasibility (recruitment, retention, completion, and treatment fidelity rates). Secondary outcomes will be preliminary efficacy, as measured by logistic and linear regressions and calculation of effect sizes. Descriptive statistics will be calculated for all measures at each time point.ResultsThis study was approved by the City University of New York Institutional Review Board in August 2020. As of June 2022, the web-based intervention design is complete and ready for use. Recruitment, data collection, and intervention implementation are scheduled to begin in September 2022. These results are expected to be published in 2023.ConclusionsThis study’s feasibility findings will inform changes to the intervention content and randomized controlled trial design. The study’s efficacy findings will inform the sample size for the full-scale randomized controlled trial and the preliminary utility of the intervention.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04252677; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04252677International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/40191

The Food Waste Lab: Improving food waste reduction behavior through education

Research has demonstrated the relevance of addressing food waste (FW) in private households in mitigating climate change. There is, however, little research on the potential of educational interventions in school settings to reduce this household FW. This paper explores the potential of education to positively shape 9th to 11th graders' behavioral determinants regarding FW reduction, and offers insights into the potential to develop FW reduction strategies. The FW-related educational intervention (“Food Waste Lab”) engaged the participants (n = 81) in the development and application of FW reduction strategies at home. There was a significant reduction in FW reported over time. However, this reduction cannot necessarily be attributed to the reduction strategies, but may be a result of decreasing engagement in FW measurement activities. The main contribution of the intervention was increased awareness among participants of FW as a driver of climate change. Participation in the Food Waste Lab increased the likelihood of participants using taste as a judgment criterion of edibility, and eating up leftovers. No significant changes could be identified with regard to food literacy and Theory of Planned Behavior constructs. Unexpectedly, the perceived feasibility of the FW reduction goals decreased over time. This study provides recommendations to correct this shortcoming. Notably, highlighting the ease of reducing FW at home is key to increasing the perceived feasibility of this goal and motivating participants to engage in FW reduction. Focusing on a specific behavior related to the use of leftovers is relevant when designing an intervention targeted to adolescents. Nevertheless, the study's limitations indicate that the future intervention design should consider reactance and fatigue as important constraints in educational interventions involving FW measures. Finally, this study calls for more robust experimental designs to evaluate the impact of various FW reduction interventions.

Ester Cole – Maria Kokai (Eds): Consultation and mental health interventions in school settings: A scientist-practitioner’s guide

Ester Cole – Maria Kokai (Eds): Consultation and mental health interventions in school settings: A scientist-practitioner’s guide

“That is simply one thing that goes with it”: former extremists in school settings and empirical evidence

ABSTRACT The involvement of former extremists in preventing and countering violent extremism has attracted many advocates. Interventions in school settings by or with former extremists have been commonplace for a long time, and in some countries even for decades, which is reason enough to focus on the current research state. We did this through a synoptic examination of the empirical literature on the subject. Hence, we took an in-depth look at four experimental studies with robust samples. These studies investigated projects from Ireland, the Basque Country, Denmark, and Germany. The findings demonstrated two main points: (1) the empirical evidence showed a contrast to the anecdotal evidence, which mostly provided a positive assessment of former extremists in school settings, and (2) thus far, students’ perspectives on these initiatives have not been considered in a sufficiently differentiated way.

THE PERSPECTIVE OF SCHOOL-BASED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERVENTION TO ENHANCE THE PARTICIPATION OF LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

The aim of this study was to investigate the participation problems in school activities of the learners with special educational needs in order to establish the possible ways of Occupational Therapy intervention in school settings in Armenia. In total 111 learners with special educational needs were observed and their participation in educational and non-educational activities was assessed using the "Occupational Therapy School Skills Assessment'' tool. Since the educational environment considered being crucial for the learners’ participation, the school environment was observed to determine the features facilitating or burdening their involvement in all kinds of school activities. Quantitative research methodology was used to outline and summarize the participation problems of learners with special educational needs for establishing the possible ways of Occupational Therapy intervention. The results of this study highlighted that in the inclusive school in Armenia the learners with special educational needs still had participation restriction and their involvement in educational and non-educational activities was limited due to lack of individual skills and abilities, as well as not adapted environmental conditions. Learners with physical dysfunctions (62%) experienced mobility problems and had significant difficulties performing self-care activities, about 65% were not able to take part in outdoor events, permanent support and assistance were required. For the learners with autistic spectrum disorder (50%) communication with peers and staff members was still challenging and participation in the educational process was not effective.

