Alan W. Leschied

Teachers—The Vital Resource The Contribution of Emotional Intelligence to Teacher Efficacy and Well-Being

The study of emotional intelligence (EI) shows promise in predicting educational competencies and positive life outcomes. Considering the many demands placed on teachers and the link to occupational stress, burnout, and decreased job satisfaction, EI may be foundational to developing competencies that lead to improved psychological health and teaching success and, in turn, positive student outcomes. It is argued that core factors describing teacher efficacy can be subsumed under the competencies comprising EI. This overlap in skill sets suggests that EI training may also increase teachers’ efficacy in the classroom and decrease their stress and job dissatisfaction.

Self-esteem of school-age children who stutter

Previous research has indicated that self-esteem (SE) is an important factor in the understanding and clinical treatment of stuttering. This study assesses the SE of 25 elementary school-age children who stuttered (CWS); findings from the present study indicate that, in a clinical sample of elementary school age CWS, there are no differences on five dimensions of SE compared to normative data on Battles 1992 Culture Free Self-Esteem Inventory, 2nd Edition. These findings are discussed for their significance in relation to the assessment and clinical intervention of school-age children who stutter.

The Association of Readiness to Change and Motivational Interviewing with Treatment Outcomes in Males involved in Domestic Violence Group Therapy

The present study investigated the impact of motivational interviewing (MI) and stage of change on a self-report measure of global functioning (Outcome Questionnaire [OQ 45.2]). Participants were men mandated to attend the Responsible Choices for Men (RCM) group therapy program following an incident of domestic violence. The study design utilized a quasi-experimental between-groups comparison utilizing data collected at three time points (pregroup, first group session, and final group session). One group of mandated program attendees received two sessions of MI (n = 106), whereas the comparison group did not (n = 106). Stage of change was assessed using the URICA-G and the URICA-DV (University of Rhode Island Change Assessment—Domestic Violence). Multilevel growth modeling indicated that stage of change has a significant relationship to global functioning. Discussion focuses on the potential benefits of MI as a pregroup treatment and the importance of accounting for individual readiness to change.

The Conceptual-Level Matching Model in Corrections

The Conceptual-Level Matching Model (CLMM) is reviewed with a focus to its application in the development of treatment/rehabilitation programs with offender groups. The CLMM is a theoretical model describing outcomes from hypothesized interactions between a person variable, conceptual level, in interaction with differing types of environments described in terms of structure. Reliability and validity of both CL and the matching model are presented with emphasis given to a review of studies involved with CL and offender groups. On both theoretical and empirical grounds, the CLMM holds considerable promise as a means of organizing offender programs to elicit optimum effectiveness from existing resources.

The Young Offenders Act: A Revolution in Canadian Juvenile Justice

Dr. Leschied is a psychologist and professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Western Ontario. His work in children’s services began in 1977 at the London Family Court Clinic. He joined the Faculty of Education at Western in 1998 and currently teaches in both the graduate program in counselling psychology as well as the preservice program at Western’s Faculty of Education. In 2013 Dr. Leschied was elected to the Senate of the University of Western Ontario.

Predicting Residential Treatment Outcomes for Emotionally and Behaviorally Disordered Youth: The Role of Pretreatment Factors

This study examined outcomes with 170 children and youth admitted to residential treatment with complex mental health problems. Overall, outcomes at 2 years post-treatment was predicted by children and youths behavioral pretreatment status reflected in lower internalizing and externalizing behavior at admission. These findings recognize a cluster of variables upon admission that are differentially predictive of specific outcomes. Higher school participation/achievement and an absence of witnessing interparental abuse predicted educational status. Family status was predicted at admission by higher family functioning, being younger in the family, and children and youth who had poor community behavior. The results are discussed as they relate to pretreatment screening and the need to evaluate service outcomes.

The Effectiveness of Kinship Services With Children Exposed to Partner Violence: Exploring a Dual Victim Treatment Approach

This research presents kinship services as a dual victim treatment approach when serving children and their mothers in child welfare cases characterized by partner violence. The study examined the outcomes for children exposed to partner violence who were placed in either kinship or traditional foster care through a child welfare agency. Outcomes were understood through measures of the adjustment of children while in care, reunification with their birth parent(s), permanency and stability, and factors contributing to the development and maintenance of attachment. The findings indicate that children in kinship care demonstrate significantly more positive overall adjustment, greater permanency and stability, and higher reunification rates. Implications to service providers, particularly child welfare workers and partner violence practitioners, are discussed.

A Psychoeducational Group for Aggressive Adolescent Girls.

This article describes an eight-session psychoeducational group for aggressive adolescent girls. The content of the group sessions is based on research that has identified gender-specific issues related to aggression in adolescent girls, such as gender-role socialization, childhood abuse, relational aggression, horizontal violence, and girl culture. Nonaggressive coping strategies are also discussed. Initial evaluation showed that girls did change some of their attitudes about their aggressive behavior.

Families of Children with Serious Emotional Disorder: Maternal Reports on the Decision and Impact of Their Child's Placement in Residential Treatment

Findings are reported regarding maternal experiences of their seriously emotionally disordered child both prior to and following a stay in a residential childrens mental health treatment facility. Prior to placement, these parents had exhausted all nonresidential forms of intervention and, increasingly, became concerned not only for their identified childs welfare, but also for that of themselves and other siblings in the home. Regardless of whether their childs stay in residential treatment yielded positive or negative treatment outcomes, these parents unilaterally viewed the intensive short-term treatment of their child as an extremely valuable and necessary service. Parental recommendations for improvement in residential services include a reduced waitlist period, availability of services to children at a younger age, more parental education regarding effective child management strategies, and increased support for caregivers. The results are discussed as they relate to policy and practice for residential treatment providers.

Direct and indirect forms of childhood maltreatment and nonsuicidal self-injury among clinically-referred children and youth

BACKGROUND Although exposure to direct forms of childhood maltreatment is among the most widely studied risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), research on NSSI has largely overlooked the role of exposure to indirect forms of child maltreatment (i.e., witnessing domestic violence). To address this gap in the literature, the present study examined associations among both direct and indirect forms of child maltreatment and NSSI among clinically-referred children and youth. METHODS Data was collected using the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health Assessment (ChYMH) at ten mental health agencies. The ChYMH is a comprehensive standardized clinical assessment tool completed by trained assessors using multiple sources. The study included a convenience sample of 747 children and youth (68% male) between ages 8-18 with complex mental health histories referred for inpatient or outpatient care in Ontario, Canada. RESULTS Univariate chi-square analyses indicated positive associations with NSSI and both direct (i.e., physical, sexual) and indirect child maltreatment (i.e., witnessing domestic violence). In a binary multivariate logistic regression analysis controlling for participant age and sex, only exposure to indirect child maltreatment emerged as multivariate predictor of NSSI. LIMITATIONS The sample was limited to only 10 mental health agencies and only consenting parents/guardians referred to mental health services suggesting the study may not be generalizable to all clinical samples. CONCLUSION The present study provides evidence that witnessing domestic violence in childhood is an important risk factor for NSSI. Clinical relevance includes implications for clinicians to develop targeted intervention and prevention strategies for NSSI for children who have witnessed domestic violence.