How Schools Respond to Traumatic Events

Abstract

School systems face crises of a variety of types and forms, including the suicide death of a student, the death of a teacher, mass shootings, and the aftermath of terrorist attacks. This article examines ways for school systems to deal with the aftermath of those crises, both immediately and in the long term. Suggestions for classroom interventions, group experiences, and homework assignments are included. The impact of terrorism on school personnel is also discussed.     

Missing out: In praise of the unlived life,by Adam Phillips

Over the past three years, Greece has been in the throes of economic and social crises. The crises have been triggered by the implementation of severe austerity policies and have been connected with negative effects on people’s mental health and well-being. Consequently, psychological therapies have been instigated to respond to the arising systemic and political problems such as unemployment, deprivation and economic oppression. Traditional modes of intervention based on individualization, depoliticization and pathologization are hard pressed to help people confront such issues. Could mainstream approaches prevail? Using the mythical and tragic hero Prometheus, this review focuses on how psychotherapists and counsellors can help people who have been confronting insurmountable problems to reflect on the meaning of human suffering and develop active resistance against unjust authority in adverse conditions.     

Differential patterns of post-shelter placement as a function of problem type and severity

Changes in placement restrictiveness, as a function of problem type and severity, were examined in a sample of 154 children departing a shelter for runaway and homeless youth. Six problem types were identified using a principal components analysis of youth-reported personal and family problems. Four of the six factors obtained represented youth problem types interpreted as reflecting antisocial/conduct problems, victimization by abuse, risk of suicide, and rebellious youth behaviors. The two remaining problem types were interpreted as a chaotic/aggressive family type and a mixed pattern of youth aggression and parental skill deficiency. An analysis of the problem types indicated that youth at higher risk for suicide, and those who came from more dysfunctional families, departed to living environments that were more restrictive than their placements at entry.     

Medical crisis counseling: A new service delivery model

The diagnosis or exacerbation of a chronic illness, the aftermath of a serious accident, or worries about future in the context of illness or debilitating injury are all examples of medical crises that pose significant coping challenges. Too often, traditional approaches to psychotherapy have been unable to respond the most urgent needs of people confronting such crises. Medical crisis counseling is a specialized approach to addressing the needs of individuals and families confronted by the difficulties of coping with losses or changes, as well as the challenge of living with long-term illness. This paper describes the medical crisis counseling model in contrast with other more traditional intervention approaches.     

Understanding Respite Care Use by Families of Children Receiving Short-Term, In-Home Psychiatric Emergency Services

Respite care is widely believed to be an important support service for families raising a child with a disability. We report the findings of a respite care utilization study conducted within the context of a larger research and demonstration project examining three models of intensive, in-home services for children experiencing psychiatric crises. Respite care, both in-home and out-of-home, was a support service available to families in two of the three study conditions. Overall, 34% of 146 eligible families used in-home and or out-of-home respite care. Utilization was lower than the estimates developed prior to implementation, prompting an inquiry at the end of the first project year designed to maximize use and to gather more information on caregiver and service provider attitudes toward respite care. The inquiry included caregiver and provider focus groups, surveys, and enhanced data collection and analysis. Caregiver interviews indicated that many families did not fully understand what it meant to receive respite care or even that it was available to them. A comparative analysis of respite care users and non-users revealed that respite care users were more likely to have younger children, children who had a greater number of assessed functional impairments, and fewer social supports. Respite care users also reported greater difficulty managing their children's difficult behaviors.     

Medical Crisis Counseling on a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: Case Examples and Clinical Utility

The intensive care unit is one of the most stressful and demanding work sites of the pediatric psychologist. The rapid changes in health status that necessitate stays on the intensive care unit often constitute an emotional roller coaster ride for both family members and the staff caring for their child. The Medical Crisis Counseling (MCC) intervention model is a useful approach to providing psychological support in the pediatric intensive care setting. A representative year's worth of consultation requests from the multidisciplinary intensive care unit of a large urban pediatric hospital is described and discussed in the context of the MCC model.     

社会预警系统与心理学

首先探讨了对社会不稳定因素预警的需要,以及社会预警系统对国家公共政策制定和行政决策的意义。社会预警系统是一种系统的社会态度调查网络,通过对公众对社会事物的态度调查,预见其可能的行为反应,将不稳定事件化解于未然。然后,介绍了国外承担社会预警职能的研究机构的研究实践。最后,讨论了社会预警研究两个重要的方法论问题：态度与行为反应的关系,调查抽样问题。     

对"心理学危机论"的再思考

要判定心理学是否面临危机,首先应对危机加以界定,然后以此为基础分析心理学是否具有危机的种种特征或迹象。从当前情况看,主流心理学确定存在着危机。要消除危机,应找回并保持心理学的独特性,注重心理学的学科价值,把实证研究与理论研究结合起来,加强心理学的整合。     

Crisis Management: Looking Back to Look Forward

Alexander George made a seminal contribution to theories of preventive diplomacy, crisis management, deterrence, and coercive diplomacy. Although he made his contribution in the highly structured environment of the Cold War, his analysis of the close connections between positive and negative inducements, the importance of interests in shaping outcomes, and the dangers of threat-based strategies as substitutes for policy speaks to the central challenges of contemporary global politics.     

就业危机形势下——大学生就业心理问题分析及对策研究

在当前就业危机的严峻形势下,大学生就业是一个社会热点和难点问题。大学生的就业压力越来越大,由此导致大学生出现了自卑、不平衡、自负等一系列的就业心理问题。本文就大学生就业心理问题的表现、产生就业心理问题的原因以及应采取的措施作以分析。