Strengths-based Approach Research Articles

Empowering and Building the Capabilities of Mid-Level Health Service Managers to Lead and Support the Health Workforce-A Study Protocol.

(1) Background: Mid-level managers in healthcare are central to improving safety and quality of care. Their ability in demonstrating leadership and management competency in their roles and supporting frontline managers and frontline staff has a direct effect on staff retention and turn-over. Yet, investment in their professional development and support for mid-level managers is often neither adequate nor effective, and high rates of staff turnover are evident. This study, set in northern Queensland, Australia, takes a strength-based approach to explore the role and strengths of mid-level managers and organisations' existing mechanisms in supporting managers. With broad involvement and contribution from managers at different management level and frontline staff, the project will identify strategies to address the challenges mid-level managers face while building on their capabilities. (2) Methods: Using co-design principles, a situation analysis approach will guide a mixed-methods, multiphase design. Qualitative data will be collected using transcripts of focus groups and quantitative data will be collected by surveys that include validated scales. (3) Results: Thematic analysis of the transcripts will be guided by the framework of Braun and Clarke. Quantitative data will employ descriptive and inferential analysis, including chi-squared, t-tests, and univariate analyses of variance. (4) Conclusions: This study will generate evidence to guide two partner organisations, and other similar organisations, to develop strategies to improve support for mid-level managers and build their capabilities to support and lead frontline managers and staff. Competent mid-level managers are critical to high-quality patient care and improve the outcomes of the population they serve.

(Re)countering multilingualism and refugee-background students in Australian compulsory education

Compared with nations around the world, Australia has one of the highest rates of refugee resettlement per capita. Approximately 40 per cent of newly arrived refugees in Australia in 2018–19 were under the age of 18 and close to 90 per cent spoke a language other than English. Given that education is compulsory until the age of 16 in most states and territories of Australia, young people labelled as refugee-background students (RBSs) are tasked with navigating the English-only education system, in which their multilingualism is often viewed as a barrier; however, there are increasing calls for research to focus on the positive, affirmative practices of RBSs through a strengths-based approach in education, to counter a ‘damage-centred’ and deficit discourse. Thus, this article presents a systematic literature review of studies conducted in Australia with RBSs between 2010 and 2022. Specifically, this review explores the strengths-based multilingual practices of RBSs in compulsory education in Australia. Inspired by RefugeeCrit theory, we seek to highlight strengths-based examples of RBSs multilingual practices as examples of counter-narratives to the prevailing deficit discourse, while remaining attentive to issues of trauma, agency and multilingualism.

'We are all bringing, like a unique sort of perspective': The core elements of a strengths-based digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents from the perspective of their mentors.

While the adoption of strengths-based approaches to supporting autistic adolescents is growing in popularity, the application of this approach to a digital arts mentoring program has yet to be explored. This study reports on the core elements contributing to the success of a community digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents from the mentors' perspective. This paper presents an in-depth exploration of mentors' experiences, comprising a component of a broader line of research investigating a digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents emphasising positive youth development. The digital arts mentoring program spanned 20 weeks across two Australian school terms and was attended by two groups of autistic adolescents (N = 18) aged between 11 and 17 years. A qualitative approach was utilised in exploring the perspective of their mentors (N = 6). Qualitative data were collected at the end of each school term for each group with the mentors using an interpretive phenomenological approach and Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method. Thirteen individual interviews were conducted with six mentors. This research was conducted with a disability arts provider to provide a digital arts mentoring program to autistic adolescents. The mentors employed have lived experience with disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety. Five primary themes emerged from the data: positive connections, mentor knowledge and experience, mentoring approaches, autism education, program organisation, resources and environment. Subthemes underpinned the primary themes related to positive connections (three subthemes), mentoring approaches (four subthemes) and program organisation, resources and environment (three subthemes). The findings suggest that prior experience, sufficient training, a supportive environment and a flexible and adaptable approach were essential for success. Understanding the core elements of a strengths-based digitalarts program in occupational therapy provides a comprehensive framework for utilising clients' inherent strengths and creativity as therapeutic tool, creating an empowering environment, fostering meaningful outcomes for clients.

