Donnah L. Anderson

Couples' attributions about behaviours modulated by hearing impairment: links with relationship satisfaction.

The aim of the study was to examine the link between the nature of attributions made by partners about behaviours modulated by hearing loss, and overall relationship satisfaction. Forty-three hearing-impaired males and 23 hearing-impaired females together with their partners, each rated the hearing-impaired persons hearing ability, their own relationship satisfaction, and their attributions for hypothetical behaviours typically associated with impaired hearing. Attributions covered perceived causes of behaviour and perceived responsibility. The extent to which the behaviours typically associated with impaired hearing, were attributed to personal causes and responsibilities was inversely correlated with relationship satisfaction. Female partners (more than male partners, or females with impaired hearing) made attributions that accentuated the unpleasant implications of behaviour. Where attributions and ratings of degree of hearing loss were greater in partners than in the person with the loss, relationship satisfaction was lower. Implications for rehabilitation counselling are discussed.

Improving student wellbeing: having a say at school

ABSTRACT The wellbeing of children and young people remains a concern internationally and an increasing focus of policy, programmes, and teacher professional development in schools. Supporting wellbeing is now central to the realisation of children’s rights, evidenced by an expanding literature linking children’s participation and their wellbeing. As promising as such scholarship might be in advocating for the democratisation of schools, little empirical research has investigated these links. Drawing on relevant findings from a large mixed-methods study in Australia that sought the views of students, principals, teachers, and other staff about wellbeing at school, this paper explores a number of links between student voice and wellbeing. The findings revealed that students understood wellbeing in multifaceted ways, including having a say, being listened to, having rights, and being respected. Further, both students and staff identified positive associations between having a say at school, being recognised (cared for, respected, and valued), and wellbeing.

Reframing ‘well-being’ in schools: the potential of recognition

Abstract In Australia and internationally, the well-being of children and young people is a core focus of social policy, with a growing imperative to locate well-being within the sphere of education. However, the term ‘well-being’ remains ambiguous and the implementation of educational approaches to promote and improve it appears fragmented and ad hoc. In Australia, little is known about how well-being is understood and supported in schools, particularly from the perspective of students themselves. This article reports on key findings from an ambitious mixed-methods study funded by the Australian Research Council that investigated conceptualisations and practices around well-being in schools. Underpinned by theoretical interests linked to Childhood Studies and recognition theory, the research investigated policy, student and staff perspectives on well-being. The findings point to the key role of relationships, providing considerable scope for analysing the salience of Honneth’s modes of recognition for well-being in schools.

Ambivalent attitudes about teaching children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

ABSTRACT Drawing on attitude theories from social psychology, we conducted a survey of Australian pre-service (n = 327) and in-service (n = 127) teachers’ attitudes about teaching children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This paper reports a content analysis of beliefs, affect and behaviours towards teaching children with ADHD and quantitative analyses pertaining to attitudinal ambivalence – that is, where a teacher may simultaneously report negative and positive evaluations of teaching children with ADHD. While on average, overall or global attitudes were mildly positive for both cohorts, considerable ambivalence about teaching children with ADHD was commonly experienced. Participants reported ambivalent beliefs, affect and behaviours, as well as ambivalence between these attitude components. Paradoxically, participants who knew more about ADHD and held stronger positive global attitudes about teaching children with ADHD reported less ambivalent behaviours towards these children, but reported more ambivalent beliefs. The implications for teachers’ professional development and training are discussed.

Reliability of the Emotion-Related Parenting Styles Scale Across Gender and Parent Status Groups

Research Findings: Emotional and social competence are critical to a child’s current and future well-being. A. D. Paterson et al. (2012) studied a sample of mothers and proposed that an adult’s approach to the socialization of a child’s emotions can be summarized in his or her parenting style as measured by the Emotion-Related Parenting Styles (ERPS) scale. These styles are emotion approving, emotion disapproving, active socialization, and uncertain/ineffective socialization of negative emotions. This study aimed to determine whether the ERPS scale is a reliable measure of the emotion socialization styles of parents and non-parents of both genders. Participants were 521 undergraduate students—males (n = 76), females (n = 445), parents (n = 290), non-parents (n = 231)—with a mean age of 32.26 years (SD = 9.92, range = 18–61 years). There were no significant differences between the ERPS subscale scores of parents and non-parents, but males and younger adults showed higher disapproving and uncertain responses. The factor structure of the ERPS was confirmed for females. One factor was found to be unreliable for males. Practice or Policy: The ERPS is a reliable measure of the emotion socialization styles of females. Further research is required to establish the scale’s reliability with males.

Impact and outcomes of a rural Personal Helpers and Mentors service

OBJECTIVE To describe impacts and outcomes associated with the Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaMs) service in a rural Australian town. DESIGN A descriptive analysis of longitudinal data, uncontrolled pre-test and post-test caseworker ratings, and retrospective pre-test/post-test self-ratings and feedback comments were collected from convenience samples. SETTING A community-based mental health recovery service. PARTICIPANTS n=76 mental health consumers; mean age=37.78 years; 45% male; 63% Aboriginal; primary diagnoses=41% psychotic disorder and 61% mood disorder; co-morbid diagnosis=45% substance use disorder. INTERVENTIONS Individual recovery plan (IRP), personal goal setting, caseworker mentoring and support. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Gains towards goals, the Role Functioning Scale (RFS), self-ratings and feedback comments. RESULTS The most frequently addressed goals were: attend mental health treatment services, acquire suitable accommodation and be more involved in the community. IRP completers (n=19) showed a significant improvement in caseworker-rated adaptive functioning which was adequate at case closure (t(18)=-4.38, P<0.001). Participant (n=19) ratings of the service and its key performance indicators suggested global satisfaction and gains in the management of everyday tasks, use of medications and community engagement. Good rapport was reported with the locally trained and predominantly Aboriginal (56%) staff. CONCLUSIONS PHaMs shows promise for assisting rural people with mental illness to improve their everyday functioning, medication management and community involvement. Recruitment and capacity-building of Aboriginal staff appears to facilitate Aboriginal consumer participation.

Re-framing 'behaviour' in schools: the role of recognition in improving student wellbeing

Contemporary approaches to managing student behaviour in schools increasingly seek to identify and support underlying social, emotional and learning issues. Inherent in this shift is acknowledgement of the inextricable links between behaviour and wellbeing. Arguably, the most effective approaches to behaviour management reflect key determinants of wellbeing such as positive relationships and a sense of belonging and connection. Nevertheless, behaviour (and by extension the child) continue to be positioned as the ‘problem’. Little critical consideration is given to whether and how school environments attend to the wellbeing needs of an increasingly diverse student body. In this chapter, we draw on findings from a large Australian Research Council (ARC) funded study on wellbeing in schools to explore the potential of a wellbeing lens in furthering understandings and practice around behaviour. Utilising recognition theory, we consider how a more critical approach to wellbeing in schools might concomitantly shape understandings and improve practice around behaviour.