Julie Bower

Self-Efficacy and Academic Achievement in Australian High School Students: The Mediating Effects of Academic Aspirations and Delinquency.

Studies have shown that self-efficacy, aspirational, and other psychosocial influences account for considerable variance in academic achievement through a range of mediational pathways, although no research to date has tested the mediational relationships identified. The present research investigated the structural relations among self-efficacy, academic aspirations, and delinquency, on the academic achievement of 935 students aged 11-18 years from ten schools in two Australian cities. The Childrens Self-Efficacy Scale, Adapted Self-Report Delinquency Scale (Revised), and Childrens Academic Aspirations Scale were administered to participants prior to academic achievement being assessed using mid-year school grades. Structural equation modeling was employed to test three alternative models for the relationships from academic, social, and self-regulatory efficacy on academic achievement. A partial mediation model showed the best overall fit to the data. Academic and self-regulatory efficacy had an indirect negative effect through delinquency and a direct positive effect on academic achievement. Academic and social self-efficacy had positive and negative relationships, respectively, with academic aspiration and academic achievement; however, the relationship between academic aspiration and academic achievement was not significant in the final model.

The development and validation of the Contextualized Assessment Tool for Risk and Protection Management (CAT-RPM)

Traditional resources for ascertaining risk and protection for disengaged youth are often unsuitable, due to the stamina and skill required to complete them. Many of these tools assess risk without considering participants’ potential for personal growth. The present study outlines the development and initial validation of a tool titled the Contextualized Assessment Tool for Risk and Protection Management (CAT-RPM), which was administered to 499 participants across a range of high school settings. Six factors emerged that were highly correlated and had good internal consistency. Multivariate tests strongly suggest that the CAT-RPM is a valid and psychometrically sound assessment tool for differentiating groups across sex, age, and antisocial behavior. The research reveals a reliable measure of risk and protection that can assist young people to recognize and build on their strengths and adds a positive dimension to traditional risk assessment tools.

Early Secondary High School—A Mindfield® for Social and Emotional Learning

The importance of social and emotional learning in the lives of children and young adults is widely acknowledged. How social and emotional learning is achieved effectively and efficiently among these groups is, however, far from clear especially within regular schools and classrooms. This chapter documents the challenges of implementing a social and emotional learning program at the junior secondary level in a large high school. The Mindfields ® High School Junior Program (HSJ) is a social and emotional learning program designed for students aged 12–14 years. The eight-session strengths-based intervention intends to assist students to develop positive emotions, character, and engagement by understanding and regulating their emotions. There are three core components of the program: social and emotional skill development; mindfulness exercises; and group-based cooperative goal-setting and achievement. This chapter reports the initial trial of the prototype Mindfields ® HSJ in four Year 8 classrooms in a high school located in a disadvantaged suburban community. The intervention used a train-the-trainer approach specifically requested by the school, with a senior teacher trained as the facilitator by the researchers. The school-based facilitator then provided a brief training program for four teachers who subsequently implemented the program. The prototype comprised eight modules presented over two school terms. One-to-one interviews were conducted with each classroom teacher at the conclusion of the trial. The outcome of this trial highlights some of the difficulty in providing a social and emotional curriculum in a large high school located in a socially disadvantaged area. There are lessons learned from the trial including the difficulties associated with training classroom teachers to implement the program, primarily the importance of trialing and modifying prototype programs intended for introduction in whole-of-class situations.

Development and application of the CAT-RPM report for strengths-based case management of at-risk youth in schools

The Contextualised Assessment Tool for Risk and Protection Management (CAT-RPM) has been established as a valid and reliable tool for differentiating groups across age, sex and behaviour and assisting young people to find their strengths [Bower, J., A. Carroll, and A. Ashman. 2014. “The Development and Validation of the Contextualised Assessment Tool for Risk and Protection Management (CAT-RPM).” Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment. doi:10.1177/0734282913497782]. The aims of this article are (i) to report the calculations used in the CAT-RPM report to separate out risk and protection scores; and (ii) to explore the application of the CAT-RPM report in an inclusive school setting to promote strengths and reduce risk for unique individuals. Three examples will be used to demonstrate how data, collected with the CAT-RPM, can be used to identify the combination of risk and protection using the CAT-RPM report. A fourth more detailed example will explore one potential application of the CAT-RPM report in a strengths-based approach to assist one young person to find her strongest contexts and fortify strengths to move towards personal, social and emotional well-being.