Students’ Wellbeing and Social Connections

Tom Strong, Michelle Drefs, Gabrielle Wilcox, Michael Zwiers & Michael MuWerklund School of Education, University of CalgaryLaureen Lailey, Alberta Education

Presented at the Canadian Mental Health Association Nation-Wide ConferenceCalgary, Alberta Friday October 24, 2014

Overview

• CORE – Our Enthusiasm

• The Current State of Student Wellbeing in Schools

• Traditional School Responses to Student Wellbeing/Resiliency

• CORE’s Process Model to Support Student Wellbeing

• How we Research CORE in Process/Outcome Ways?

• Discussion

Enthusiasm for CORE?

Our background as educators and psychologists

Whole school cultural (caring) transformation

A focus on enhancing connections and resiliency

Not a curriculum but a heuristic

Done in school-decided problem-solving ways

More enthusiasm

Beginnings in Australia (the Gatehouse Project) and initial success in Alberta schools

Mobilizes school communities to enhance social engagement and pursue wellness

Gives us a chance to study to how school communities transform themselves, and what comes from these transformations.

The Current State of Students Well-Being In Schools

Drs. Gabrielle Wilcox & Michelle Drefs

AnxiousBulliedSocial Connection

Academics Mental Health

LDDrop Out

Child

Microsystem

Exosystem

Macrosystem

Teacher Burnout

McGill (Jon Bradley)

30%-50% leave in first 5 years

U of A

In Alberta, 40% leave in first five years

US Dept. of Ed

3rd year = 33%5th year =50%

Inner city; 3rd year = 50%

U of Regina

61% of teachers ill due to work-related stress

Diversity

Less than 20 years, seniors will out number children under 15.

By 2017, our population will be approaching 40 million – 22% will be immigrants and members of visible minorities Variety of immigrant groups is greater than any

time in our history Increased political & public desire for

inclusive practices

Source: Andrews, J. J. W. & Lupart, J. (2015). Diversity education: Understanding and addressing student diversity. Toronto, ON: Nelson.

Child

Microsystem

Exosystem

Macrosystem

Traditional Responses – Intervention

Responses have been more reactive than proactive “Wait-to-fail” approach Only support those with highest needs

Packaged intervention programs (some are research-based) Pull-out service targeted to isolated problems (e.g., depression, reading) Delivered either individually (e.g., mental health worker, reading

specialist) or in groups (e.g., school psychologist, school counsellor)

Pull-out individualized, highly specialized (e.g., Student Health Partnership)

Does This Approach Work?

Services are idiosyncratic and not coordinated The Senate report on Mental Health (2006) found that

“Business as Usual” wasn’t working for Canada’s children and youth

The report recommended that mental health programs be coordinated and based in schools:

“That mental health services for children and youth be provided in the school setting by the school-based mental health teams…” (p. 140)“That provincial and territorial governments encourage their health, education and justice institutions to work closely together in order to provide seamless access to mental health services for children and youth.” (p. 152)

Mental Health Commission of Canada

Continuum of supports from Mental Health Promotion to Prevention to Intervention services

• Coordinated services• Evidence-informed

practice• Systematic professional

learning• Evaluation of untested

approaches• Utilization of community-

school partnerships

Continuum of Supports

• Specialized• Known risk children

Intervention

•Targeted•At-risk children

Proactive / Prevention

• Universal• Healthy children

Health Promoti

on

• Evidence-based• Effective• Accessible

• Evidence-based• Skill-based• Effective screening for

identification

• Evidence-based• Educational• Strength & Resilience model

Prevention Programs

Built into existing curriculum (often health and wellness curriculum)

Limited content (1 to 6 lessons) Focus often on risk behaviour

prevention, prosocial skills development & mental health literacy

Limited grade span (often high school)

Limited generalization

Examples

• FRIENDS – Anxiety prevention

• The Fourth R –Bullying and Substance Use (Healthy, Safe, Connected)

• School Mental Health (Dr. Stan Kutcher) – Mental Health awareness

• Gatehouse Project (Australia) Emotional Well-being

• Lions Quest – School Climate Skills for Growing, Skills for Adolescence & Skills for Action