Effects of Mind-Body Interventions on Adolescents' Cooperativeness and Emotional Symptoms.

Background: Mind-body interventions may support the development of adolescents’ self-regulation and provide a protective effect against maladaptive outcomes, e.g., internalizing and externalizing problems. The present study aimed at evaluating the effects of mindfulness-oriented meditation training (MOM) and autogenic training (AT) on a group of healthy Italian adolescents’ character dimensions, emotional and behavioral difficulties. Methods: 72 adolescents were randomly assigned to MOM/AT conditions and tested before and after the 8-week trainings through self-report measures (Temperament and Character Inventory 125, TCI; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for Adolescents, SDQ-A). Main analyses involved robust and repeated measures ANOVAs, carried out separately for character TCI and SDQ-A scales. Results: After trainings, we found increased levels of cooperativeness and reduced emotional symptoms. Changes in these dimensions were negatively correlated: the more participants increased in their cooperativeness the greater decrease they showed in emotional symptoms. Conclusion: Both MOM and AT enhanced a cooperative attitude in adolescents and helped reducing their emotional problems. Therefore, it may be useful to apply these mind-body interventions in school settings as they can have a protective effect on the well-being and psychosocial adjustment of youths, through fostering their character maturity and helping them to better regulate their emotions.

Benefits of a Mindfulness-based Intervention at School from the Perspective of At-risk Children

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in the school context provide a set of practices that may help children to be more aware of their mental and behavioral habits and to learn to develop healthy mind habits. In the last years, there has been an exponential growth of empirical research documenting the benefits of practicing mindfulness in educational contexts. However, most of the studies have used quantitative methodologies, and only a few of them have used qualitative approaches. In addition, up to date, few studies have evaluated the impact of mindfulness-based interventions in school settings for children at risk. This qualitative study investigated the perceptions of at-risk children after participated in a MBI in a low-resource school in Santiago de Chile. Eighteen children between 9 to 11 years old were interviewed in a semi-structure format. Following the grounded theory, the data was analyzed using descriptive and axial coding. The findings showed that the children experienced an integral learning process after the intervention. This involved emotional, cognitive, and behavioral aspects that are described in the following seven main themes: (1) dissatisfaction state before the intervention and intention to feel better; (2) main learnings and benefits of the mindfulness-based intervention; (3) meaningful core practices and exercises; (4) feasibility and acceptance; (5) transference and application of learnings outside the classroom; (6) benefits of the MBI in the school and family climate; (7) children’s perceptions and feelings about their changes. An MBI in a low-resource school has the potential to improve children’s self-awareness, attention, self-regulation, and social relationship skills.

The Science Behind Safe School Re-opening: Leveraging the Pillars of Infection Control to Support Safe Elementary and Secondary Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

There are limited tools for adapting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection control plans to school settings. We present an infection prevention model for optimizing safe re-opening for elementary and secondary schools during the global COVID-19 pandemic and review the current evidence behind various infection prevention interventions in school settings. The model is adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fundamental pillars for infection prevention and includes 4 categories of intervention: epidemiologic controls (town prevalence metrics, diagnostic testing, quarantine strategies), administrative controls (state vaccination policies, alternative school models, symptom screens, quarantine breaks), engineering/environmental controls (distancing, outdoor space, ventilation), and personal protective equipment (PPE)/hand hygiene (face coverings, hand sanitizing).The adapted infection control pillars model utilizes implementation science–informed considerations to maximize pragmatism and adherence by leveraging evidence-based strategies. It highlights the necessity of redundant infection prevention interventions, acknowledges the importance of community buy-in to achieve real-world effectiveness, and addresses tactics to overcome implementation barriers. Recommendations are grounded in the Dynamic Sustainability Framework and include suggestions to maintain infection prevention effectiveness over time to ensure ongoing safety.