Adena B. Meyers

Perceptions of Sources of Sex Education and Targets of Sex Communication: Sociodemographic and Cohort Effects

As part of a larger survey study on young adult sexuality conducted over a 17-year period at a Midwest U.S. university, more than 6,000 college students completed questions on the sources of their sex education and the degree to which they have communicated about sex with various types of individuals. Participants reported receiving more sex education from peers and media than from parents (and mothers more than fathers). Respondents also reported communicating more about sex with peers than with parents or any other categories of individuals. Differences were found in the degree of sex education from various sources and in communication with various targets based on gender, ethnic background, and social class. Furthermore, changes were found over the 17-year period. More recent cohorts of students perceived that they received more sex education from media, peers, and professionals, and communicated more about sex with professionals, relative to earlier cohorts.

Ecological Approaches to Organizational Consultation and Systems Change in Educational Settings

This article presents the conceptual foundations and specific features of an ecologically oriented model of school-based organizational consultation. We begin by providing an overview of ecological theory. This is followed by a brief description of a model of school-based organizational consultation with a special focus on the ecological elements of the approach. Next, several trends in educational service delivery (i.e., high-stakes educational assessment, Response to Intervention, Positive Behavior Supports, school climate, and social justice) that require substantial systemic changes are discussed. These trends highlight the need for effective ecological approaches to organizational consultation. We present recommendations regarding how an ecologically oriented model of school-based consultation might be used to facilitate systemic change efforts in relation to the educational trends discussed.

Sexual victimization in young, pregnant and parenting, African-American women: Psychological and social outcomes.

The influence of sexual victimization on the psychological and social adjustment of 177 pregnant and parenting African Americans was examined. Compared with those who had not been victimized, young women with a history of sexual victimization were more symptomatic, had lower self esteem, and had a more external locus of control than the non-victimized women. In addition, women who were sexually victimized at some time in their lives reported higher levels of economic strain. Victimized young women were less satisfied with their social support than their non-victimized peers. Taken together, these findings suggest that the link between sexual victimization and psychological distress in pregnant and parenting adolescents may be mediated through young women’s interpersonal resources.

Prevention Through Consultation: A Model to Guide Future Developments in the Field of School Psychology.

The Invitational Conference on the Future of School Psychology held at Indiana University in 2002 had implications for consultation. It addressed projected shortages in school psychologists that provide a rationale for service delivery models integrating consultation and prevention. The conference discussed the need for effective work with children, families, and professionals from diverse cultures; success in fostering productive home-school connections; optimal and ethical use of rapidly changing technologies; and the use of empirical evidence to inform practice. This article presents a model of consultation and prevention informed by recent research in positive psychology as well as public health models. This model is discussed in the context of these and other important developments in the field of school psychology.

Oral contraceptive use among African American adolescents: Individual and community influences

Side effects of oral contraceptives are a noteworthy problem, particularly among low-income young women who reside in inner-city communities. The problem may be compounded by inadequate family planning services, particularly when such services are provided by general medical practices with high volumes of clients. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of pill-related side effects, with particular attention to the role of clinic characteristics. Participants were 177 pregnant and parenting African American adolescents and young women (average age=18.34). The experience of a pill-related side effect was the most frequently cited barrier to birth control use, and it was significantly related to contraceptive behavior. Finally, although participants attending comprehensive clinics experienced more barriers to medical service use than those attending neighborhood clinics, they reported fewer problems with pill-related side effects and better psychological functioning. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.

Developing Nonthreatening Expertise: Thoughts on Consultation Training From the Perspective of a New Faculty Member

A new faculty members experiences teaching consultation for the first time are described. Several dilemmas and challenges involved in the initial planning of a consultation course are discussed, including: how to fit the consultation course into the broader school psychology training program; how to balance didactic and applied training; and how to teach the interpersonal skills necessary for students to form productive, collaborative relationships with diverse adults. It is argued that Black feminist epistemology (Collins, 2000) provides a potentially useful framework for helping students develop effective collaborative skills.

Patterns of Service Utilization Among Pregnant and Parenting African American Adolescents

This study explored factors associated with differential patterns of social and health service use among pregnant and parenting African American adolescents. One hundred seventy-seven young women between the ages of 14 and 22 took part in the study. Cluster analysis suggested three groups of users: frequent users, moderate users, and inconsistent users. These groups were distinct in terms of their frequency of service usage, perceptions of barriers to usage, and psychological and social functioning. Moderate users appeared to be healthier than either the frequent or inconsistent users, as indicated by their relatively higher levels of psychological functioning. In contrast, inconsistent users were distinguished by their high rates of sexual victimization, their low use of medical services, and their perceptions of many programmatic and personal barriers to usage. Suggestions for research and interventions that encompass the diverse needs of young African American women are made.

Multilevel Prospective Dynamics in School-Based Social and Emotional Learning Programs

A growing body of evidence supports the effectiveness of school-based interventions aimed at improving children’s social functioning and preventing emotional and behavioral difficulties. These social and emotional learning (SEL) programs vary in their pedagogical approaches, with some focusing on individual-level skill development and others emphasizing contextual changes designed to improve interpersonal dynamics and climate at the classroom or building level. Most programs use elements of both approaches in complementary ways. Ecological theory suggests that individual and environmental factors interact with and reciprocally influence each other in the context of school-based preventive interventions. Changes in school structure and culture may help improve outcomes for children, whereas enhanced social skills may lead to improved school climate. This article reviews evidence regarding these multilevel and cross-level prospective dynamics within school-based SEL interventions.

Full Service Schools

In addition to the traditional academic instruction typically provided in public schools, full service schools offer an array of integrated health and social services to children and their families. This model of service delivery is based on the assumption that children will be successful learners if their social, emotional, and physical needs are met, and that many of these needs can be addressed effectively, conveniently, and efficiently through school-based service delivery.

Overcoming barriers to rural children’s mental health: an interconnected systems public health model

Abstract A large, Midwestern county implemented a four-tiered public health model of children’s mental health with an interconnected systems approach involving education, health care, juvenile justice and community mental health sectors. The community sought to promote protective factors in the lives of all youth, while improving the capacity, accessibility and coordination of the continuum of care available to children and families. This article describes efforts to improve services for children in rural communities by connecting traditionally separated sectors and engaging doctoral psychology interns in the continuum of care. This article articulates lessons learned in practice, provides a case study and community outcomes; universal screening data, graduation rates and juvenile arrest rates suggest efforts are yielding positive results. Considerations for implementation in other rural communities are discussed.