Alberta Mental Health Capacity Building Project

Real-World: Funded ($3.6 + 25.8 million) for early intervention + prevention

initiatives No coordinated follow-up either locally or provincially (not sustained) All 26 funded studies developed their own programs rather than using

existing research-based programs. (haphazard; costly development; limited or study of effectiveness)

Why did they not using research-based programs? Cost, limited scope of many programs, limited generalization Prepackaged programs don’t often meet the unique local needs / needs

of the local community. They are rarely implemented with fidelity to the original design

Population Health Approaches

Comprehensive School Health – Alberta Health Services

“A healthy school community is one that supports the wellness of all its members (students, teachers, staff, and parents) and strives to be a healthy setting for living, learning, and working.” http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/csh.asp

Community Development Process based on 4 Pillars of Comprehensive School Health

Social

Creative

Intellectual

Emotional

Spiritual

Physical

Domains of Wellness

Child

Building On Success

Gatehouse Project – Organizational Development over 2 years

EntrySurveyFeedbackPriority settingActionsImplementationEvaluation

Action team (staff, students, parents)Part time facilitatorCurriculumProfessional learning relevant to the context

The Gatehouse Project: changes in health risk behaviour in grade 8 students after 2 years

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Smoking Regularsmoking

Bingedrinking

Cannabis WeeklyCannabis

% o

f gr

oup

Comparison schools

Intervention

All analyses adjusted for previous level of substance use in the school

Components of CORE

Survey-feedback-action cycles Part time facilitator/change agent Organizational change/leadership coaching Teaching and learning (teachers/support staff) Parent education Review and improve existing SEL and mental health literacy

interventions to evidence-based standards

Continuous Improvement

A Facilitated Whole School Change Process

“A facilitator is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: We did it ourselves.”

Lao Tzu

Break down staff/teacher barriers

Invite support staff to professional learning, staff meetings, equalize incentives for participation

Increase familiarity with each other

Introduce small group work in PD. Mix up groups Hold professional learning weekly (1hr sessions) instead of 8 full day sessions/yearHave photo board

Increase recognition for good work done

Monday memo from PrincipalStaff “post-it” appreciation board

OBJECTIVES STRATEGIES

Increase socialising Hold more events, different formats and occasions. Encourage more peopleto take lead roles

Increase problem solving Create new task groups with high levels of responsibility (workload group to examine structural ways to reduce stress)

Increase student voice in the school

Monthly mtg with Teacher Advisor student reps and Administration.Photo voice project

OBJECTIVES STRATEGIES

Intentional Change

What is Social Network Analysis?

Social network analysis is the study of social structure.

It maps relations among people (or organisations)

It quantifies position e.g., density, centrality, 2-step reach

A person’s position in a structure determines the opportunities or constraints that the person will encounter

-information, - help -viewpoints -approval/disapproval - affirmation of worth - material resources

Social Network Analysis

Students. The talk-to-when-upset network at Time 1One elementary classroom

Take a Moment

Who in the network could potentially be at risk socially? Why do you believe this to be true?

Students. The talk-to-when-upset network at Time 2,same class

Using Networks Theory/Thinking in Our Classrooms!

Every Friday afternoon Chase’s teacher asks her students to take out a piece of paper and write down the names of four children with whom they’d like to sit the following week…………

Who did CORE study?Participants• Six elementary and junior high schools• 1904 students• Grade 5-9• 9-16 years old

CORE Research

What did CORE study? Key Components of CORE Data

• Social Network Analysis (SNA)• Cortisol Level• Health, Behaviour, and Wellness (HBW) Survey Survey for Elementary School Students (76 questions) Survey for Junior High School Students (99 questions)

Demographics Dietary questions for saliva screening Social support from family, friends, and important adults School connections and neighbourhood connections Family worries, family affluence, and family time School safety, bullying, and delinquency Depression, anxiety, and self-esteem Substance use, delinquency, and risk behaviours Physical activity, screen time, weight concern and weight behaviours

CORE Research

Preliminary findings(relationship between wellbeing and social connections)

• Social connections Within the school boundary: staff support and peer relations Beyond the school boundary: neighbourhood connections