Assessing Strengths and Well-Being in Primary Care for Adolescents With Mental Health and Substance Use Concerns.

As the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted gaps in meeting adolescent behavioral health needs, primary care providers (PCPs) were a locus for interventions to address adolescent mental health and substance use concerns. Strength-based approaches may support PCP promotion of positive behavioral health in adolescents, but competing priorities or other factors may inhibit their use. We analyzed health record review data from 31 primary care practices to assess utilization of strength-based approaches during the health supervision visit (HSV) for adolescents with and without behavioral health concerns. We found that most had strengths identified (78%) or well-being topics addressed (83%). However, adolescents screening positive for depression were 40% less likely to have strengths identified, whereas those screening positive for anxiety or substance use were 89% and 163%, respectively, more likely to have well-being topics addressed. Primary care providers may need support for integrating strength-based approaches when managing adolescents screening positive for depression.

Shame and depressive symptoms in men: The moderating role of environmental mastery and purpose in life.

Feelings of shame are linked to increased risk for depression. Little is known about protective factors that may buffer this effect, particularly in men. Using prospective data from a community sample of Australian men, we examine the extent to which shame is associated with depressive symptoms, and the protective role of psychological wellbeing, specifically environmental mastery and purpose in life. Participants (n = 448) were from the longitudinal Men and Parenting Pathways (MAPP) Study. Measures were the Event Related Shame and Guilt Scale for shame, the DASS-21 for depressive symptoms and Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being for environmental mastery and purpose in life. Linear regressions were used to test associations between shame and depressive symptoms concurrently and 1-year later, and the moderating effects of mastery and purpose in life. Shame was strongly associated with concurrent depressive symptoms (βunadj = .76, p < .001; βadj = .63, p < .001). This effect was weaker in men with high compared to low environmental mastery (β+1SD = .46, p < .001; β-1SD = .55, p < .001) and purpose in life (β+1SD = .48, p < .001; β-1SD = .62, p < .001). Shame also predicted subsequent depressive symptoms after adjustment for prior depressive symptoms (βunadj = .59, p = .001; βadj = .34, p = .004), although environmental mastery or purpose in life did not moderate these associations. Our findings suggest that promoting a sense of psychological wellbeing in men may confer protective proximal effects in the context of shame, potentially attenuating depression severity. The current study aligns with calls for strength-based approaches to reducing mental health problems in men.

“Transience, Disruption, and Unfamiliarity in Refugee Journeys”: How Are Newly Arrived Refugee Families Supported in Their Children’s Transition to School in a Host Country?

ABSTRACT Newly arrived refugee families face cultural and linguistic difficulties when navigating their children’s transition to school in a host country. However, little is known about how families are supported in their child’s transition to school. Therefore, this article aimed to investigate how leaders and facilitators in community hubs and centers support refugee families in their child’s transition to school in Australia. Data gathered from interviews with 32 community hub leaders and center facilitators from three Australian states were analyzed thematically. The support provided to families fell into six themes: promoting children’s early learning; building families’ or mothers’ capital about starting school; promoting connections between school, families, and children; offering cultural and linguistic brokerage; providing soft entry support; and easing children’s and families’ transition to school via school-based transition activities and programs. The implications of this holistic model of support for educators that is built on place and strength-based approaches in facilitating newly arrived refugee children’s and families’ smooth start to school in their new communities are outlined.

Self-Determination Research: Current and Future Directions.

This article summarizes the history, current status, and future directions of self-determination research across the globe, with a focus on applications to the education of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their transition from school to adult life. Research on the development, implementation, and outcomes of self-determination assessments and interventions is explored. Causal Agency Theory, a theoretical framework for understanding the development of self-determination as a psychological construct, is reviewed, along with research on the importance of self-determination for inclusion, psychological growth, and overall well-being. Specific approaches, models, and perspectives for addressing the support needs of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, particularly during transitions, are discussed. Assessment and intervention aligned with Causal Agency Theory, including the Self-Determination Inventory and the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction, are introduced. Future directions and emerging areas of research are summarized, including issues related to cultural validity, integration of strengths-based approaches, emerging technologies, and systemic changes in schools and communities.

