Research Applications And Interventions For Children And Adolescents

This book presents recent positive psychological research, applications and interventions being used among adolescents and children. Currently there is a wave of change occurring whereby educators, and others working with children and adolescents, are beginning to recognize the benefits of looking at well-being from a positive perspective, specifically the integration of positive psychological theory into the school curriculum in order to improve student well-being. Moreover, although the positive psychological field has grown tremendously since its inception, there remains an imbalance in the publication of research findings, applications, and interventions among children and adolescents in comparison to adults. This book fills the need for a reference to this valuable information and benefits a wide range of professionals, including educators, clinicians, psychologists, students, and many other working with children and adolescents.

This book presents recent positive psychological research, applications and interventions being used among adolescents and children. Currently there is a wave of change occurring whereby educators, and others working with children and adolescents, are beginning to recognize the benefits of looking at well-being from a positive perspective, specifically the integration of positive psychological theory into the school curriculum in order to improve student well-being. Moreover, although the positive psychological field has grown tremendously since its inception, there remains an imbalance in the publication of research findings, applications, and interventions among children and adolescents in comparison to adults. This book fills the need for a reference to this valuable information and benefits a wide range of professionals, including educators, clinicians, psychologists, students, and many other working with children and adolescents.

In addition to introducing readers to the field of family-based prevention science, Family-Based Prevention Programs for Children and Adolescents highlights the distinctive contributions of a set of exemplary programs in terms of their foundational theory, design, delivery mechanisms, performance, and unique opportunities for future research. It is organized into three sections to orient readers to: the existence of different types of family-based programs targeting families with children of different ages; the strategies and challenges that arise when attempting large-scale dissemination of prevention programs; and, the emerging innovations that promise to push the field forward into uncharted territories. Each chapter is written by a preeminent program developer, including: Gene H. Brody Richard F. Catalano Patricia Chamberlain Thomas J. Dishion Marion S. Forgatch Kevin P. Haggerty Cleve Redmond Matthew R. Sanders Richard L. Spoth Carolyn Webster-Stratton Contributors review the state of the research and then provide a summary of their own program, including research and dissemination efforts. They also discuss take-home lessons for practitioners and policymakers, and provide their view of the future of program development and research in their area. As an important signpost signifying the noteworthy achievements of the field to date, as well as an arrow pointing the field toward significant growth in the future, this book is a must-have primary resource for graduate students in developmental or clinical psychology, counseling, family sciences, social work, or health policy, and an essential guide for practitioners and policymakers in the field of family-based prevention, family service delivery, or public health.

Stress, Risk, and Resilience in Children and Adolescents recognizes the complexity of the developmental processes that impact on coping and resilience and the importance of sociocultural factors. In this respect, the relation between a stressor and an outcome depends on many factors, including the individual's previous experience, perception of the event, coping skills and social supports. In turn, each of these factors displays meaningful variation by developmental status, social background, and cultural context. The examination of individual differences in vulnerability to stress and risk factors has grown substantially over the past decade as it has become clearer that some children do, in fact, 'beat the odds.' In order to understand why some children succumb to even modest stress while others remain resilient in the face of what appear to be overwhelming stressors, research has increasingly examined the processes and mechanisms by which children of different ages deal with adverse life experiences, rather than merely studying the stressors themselves. Many problem behaviors have multiple causes, and most children with one problem behavior also have others. The co-occurrence and/or interrelatedness of risk factors and problem behaviors is, therefore, an important area of research.

Understanding the factors that encourage young people to become active agents in their own learning is critical. Positive psychology is one lens that can be used to investigate the factors that facilitate a student’s sense of agency and active school engagement. In the second edition of this groundbreaking handbook, the editors draw together the latest work on the field, identifying major issues and providing a wealth of descriptive knowledge from renowned contributors. Major topics include: the ways that positive emotions, traits, and institutions promote school achievement and healthy social and emotional development; how specific positive-psychological constructs relate to students and schools and support the delivery of school-based services; and the application of positive psychology to educational policy making. With thirteen new chapters, this edition provides a long-needed centerpiece around which the field can continue to grow, incorporating a new focus on international applications of the field.

This book comprehensively reviews mindfulness-based interventions for specific areas of functioning in children and adolescents, with refreshing insights and perspectives. Based on a solid foundation of research and practice, it presents the nature of mindfulness, examines the psychological processes that may underlie mindfulness, and explores how to assess it. Mindfulness is about how we can be attentive to and present for everything that happens in our daily lives. This book draws upon current research in the field in order to explore topics such as the fundamentals of teaching mindfulness to children and adolescents; assessment of mindfulness in this population; use of mindfulness in educational settings; and clinical applications in mental health, including substance abuse, hyperactivity, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. With contributions from internationally-renowned clinicians and scholars, this book provides a balanced account of the strengths and weaknesses of current research, and how mindfulness-based programs can be used to enhance wellbeing and reduce suffering. This book will be of great interest for academics, scholars and post graduate students involved in the study of the mental health of children and adolescents. It will also appeal to psychologists, psychiatrist, nurses, social workers, rehabilitation therapists and others, such as school counsellors, who provide clinical care to children and adolescents.

The Handbook of Positive Psychology in Schools offers the most current and comprehensive insights into how positive psychology principles provide a framework for young people to become active agents in their own learning. The third edition of this groundbreaking volume assembles the latest global research identifying fundamental assets—hope, optimism, gratitude, self-efficacy, emotional regulation, among others—that support students’ learning and well-being. Chapters examining social-ecological perspectives on classroom quality and school climate provide best practice guidance on schoolwide policies and practices. These 35 new chapters explore positive psychology’s ongoing influence and advances on prevention, intervention, and assessment practices in schools.

This book is a newly revised version of the highly influential text, Rational Emotive Behavioral Approaches to Childhood Disorders: Theory, Practice and Research, based on an earlier volume by Bernard and Ellis. The revised edition incorporates recent significant advances in applying this approach to younger populations, updates best practice guidelines, and discusses the burgeoning use of technology to deliver mental health services. Featuring content from experts across a variety of areas, the book provides clinical guidance to a range of professionals working with children, including counselors, social workers, clinical and school psychologists. It also offers extensive illustrated material, self-test questions, and other useful resources to aid with use as a graduate level text or training reference. Among the topics addressed: Developing therapeutic skillsets for working with children and adolescents Promoting self-acceptance in youth Building resilience in youth Parent counselling and education Teacher stress management Cognitive-Behavioral, Rational Emotive Treatment of Childhood Problems highlights the potential for evidence-based services to reach and positively influence child and adolescent populations that remain underserved by today’s clinical and educational systems.