• Wellbeing Anxiety Depression Self-esteem Academic engagement

CORE Research

Anxiety Depression Self-esteem Academic engagement

Staff support r=-.18, p<.001 r=.01, p=.838 r=-.07, p=.018 r=.38, p<.001

Peer relations r=-.30, p<.001 r=-.03, p=.279 r=.01, p=.850 r=.29, p<.001

Neighbourhood connections

r=-.24, p<.001 r=-.33, p<.001 r=.33, p<.001 r=-.04, p=.253

Correlation matrix

• Stronger staff support and peer relations in school tend to be associated with lower level of anxiety and higher level of academic engagement.

• Stronger neighbourhood connections tend to be associated with lower levels and anxiety and depression, and higher level and self-esteem.

CORE Research

Resiliency?

Character traits (e.g., hardiness) / fund of wellbeing?

Stress adaptive coping? Purpose? Sense of self?

Social connections (support, responsiveness)

Resilient school cultures/resilient communities?

Resiliency – self-reflection?

Think back on an occasion when you were flourishing in terms of your own resiliency

Describe that time in terms of what made it stand out with respect to your (a) physical wellbeing,(b) your emotional wellbeing, (c) your sense of purpose and self, and (d) your sense of social and community engagement (e) other relevant details?

How do we help others be resilient?

CORE future research directions

Resilient kids and schools post-disaster

Working with schools to identify best practices that facilitate social connection and resilience

CORE as part of a continuum of care in resilient schools, while maintaining normal mental health services for kids needing extra assistance

Resilient school-communities? (teachers, parents, others?)

It’s your turn to talk

Contact us!Dr. Tom Strong: strongt@ucalgary.ca

Dr. Michael Mu: mgmu@ucalgary.ca

Dr. Gabrielle Wilcox: gwilcox@ucalgary.ca

Dr. Michael Zwiers: mzwiers@ucalgary.ca

Laureen Lailey: laureen.lailey@gov.ab.ca

Dr. Michelle Drefs: madrefs@ucalgary.ca

References

Alberta Health & Wellness. (2006). Positive futures – Optimizing mental health for Alberta’s children & youth: A framework for action (2006-2016). Author: Edmonton, AB.

Andrews, J. J. W. & Lupart, J. (2015). Diversity education: Understanding and addressing student diversity. Toronto, ON: Nelson.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1986). Ecology of the family as context for human development: Research perspectives. Developmental Psychology, 22(6). 723-742

Canadian Institutes of Health Research. (nd). Canadian Bullying Statistics. Retrieved October 20, 2104 from: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/45838.html

Clandinin, D. J., Schaefer, L., Long, J. S., Steeves, P., McKenzie-Robblee, S., Pinnegar, E., . . . & Downey, C. A. (2012). Early career teacher attrition: Problems, possibilities, potentials. Edmonton, AB: University of Alberta.

Goldring, R. Taie, S., & Riddles, M. (2014). Teacher attrition and mobility: Results from the survey (NCES 2014-077). U. S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved October 20 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.

Leitch, K. K. (2008). Reaching for the top: A report by the advisor on healthy children & youth. Health Canada, Ottawa, ON.

References

Martin, R. R., Dolmage, R., & Sharpe. D. (2012). Seeking wellness: Descriptive findings from the survey of the work life and health of teachers in Regina and Saskatoon. Saskatoon, SK: Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation.

OECD (2014a). Science performance (PISA) (indicator). Doi: 10.1787/91952204-en

OECD (2014b). Mathematics performance (PISA) (indicator). Doi: 10.1787/04711c74-

OECD (2014c). Reading performance (PISA) (indicator). OECD (2014d). Canada- Country Note - Education at a glance 2014. Reichel, J. (2013, February 19). Overwhelmed Canadian teachers quitting in

droves. Epoch Times. Retrieved October 20, 2014 from http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/canada/overwhelmed-canadian-teachers-quitting-in-droves-350533.html

Statistics Canada (2013). Annual demographic estimates: Canada, provinces and territories. Section 2: Population by age and sex. Ottawa: Minister of Industry. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/91-215-x/2013002/part-partie2-eng.htm