Nola Firth

Perceived Control and Adaptive Coping: Programs for Adolescent Students who have Learning Disabilities

This study explored the effect of a coping program and a teacher feedback intervention on perceived control and adaptive coping for 98 adolescent students who had specific learning disabilities. The coping program was modified to build personal control and to address the needs of students who have specific learning disabilities. The teacher feedback program emphasized use of effort and strategy in the face of difficulty. Oneway analyses of covariance of student responses indicated a greater perceived control of external situations and increased use of productive coping strategies for the group who received the coping program. There was no change in internal control of feelings or of use of non-productive coping. These results were maintained over the two-month follow-up period. The study provides preliminary evidence that it is possible to facilitate positive change in both sense of control and coping patterns for students who have learning disabilities.

Coping Styles and Strategies: A Comparison of Adolescent Students With and Without Learning Disabilities

In this study, the authors compared the results of a coping measure completed by 98 seventh through ninth grade students who were assessed as having learning disabilities with published means from the general Australian student population. The Adolescent Coping Scale was the measure used. The results suggested higher use by students aged 12 to 13 years who had learning disabilities of an overall nonproductive coping style and in particular of the nonproductive strategies of ignoring the problem and not coping. Although there was no difference in overall productive or nonproductive coping style for 14- to 15-year-olds, the students in this age group who had learning disabilities reported higher use of the strategies of not coping and ignoring the problem. These findings are discussed in relation to a need for interventions that give students who have learning disabilities strategies that address the risk of a passive coping style.

Coping Successfully with Dyslexia: An Initial Study of an Inclusive School-Based Resilience Programme.

A dyslexia coping programme entitled Success and Dyslexia was implemented in two primary schools within a whole-class coping programme and whole-school dyslexia professional development context. One hundred and two year 6 students, 23 of whom had dyslexia, undertook surveys pretest, post-test and at 1-year follow-up. Effectiveness of the coping programme and maintenance of effects for the students after transition to secondary school were investigated. Inclusion of contrast group data in the follow-up year suggested significant positive changes at first and second follow-ups in locus of control and nonproductive coping may also be associated with increase in age. Most trends were in the expected direction, especially for students with dyslexia. At follow-up, students with dyslexia reported similar perceived control and adaptive coping to students without dyslexia rather than a decrease in these areas as is usually the case. A larger sample and an ongoing control group are needed to confirm these results.

Implementing multi-level programmes and approaches that address student well-being and connectedness: Factoring in the needs of the schools

Implementation of effective school-level mental health promotion initiatives is challenging. This paper presents findings from the beyondblue schools research initiative, a cluster randomised trial which aimed to promote student mental health. It sought to implement emotional skills through curriculum, greater community linkages and whole-school environment change in 25 schools in three states of Australia. Using qualitative process evaluation data collected during the three years of the project, we describe key features of the intervention that, according to the project facilitators, influenced its implementation. Project design flexibility to meet individual school needs and provision of sufficient resources appeared to be crucial for successful implementation.

Primary and secondary perceived control: A comparison of adolescent students with and without learning disabilities

Abstract In this study we compared the results of both a primary and a secondary perceived control measure completed by 93 regional and metropolitan students from Years 7–9 who were assessed as having learning disabilities and 102 students from the general student population. The Mastery Scale (Pearlin, Menaghan, Lieberman, & Mullan, 1981) was used to measure primary perceived control and The Childrens Internal Coping Self‐efficacy Scale (Cunningham, 2002) was used to measure secondary perceived control. The students who had learning disabilities scored lower on both measures. These findings are discussed in relation to a need for interventions that give students who have learning disabilities strategies that address both primary and secondary aspects of perceived control.

An evaluation of Success and Dyslexia – a multi component school-based coping program for primary school students with learning disabilities: Is it feasible?

A learning disabilities coping program was implemented in the final year of two primary schools within the context of a whole class coping program and whole school learning disabilities professional development. Using data collected over three years from school surveys, reports, interviews, school documents and a field diary, this paper reports on the feasibility of implementing and sustaining this intervention. The schools successfully implemented the program and continue to use components of it. Facilitators were: priority given by the school, usefulness and ease of use of the coping program, teacher skill and interest and maintenance of the connection between the universal and withdrawal aspects of the program. It is likely there is a need for increased presence of the above facilitators for continued implementation of all components of the intervention to be sustained.

Teaching young people to cope: Benefits and gains for at risk students

Abstract This paper reports on three studies, which collectively demonstrate the benefits of a coping skills program, first for young people at risk for depression, then those with learning problems likely to suffer failure at school. In particular, the first study deals with the usefulness of the Best of Coping (BOC) program in a regular school setting for students at different levels of risk of developing depression. Studies two and three report the benefits of an adapted version of the BOC program (BOCM) for students who experience learning difficulties. Successful intervention with the BOCM was found to help low achieving students and students with learning difficulties develop productive coping skills, but also increased positive attitudes towards seeking help from others and decreasing dependence on Non-Productive coping strategies.

Success despite specific learning disabilities

Abstract Proactive coping is known to be a key resource for life success by adults who have specific learning disabilities. This paper describes two programs that were trialled as part of doctoral research. These were a coping program and a teacher feedback intervention designed to increase proactive coping for adolescent students with specific learning disabilities. The coping program focused on use of proactive coping strategies, optimistic thinking and assertiveness, and was designed according to best practice for access by students who have specific learning disabilities. The teacher feedback intervention involved teacher feedback to individual students that focused on expectation of use of effort, and strategy in preference to negative rumination on poor ability.