Nurturing Future Generations

Promoting Resilience in Children and Adolescents Through Social, Emotional and Cognitive Skills

Rosemary A. Thompson, Ed.D.

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9780415950961
• eBook ISBN: 9781135424671
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Mental Health in Psychology
• Index: Psychology

The statistics are pretty grim - young people face an ever increasing tide of poverty, alcohol and drug abuse, violence, suicide, and family dysfunction. Society's response has been slow. Too many young people do not receive consistent, positive, and realistic validation of themselves from those adults on whom they depend.

Nurturing Future Generations goes beyond the stilted rhetoric on the problems of youth and the dilemma for society by outlining specific treatment intervention and prevention strategies that address the full spectrum of dysfunctional behavior. It introduces structured intervention strategies for school and community collaboration, with an emphasis on remediation and treatment.

Educators and helping professionals will find counseling strategies and psychoeducational techniques that focus on primary prevention. These primary prevention strategies are supported by an understanding of critical social, emotional, and cognitive skills. The new edition provides an increased focus on the positive aspects of youth development, with less emphasis placed on the dysfunctional side of youth behavior.

The book addresses emerging research on resiliency and includes increased coverage of best practices for use with troubled youth. A new chapter on LGBT youth issues has been added, and the existing chapters have been substantially revised and updated. The author has reorganized sections within each chapter, adding to the readability and flow of the book, making it more useful as both a professional reference and supplemental text.

Part I

Rationale and Theoretical Framework

Chapter 1

Social, Emotional, and Cognitive Deficits from a Developmental Perspective

It appears we have lost sight of some of the fundamental goals of our educational system: namely, to foster the development of human relationships (National Education Association, Educational Policies Commission, 1938) and to teach respect for other persons, develop insights into ethical values and principles, and strengthen our children’s ability to live and to work cooperatively with others. (National Education Association, Educational Policies Commission, 1952)

Dinkmeyer (1971) stated that the lack of a required, sequentially developmental program in self-understanding and human behavior testifies to an educational paradox: “We have taught children almost everything in school except to understand and accept themselves and to function more effectively in human relations” (p. 62). Rogers (1980) asserted, “I deplore the manner in which from early years, the child’s education splits him or her: the mind can come to school and the body is permitted peripherally to tag along, but the feelings and emotions can live freely and expressively only outside the school” (p. 263). We have been schooled for years to stress only the cognitive, to avoid any feeling connected to learning. Rogers (1980) maintained “if we are truly aware, we can hear the silent screams of denied feelings echoing off every classroom wall” (p. 251). In 1990, the Carnegie Foundation released a report entitled Turning Point: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century, which concluded that half of America’s youth were “extremely vulnerable to multiple high-risk behaviors and school failures” or were “at moderate risk, but remain … a cause for serious concern” (p. 36). The perpetual neglect of the importance of nurturing emotional learning and the implications of developing and maintaining meaningful relationships have existed for decades.

High-Risk Behaviors

Growing evidence of predictors for high-risk behaviors can be found in many sources. In the United States, 70.8% of all deaths among youth and young adults aged 10 to 24 years result from only four causes: motor-vehicle crashes (32.3%), other unintentional injuries (11.7%), homicide (15.1%), and suicide (11.7%) The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (2004) monitors six categories of priority health-risk behaviors among youth and young adults, that is, behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence; tobacco use; alcohol and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection; unhealthy dietary behaviors; and physical inactivity. YRBSS (2004) includes a national school-based survey conducted by CDC as well as state and local school-based surveys conducted by education and health agencies. This report summarizes results from the national survey, 32 state surveys, and 18 local surveys conducted among students in grades 9 through 12 during February through December 2003. Selected health risk behaviors include the following:

• Failed to use seat belt. Nationwide, 18.2% of students had rarely or never worn seat belts when riding in a car driven by someone else.
• Failed to use bicycle helmet. Among the 62.3% of students nationwide who had ridden a bicycle during the 12 months preceding the survey, 85.9% had rarely or never worn a bicycle helmet.
• Rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol. During the 30 days preceding the survey, 30.2% of students nationwide had ridden in a car or other vehicle one or more times with a driver who had been drinking alcohol.
• Drove after drinking alcohol. During the 30 days preceding the survey, 12.1% of students nationwide had driven a car or other vehicle one or more times after drinking alcohol.
• Carried a weapon. Nationwide, 17.1% of students had carried a weapon (e.g., a gun, knife, or club) on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey.
• Carried a gun. Nationwide, 6.1% of students had carried a gun on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey.
• Involved in physical fighting. Nationwide, 33.0% of students had been in a physical fight one or more times during the 12 months preceding the survey.
• Injured in a physical fight. Among students nationwide, 4.2% had been in a physical fight, that resulted in injuries that had to be treated by a doctor or nurse, one or more times during the 12 months preceding the survey.
• Experienced dating violence. During the 12 months preceding the survey, 8.9% of students nationwide had been hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
• Experienced forced sexual intercourse. Nationwide, 9.0% of students had been physically forced to have sexual intercourse when they did not want to.
• Carried a weapon on school property. Nationwide, 6.1% of students carried a weapon (e.g., a gun, knife, or club) on school property on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey.
• Threatened or injured with a weapon on school property. During the 12 months preceding the survey, 9.2% of students nationwide had been threatened or injured with a weapon (e.g., a gun, knife, or club) on school property one or more times.
• Involved in a physical fight on school property. Nationwide, 12.8% of students had been in a physical fight on school property one or more times during the 12 months preceding the survey.
• Did not go to school because of safety concerns. Among students nationwide, 5.4% had not gone to school on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to or from school.
• Property stolen or damaged on school property. Nationwide, 29.8% of students had had their property (e.g., car, clothing, or books) stolen or deliberately damaged on school property one or more times during the 12 months preceding the survey.
• Felt sad or hopeless. During the 12 months preceding the survey, 28.6% of students nationwide had felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row that they stopped doing some usual activities.
• Seriously considered attempting suicide. Nationwide, 16.9% of students had seriously considered attempting suicide during the 12 months preceding the survey.
• Made a suicide plan. During the 12 months preceding the survey, 16.5% of students nationwide had made a plan to attempt suicide.
• Attempted suicide. Nationwide, 8.5% of students had actually attempted suicide one or more times during the 12 months preceding the survey.
• Attempted suicide and required medical attention. During the 12 months preceding the survey, 2.9% of students nationwide had made a suicide attempt that resulted in an injury, poisoning, or overdose that had to be treated by a doctor or nurse.
• Used tobacco. Nationwide, 58.4% of students had tried cigarette smoking (even one or two puffs) at some point during their lifetime. Nationwide, 15.8% of students had smoked one or more cigarettes every day for 30 days at some point during their lifetime.
• Currently using smokeless tobacco. Nationwide, 6.7% of students had used smokeless tobacco (e.g., chewing tobacco, snuff, or dip) on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey.
• Used alcohol or other drug. Approximately three-fourths (74.9%) of students nationwide had had one or more drinks of alcohol on one or more days during their lifetime. Nationwide, 44.9% of students had had one or more drinks of alcohol on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey.
• Did episodic heavy drinking. Nationwide, 28.3% of students had done episodic heavy drinking: five or more drinks of alcohol in a row (i.e., within a couple of hours) on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey.
• Used marijuana. Nationwide, 40.2% of students had used marijuana one or more times during their lifetime. Nationwide, 22.4% of students had used marijuana one or more times during the 30 days preceding the survey.
• Used cocaine. Nationwide, 8.7% of students had used a form of cocaine (e.g., powder, “crack,” or “freebase”) one or more times during their lifetime.
• Currently using cocaine. Nationwide, 4.1% of students had used a form of cocaine one or more times during the 30 days preceding the survey.
• Used illegal injection drugs. Nationwide, 3.2% of students had used a needle to inject any illegal drug into their body one or more times during their lifetime.
• Used inhalants. Nationwide, 12.1% of student had sniffed glue, breathed the contents of aerosol spray cans, or inhaled paints or sprays to get high one or more times during their lifetime.
• Currently using inhalants. Nationwide, 3.9% of students had used inhalants one or more times during the 30 days preceding the survey.
• Used illegal steroids. Nationwide, 6.1% of students had taken steroid pills or shots without a doctor’s prescription one or more times during their lifetime.
• Used heroin. Nationwide, 3.3% of students had used heroin one or more times during their lifetime.
• Used methamphetamines. Nationwide, 7.6% of students had used methamphetamines one or more times during their lifetime.
• Used ecstasy. Nationwide, 11.1% of students had used ecstasy one or more times during their lifetime.
• Participated in sexual intercourse. Nationwide, 46.7% of students had had sexual intercourse during their lifetime.
• Participated in sexual intercourse before age 13. Nationwide, 7.4% of students had sexual intercourse for the first time before the age of 13 years.
• Currently sexually active. Approximately one-third (34.3%) of students nationwide had had sexual intercourse during the 3 months preceding the survey.
• Used a condom during last sexual intercourse. Among the 34.3% of currently sexually active students nationwide, 63.0% reported that either they or their partner had used a condom during last sexual intercourse.
• Used birth control pills before last sexual intercourse. Among the 34.3% of currently sexually active students nationwide, 17.0% reported either they or their partner had used birth control pills to prevent pregnancy before their last sexual intercourse.
• Used alcohol or drugs before last sexual intercourse. Among the 34.3% of currently sexually active students nationwide, 25.4% had drunk alcohol or used drugs before their last sexual intercourse.
• Became pregnant or caused pregnancy. Nationwide, 4.2% of students had been pregnant or had gotten someone pregnant.
• Received AIDS or HIV-infection education. Nationwide, 87.9% of students had been taught in school about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or HIV infection.

The findings in this report are subject to multiple limitations. First, these data applies only to youth who attend school and, therefore, are not representative of all persons in this age group. Second, nationwide, of pe...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Part I: Rationale and Theoretical Framework
• Part II: Manifestations of Behaviors and Related Skills
• Part III: Creating Positive Relationships through Engagement of All Stakeholders
• Epilogue
• References
• Index