Code- and Meaning-related Emergent Literacy Skills and Joint Attention in Autistic and Non-Autistic Children.

Code- and meaning-related emergent literacy skills of autistic children were compared to those of non-autistic children who did not differ on age and full-scale IQ (FSIQ). The associations between joint attention skills and early literacy abilities were of interest. Seventeen autistic and 20 non-autistic children (48 to 72 months) participated. Parents completed a joint attention measure and children completed code- and meaning-related emergent literacy skills measures. Findings showed that autistic and non-autistic children did not differ on code-related emergent literacy skills, letter knowledge and phonological awareness, but autistic children scored lower on print conceptsand name writing. Autistic children also scored lower on meaning-related skills assessing the comprehensive and quality of oral narratives. FSIQ predicted print concept knowledge in all children. Receptive vocabulary was a significant predictor of meaning-related skills in autistic children and the quality of oral narratives in non-autisticchildren. Joint attention was also a significant predictor of oral narrative quality in autistic children. Recommendations for promoting emergent literacy skills using a strength-based approach are discussed.

Forgotten interventions to promote relational health to prevent child maltreatment

Harsh parenting and intimate partner violence increased during the pandemic. However, pediatrician-led evidence-based models that link primary care, home visiting, and child maltreatment prevention have been neglected, despite C. Henry Kempe’s successful programs from 1971 to 1973. The Kempe randomized trial included comprehensive pediatric follow-up by a single physician and a lay health visitor whenever indicated, and/or weekly visits by a public health nurse in the home 50 years ago. The interventions responded to abnormal parenting practices and early warning signs during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postnatally and reduced the hospitalization for serious injuries among those 2 years old. The Kempe trial was not cited in many publications but only 402 times in Google Scholar in October 2023. Kempe's call for promoting emotional health and parent bonding 40 years ago was echoed in the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Bright Futures and Policy Statements on Promoting Relational Health in 2021. Relational health is a strengths-based approach, which can promote safe, stable, and nurturing relationships, buffer adversity, and build resilience. Screening for relational health should be integrated into Obstetric and Pediatric Care, and home visitation should become linked to primary care as a basic health benefit. Pediatric care must be transformed based on the evidence in the Kempe trial, focus on promoting primary prevention and trusted relationships from pregnancy on, and engage community resources to address unmet social needs, enabling integrated behavioral health, and changing financial incentives that now prioritize procedures and crisis interventions over cognitive services and prevention. The education and training of future pediatricians needs to emphasize the importance of relational health in the family, and the moment is now to collaborate and implement these forgotten interventions.

"My resistance melts away": The role of mindfulness in supporting participatory researchers' efforts to share power with youth co-researchers.

Youth participatory action research (YPAR) is an approach widely utilized in various social science disciplines (e.g., community psychology, social work, public health), which requires researchers to share power with youth co-researchers and to collaborate across identities to work equitably. Understanding what approaches and practices support YPAR adult facilitators' ability to share power is a vital area of knowledge that can support greater freedom in how researchers approach YPAR. Mindfulness offers a powerful set of tools for adult researchers to track their reactions and equitably collaborate with youth co-researchers. Drawing on insights from our youth participatory research, the present study employed a collaborative autoethnography to integrate our unique experiences as YPAR facilitators. We reflected on a core research question: How does mindfulness inform and support our YPAR work? Two major themes emerged that relate to power-sharing in YPAR: (1) Mindfulness supports our ability to overcome barriers to being present in facilitating YPAR groups; (2) Facilitator presence fosters deeper connection with youth co-researchers and stronger collaboration. Mindfulness can provide researchers a holistic, strengths-based approach in youth collaboration, and may also provide skillful tools for researchers to counter the pressures of White supremacy culture in academia.

