Shane Costello

Supporting emotional well-being in schools: a pilot study into the efficacy of a mindfulness-based group intervention on anxious and depressive symptoms in children

ABSTRACT Objective: This study examines the efficacy of a six week child mindfulness program (TRIPLE R) in teaching mindfulness skills and reducing negative emotional symptoms in a school setting. Method: Using a correlational within-subjects repeated measures design, the relationships between child self-reported mindfulness skills and negative emotional symptoms were explored. Mindfulness skills were measured using the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure, and emotional symptoms were measured using the Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale. A sample of 57 Australian grade 5 children in three primary schools completed the measures pre and post intervention. Results: There was a small to moderate increase in mindfulness skills post intervention (Cohen’s d = 0.32), however negative emotional symptoms did not significantly improve. Increased mindfulness skills were significantly associated with decreased emotional symptoms, most notably for symptoms related to social phobia (R = −.61), separation anxiety (R = −.42) and generalised anxiety (R = −.32). Discussion: This study provides preliminary support for the TRIPLE R program and the potential benefits of school-based mindfulness interventions in improving children’s well-being. The limited improvement in negative emotional symptoms is likely related to the non-clinical sampling. The relationship between increased mindfulness skills and decreased emotional symptoms is discussed, and recommendations for further research are presented.

Mental Health Literacy Content for Children of Parents with a Mental Illness: Thematic Analysis of a Literature Review

Millions of children have a parent with a mental illness (COPMI). These children are at higher risk of acquiring behavioural, developmental and emotional difficulties. Most children, including COPMI, have low levels of mental health literacy (MHL), meaning they do not have accurate, non-stigmatized information. There is limited knowledge about what kind of MHL content should be delivered to children. The aim of this exploratory study is to identify the knowledge content needed for general population children and COPMI to increase their MHL. A second aim is to explore content for emerging children’s MHL scales. Researchers created and analyzed a literature review database. Thematic analysis yielded five main mental health knowledge themes for children: (1) attaining an overview of mental illness and recovery; (2) reducing mental health stigma; (3) building developmental resiliencies; (4) increasing help-seeking capacities; and (5) identifying risk factors for mental illness. COPMI appeared to need the same kind of MHL knowledge content, but with extra family-contextual content such as dealing with stigma experiences, managing stress, and communicating about parental mental illness. There is a need for MHL programs, validated scales, and research on what works for prevention and early intervention with COPMI children.

Initial Validation and Refinement of the Hierarchical Inventory of Personality for Children in the Australian Context

Objective Amelioration of cross‐cultural and cross‐language impacts on scale validity should be of concern to the researcher. The Hierarchical Personality Inventory for Children, (HiPIC), a 144‐item Five‐Factor Model Flemish personality scale, is both a cross‐cultural and language scale in Australia. The present study is a mixed method validation study of the translated version of the HiPIC for use within the Australian context. Method Cognitive interviewing of 10 end‐users of the HiPIC identified potentially confusing items. Alternate items were generated by a team of developmental psychologists. A further sample of parents/carers of children aged 5–14 years (N = 399) completed the HiPIC items. Iterative single‐factor principal component analyses of the internal structure of facets were used to select psychometrically defensible items for an adapted HiPIC or HiPIC‐A. The hierarchical model of the HiPIC‐A was then confirmed against a Flemish HiPIC sample using Procrustes rotation, with external validity considered by comparison to the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results The resulting HiPIC‐A, reduced to 124 items including 13 adapted items, achieved sound internal consistency and high total congruence (0.98) with the Flemish sample. Regression against the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire demonstrated further support for external validity of the HiPIC‐A. Conclusion The mixed method design was an effective approach to a cross‐language cultural adaptation and validation of the HiPIC, confirming the robust nature of the HiPIC model. The potential for the adapted HiPIC‐A to identify adaptive and maladaptive developmental trajectories in Australian children has important implications for practice and further research. On‐going validation is outlined.

Measuring workplace trauma response in Australian paramedics: an investigation into the psychometric properties of the Impact of Event Scale

Introduction Investigation into the psychological effects of violence toward health care workers and its associated trauma is increasing. The Impact of Event Scale (IES) provides a measure of current, subjective, emotional distress symptomatic of a specific traumatic event. However, its validity among paramedics is largely unknown. Problem The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties and factor structure of the IES with a sample of Australian paramedics. Methods The study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties and factor structure of the 15-item IES with a sample of Australian paramedics using Exploratory Factor Analysis with model fit statistics as found in confirmatory analysis. Results Maximum Likelihood Factor Analysis with Varimax rotation supported the hypothesis that a two-factor solution would provide the best fit of the data. Procrustes rotation provided further support for this hypothesis indicating that the factors, labeled “Intrusion” and “Avoidance”, as well as the individual items of the 12-item final model, were a good fit to an ideal solution. Conclusion The revision of the scale has improved its validity for use in the general population of paramedics, improving the potential for its use in trauma-related research.

A model of assessment and intervention for Non-Verbal Learning Disability (NVLD) in the Australian education system: an educational and developmental psychologist perspective

Abstract Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities (NVLD) have a relatively rare incidence, estimated to be approximately 1.7% of all learning disabilities. Symptoms of the disorder are perceptual, social and emotional. These symptoms differ according to the developmental age, with 85% of cases being diagnosed in secondary school when education becomes more complex. In Australia the intricate arrangements between funding for intervention within the school and the requirements from the assessment authority in each state for special provision mean that a cohesive model is required for school professionals to guide education for NVLD students. This is particularly important to enable access to tertiary education. A flow-chart model of assessment and intervention for the Australian education system is demonstrated, which draws on two case studies (“Katie” currently attending university and “Jamie” currently in year 8) with the provision of Australian and International research and literature to validate the model.

Investigating the psychometric properties of the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy in a sample of Malaysian medical students

Objective The purpose of this present study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy – student version (JSPE-S). Subjects and methods This study recruited 193 Malaysian medical students enrolled in year one and year two studies. A principal-component analysis with Varimax rotation was conducted. Procrustes rotation was used to confirm the item to model fit, which allows for a comparison of actual structure against an ideal hypothesized structure. Items were systematically removed based on low communalities of < 0.3 and poor loading of items onto components. Results A two-component solution was found, comprised of “perspective taking” and “compassionate care”. Following item removal, eleven items remained. A Procrustes analysis revealed that this eleven-item measure demonstrated an excellent model fit. A possible third component was identified, though is not recommended for use, due to construct underrepresentation. Conclusion This study found the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy fitted best to a two-component model using eleven items. Item, component, and overall congruence were very high, and scale reliabilities were adequate. The results of this study suggest that the eleven-item, two-component solution demonstrates excellent psychometric properties and structural validity in a Malaysian medical student population. Future research could consider using the short eleven-item measure in both student and health care profession samples to investigate the role of empathy in health care.