Peter L. Sheras

Mother-child patterns of coping with anticipatory medical stress.

Maternal influences on childrens fear and coping behaviors during a medical examination were studied in a pediatric outpatient clinic using the Dyadic Prestressor Interaction Scale (DPIS) to measure anticipatory reactions just prior to contact with the physician. Analysis of 50 mother-child dyads, including children from 4 to 10 years of age, revealed that the behaviors emitted by mother and child are likely to influence the childs ability to tolerate the medical experience. Maternal use of distraction and low rates of ignoring were associated with lower child distress and increased prosocial behaviors. Childrens active exploration of the situation was more likely to occur when mothers provided their children with information, and was less likely when mothers reassured their children. Maternal reassurance of children and overt maternal agitation were associated with more maladaptive child responses. Age trends were also found in interactive patterns. Younger children were more likely to receive reassurance from mothers when they showed attachment. There was a stronger association between mothers information giving and childs exploring for children under 5 years, 9 months of age. Results supported the usefulness of the DPIS for investigation of child management techniques in this situation. Theoretical extension to attachment and stranger-approach situations was made. Suggestions for future studies to clarify the reciprocity of interactions or to determine causal direction between mother and child behaviors, as well as to evaluate the specificity or generality of these findings, were provided.

Pygmalion and galatea: The interactive effect of teacher and student expectancies

An experiment was conducted to examine the effect of the manipulation of both teacher and student expectancies upon performance. Subjects were students from 6–8th grades participating in a summer enrichment program in Mathematics and English. Teachers were given positive expectancies about the potential of half of the students and no expectancies regarding the other half. In addition, half of the students in each of these groups were told that they would probably perform well in the program while half were given no such expectations. Each students verbal and mathematics performance was measured by a standardized test before and at the end of the program. Results whowed an interaction between teacher and student expectancies such that, while each positive expectancy by itself yielded an improvement in academic performance, the two positive expectancies in combination did not.

Common errors in school crisis response: Learning from our mistakes

This article describes five school crises involving alcohol-related fatality, self-injurious behavior, school homicide, racial/ethnic conflict, and community violence. In each case example, errors in crisis management by school staff exacerbated the crisis and resulted in deleterious consequences for the school, its students, and the surrounding community. We identify common themes of leadership, teamwork, and responsibility that are critical to successful crisis management.

Response of school personnel to student threat assessment training

School safety has become an important area of concern for school improvement. This study examined the effects of staff training as means of improving school responses to student threats of violence. A multidisciplinary sample of 351 staff from 2 school divisions completed pre-post training surveys as part of a 1-day training program using the Guidelines for Responding to Student Threats of Violence (Cornell & Sheras, 2006). Analysis of pre-post surveys found large changes in staff attitudes toward school safety and violence prevention efforts. There was a substantial decrease in concerns about school homicide and increased awareness of effective violence prevention efforts. There was a drop in support for zero tolerance and profiling approaches, along with increased knowledge of threat assessment principles and concepts. These changes were sustained across school divisions serving a challenging urban population and a more affluent, suburban population. Similar effects were found across all school personnel. These findings demonstrate the viability of training staff in a student threat assessment approach.

Commitment First, Communication Later: Dealing with Barriers to Effective Couples Therapy

Teaching communication techniques to couples is a common way for therapists to begin treatment. In many cases, couples then use these newly acquired skills to express negative or even hostile information to each other, sometimes doing more harm than good to the relationship. Based upon years of clinical experience with hundreds of couples in treatment, this article presents the idea that having the couple see themselves as an entity first, not as two individuals, may be necessary before clear communication can be maximally therapeutic. The article outlines the Couple Power model of treatment, suggesting that four basic tasks—commitment, cooperation, communication and community—need to be accomplished in that order, postponing the teaching of communication skills until later in therapy. Theory behind the tasks and suggestions for effective techniques to achieve the “Four C’s” of Couple Power are presented and discussed.

Fostering Policies That Enhance Positive School Environment

Schools have a considerable influence on childrens development, through proximal factors such as teachers and curriculum, but also through indirect effects of school policies. Although some policies and programs have the potential to increase stress and burden on students, educators, as well as the broader educational context, several programs have demonstrated a positive impact on the school environment. This article considers the role of some educational policies, programs, and activities related to discipline and teacher behavior, which together influence the school environment. Programs that set high expectations for student performance, healthy social-emotional learning, and positive behavior support are highlighted, due in part to rigorous research demonstrating both their broad reach and their impact on a range of learning and positive behavioral outcomes. Despite the potential significance of policies on the learning environment, there has been limited systematic research documenting the impact of policies on the school environment more broadly. This article concludes by identifying some areas for future study.