Migrant and refugee communities strengthening disaster resilience

This paper presents insights from a community-led initiative in South Australia aimed at enhancing disaster resilience in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) migrant and refugee communities. Anchored in the principles of community cohesion, empowerment and informed action, the project addresses socio-cultural dynamics and communication barriers. A series of workshops and forums, tailored to account for cultural sensitivity, showed strengthened community collaboration, skills development and increased awareness of the psychosocial effects of disasters, prompting proactive strategies that consider the unique vulnerabilities and strengths of CALD communities. Participant testimonials noted increased community spirit and practical application of acquired knowledge, including understanding local hazard risk profiles and trust-building with emergency services organisations. The findings demonstrate the importance of mitigating access challenges, integrating diverse community perspectives into resilience- building activities and ensuring the inclusivity of management policies. Highlighting the significance of strengths-based community-driven approaches in emergency and disaster management, particularly for marginalised groups, this initiative found that engaging communities as active contributors enables more resilient and self-efficacious populations that effectively bridge cultural and linguistic gaps in preparedness.

Facteurs de protection et facteurs de désistance chez les Auteurs d’Infraction à Caractère Sexuel : articulation et clarification

Forensic literature has witnessed a plethora of risk assessment tools, emphasizing on factors increasing recidivism risk. Thus, assessment and care practices of individuals who have offended have gradually evolved when professionals no longer ask what doesn’t work (Nothing works) but what does work (What works) with them. From this positivist forensic psychology perspective, the inclusion of so-called positive factors such as protective or desistance factors is an important issue. A strengths-based approach to risk assessment encourages a more balanced assessment by involving factors mediating, moderating, or even canceling out this risk, specifically protective factors. Despite a strong interest in them, there are many conceptual shortcomings that hinder their use. The existence of these factors is still assumed. While the importance of their integration in assessment is established, their lack of validity hinders it. Hence, the Structured Assessment of PROtective Factors (SAPROF) has been developed to measure exclusively protective factors. The SAPROF assesses internal factors (e.g., intelligence, secure attachment, etc.), motivational factors (e.g., work, leisure activities, etc.), and external factors (e.g., social network, intimate relationship, etc.). An additional version for Individual who have Committed Sexual Offenses (ICSO) has also been developed. The first study consists of a systematized literature review comprising six studies focusing on protective factors identified among ICSOs and the validity of their operational assessment using SAPROF. Main results suggest a poor prediction of the SAPROF. A section of narrative literature focuses on desistance. Desistance paradigm suggests that professionals would be better equipped to deal with individuals who have committed offenses if they were also allowed to guide them and listen to what they think is best for them, rather than insisting that our solutions are best. The principle of What works is therefore complemented by the Why works and How works approaches to rehabilitation by putting offenders back at the heart of the process. As a universal and complex process, desistance involves changes in identity related to exiting the criminal pathway. Therefore, it is a highly individualised and subjective process, whom definitional and operational modalities are still unclear. As with protective factors, narrative literature identifies external and internal factors that might influence the reintegration process. While some desistance factors seem to be common to protective factors such as employment, quality of relationships, or treatment, some non-operational factors are highlighted as narrative discourses or knifing off concept. The second study investigates desistance factors identified through discourses of six male ICSOs on probation or conditional release based on iterative thematic content analysis. Main results highlight a predominance of positive factors relating to desistance, specifically positive interpersonal relationships (external) and cognitive transformations marked by reflective processes linked to offenses (internal). For negative factors hindering their desistance process, ICSOs emphasize internal factors such as access to illicit substances and financial difficulties. To conclude, despite increasing attention, empirical and conceptual definitions are lacking, particularly regarding protective factors and related words. Less is known about how protective factors support desistance from sexual offending. The results of these two complementary studies will be discussed considering the literature, laying the foundations for future research necessary for conceptual and operational clarification of protective and desistance factors.

“It Matters Who Defines It”—Defining Nutrition through American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Worldviews

BackgroundAdequately assessing nutrition is deeply important for understanding and addressing health inequities, especially for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian (AI/AN/NH) peoples who have been subjected to the malnourishing effects of settler colonialism. Mainstream approaches to nutrition rely heavily on indicators of physical diet consumption, while ignoring the contributions of food to spiritual, social, and emotional health. Considering only physical aspects of dietary consumption paints a narrow picture of AI/AN/NH foodways and nutritional health further contributing to deficit-based narratives about AI/AN/NH peoples. To adequately understand and address the nutritional health of AI/AN/NHs, strengths-based approaches to nutrition that are rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing are urgently needed. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to define nutrition through AI/AN/NH worldviews. MethodsThree focus group discussions (n = 3) and in-depth interviews (n = 6) were conducted with 26 purposively identified AI/AN/NH food sovereignty experts and knowledge holders. Data collection and analysis were conducted iteratively. Through a process of open, focused, and axial coding, primary themes and supporting subthemes were established and refined, and a conceptual framework (the Indigenous Nourishment Framework) was developed to reflect the relationships between primary themes, subthemes, and the overall meaning of nourishment for AI/AN/NHs. ResultsThe Indigenous Nourishment Model contains 4 main domains of nourishment (physical, spiritual, emotional, and relational), and 8 subthemes representing concepts, practices, and beliefs, which contribute to overall nourishment. ConclusionsDespite the importance of physical aspects of nutrition, our findings assert that spiritual, emotional, and relational well-being are inseparable and integral to the overall goal of nourishment for AI/AN/NHs. The resulting Indigenous Nourishment Framework developed with a diverse group of AI/AN/NH food knowledge holders reflects the strengths of AI/AN/NH foodways and builds upon existing approaches to nutrition by offering new directions for approaching and measuring nutrition.

Critical Consciousness and Youth Political Activism

Like previous generations, today's youth are engaging in political activism to positively transform their local communities and the broader society. This review applies critical consciousness theory to shed light on the factors that spur youth political activism and to highlight how developing critical consciousness engenders developmental benefits. Critical consciousness refers to structural and historical reasoning about inequality, motivation to promote social change, and political activism to bring about social equity. A succinct review of outcomes associated with critical consciousness is presented first, followed by a nuanced contemporary understanding of the precursors to youth critical consciousness development. In closing, this review highlights exciting emerging directions in this area of research and offers reflections on the trajectory of critical consciousness scholarship. All told, critical consciousness research illuminates a strength-based approach for supporting youth's healthy development that adequately attends to the psychological, historical, and structural facets of youth experience.

"Our Generation Is Trying to Break Some of That Resistance to Emotions"-A Mixed-Methods Pilot Examination of Tuning in to Kids for Black Parents of Preschoolers in the United States.

A growing body of literature examines the utility of emotion-focused parenting programs, as behaviorally based programs currently dominate the parenting literature. Few of those studies examine differences in how Black parents may benefit. This mixed-methods pilot study examined preliminary fidelity, efficacy, and acceptability of Tuning in to Kids (TIK), an emotion-focused parenting program targeting parenting practices and children's emotion regulation through a strengths-based approach. Pre, post, and one-month follow-up measurements were collected from 21 parents in the United States who were randomly assigned to a treatment (i.e., TIK) or waitlist control group. They were assessed across several self-report parent measures (parental emotion regulation, emotion socialization parenting practices and beliefs) and parent-report of children's social-emotional competence. Parents in the TIK group completed interviews to further understand their experience participating in the intervention. Descriptive analyses showed general improvements and positive change in parenting practices, beliefs, parental emotion regulation, and children's self-regulation. Large effect sizes indicate reductions of parents emotion dismissing and distressed reactions to children's negative emotions. TIK was overall rated as a highly acceptable intervention. Parent interviews offer essential information to provide context to Black parents' experiences utilizing TIK as well as themes related to challenges in raising Black children with self-regulation difficulties. Overall, these preliminary mixed-methods outcomes suggest that TIK is a promising parenting program to improve Black parents' emotion regulation, emotion coaching beliefs and positive parenting practices. Further research is needed to investigate the effectiveness of TIK and other emotion-focused parenting programs with Black parents and assess the necessity of future cultural adaptations.

Volume 7: Issue 1, June 2024 Editorial: Bridging Boundaries: Advancing Learning Through Scholarship in An Evolving Academic Landscape Thomas D. Dyer, PhD Grand Canyon University, Editor-in-Chief JSE Jenny Kuban, M.Psy Grand Canyon University, Managing Editor JSE doi: The scholarship of teaching and learning focuses on improving student outcomes by lever- aging research on education, instructional design, and pedagogy (Boyer, 1990).

In this manuscript, two professors sought to reflect on personal discoveries from their recent research collaboration examining the relationship between strengths-based teaching and students’ self-efficacy. The findings of their study indicated that educators in higher education institutions who employ a strengths-based teaching approach that focuses on students’ capabilities, opportunities, and possibilities while creating a growth mindset, resiliency, and agency can improve students’ self-efficacy. As educators, we regularly engage in reflective practice to enhance and improve our teaching strategies. Through reflection, we were able to examine the revelations from our research and explore how we could effectively implement these practices in our teaching to highlight our students’ strengths and help them build a foundation for lifelong learning and improved self-efficacy.

Family Strength: A Concept Analysis

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the concept of family strength using the Walker &amp; Avant method. The goal is to clarify its defining characteristics, causes, and effects in order to deepen our understanding of its role in enhancing individual and family resilience.Methods: Following Walker &amp; Avant’s framework, this concept analysis involved a comprehensive review of literature from various disciplines. We extracted literature from databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycARTICLES, MEDLINE, ERIC, and PMUSE.Results: The analysis revealed three key attributes of family strength: family cohesion, family coping capacity, and family engagement. These attributes are supported by factors such as positive communication, shared values and goals, and access to resources. The outcomes of family strength include enhanced personal growth, effective crisis management, and reduced risk of family dysfunction.Conclusion: Family strength is a vital factor in promoting resilience and well-being within family units, regardless of family structure. These findings support a strengths-based approach in clinical and research settings, emphasizing the use of inherent family strengths to support individual and family development.

Correction to: Supporting Meaningful Implementation and Evaluation of Strengths-Based Approaches in Adult Social Care: A Theory of Change for The Three Conversations

Correction to: Supporting Meaningful Implementation and Evaluation of Strengths-Based Approaches in Adult Social Care: A Theory of Change for The Three Conversations

Comparative sustainability and seismic performance analysis of reinforced conventional concrete and UHPC bridge piers

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) boasts excellent mechanical properties, but it comes at a high cost and has a significant environmental impact. This study conducts a comprehensive life-cycle analysis (LCA) on reinforced concrete bridge piers to investigate the environmental implications of integrating conventional concrete (CC) and UHPC in seismic design. The analysis covers both materials and members. At the material level, the global warming potential (GWP) from UHPC manufacturing is calculated using a comprehensive database that includes UHPC mixture details, fiber quantity, geometry, mixing and curing processes, loading age, and compressive strength. At the member level, seismic performance is assessed through capacity-to-demand ratios of strength and ductility. A total of 1280 CC and 2240 UHPC bridge piers are virtually tested with comparable functional unit values, and their GWPs are calculated. The study reveals a proportional relationship between GWP per m3 of UHPC manufacturing and its compressive strength. The GWP of CC and UHPC piers designed using the strength-based approach increases with the capacity-to-demand ratio. When the capacity-to-demand ratio is relatively large, the GWP exhibits rapid nonlinear growth. Adding more reinforcement to achieve a higher capacity-to-demand ratio is inefficient. Moreover, both CC and UHPC piers designed using the ductility-based approach show no strong correlation between GWP and the capacity-to-demand ratio. Surprisingly, using a higher grade of UHPC does not improve seismic resistance; instead, it leads to increased GWP. Effective strategies, such as reducing cross-sectional area and increasing the reinforcement ratio, prove beneficial in enhancing material efficiency and reducing GWP. Additionally, the utilization of a specific pipe section enhances material efficiency, improves seismic resistance, and results in lower GWP.

Playing to our strengths: An Appreciative Inquiry approach to appraisal

ABSTRACT Appraisal processes are a requirement for professionals working in the education sector. Often appraisal processes do not focus on strengths, rather, it becomes a process of meeting pre-determined requirements. This article takes a strength-based approach to appraisal and discusses a study which pilots the use of an Appreciative Growth Cycle process. The study focused on the growth of future professional practice within an organisational team. An Appreciative Inquiry methodology (Cooperrider &amp; Srivastva, 1987) guided the study. The purpose of the study was to trial the feasibility and application of the Appreciative Growth Cycle process for its possible use across a wider organisational context. The research question therefore that drove the study was: In what ways might the use of an Appreciative Growth Cycle process be applied within a wider organisational context?