This study examined British Columbia elementary school counsellors' perceptions in relation to assisting depressed students, including: (a) their knowledge about depression; (b) their ideal role; (c) their current role; (d) their current practices; (e) barriers to assisting depressed students; and (f) factors which would help them to better assist these students. A questionnaire specifically designed for this study was mailed to 333 elementary school counsellors, and 248 (74.5%) were completed and returned. The percentages of counsellors who perceived various functions as part of their current and ideal roles were calculated, as were the percentages who engaged in various counsellor activities, and indicated factors which would help them to better assist depressed students. Sample means and standard deviations were calculated for the extent to which various factors were barriers to assisting depressed students. Results indicated most counsellors perceived identification, referral, and prevention of student depression to be part of their ideal and current roles, and have used these functions to assist depressed students. However, respondents were divided on treating depressed students, and only slightly more than one-third had assessed students even though two-thirds perceived it as part of their ideal role. Most counsellors have been referred depressed students by teachers, and have referred students to mental health and medical professionals. Approximately one-half perceived art and play therapy to be a more effective method of treating depression. Counsellors lacked basic information on childhood depression, and more learned about it through their own initiative, rather than professional development activities. Too high a student-to-counsellor ratio and lack of time were most consistently rated as the highest barriers to assisting depressed students. Other major barriers included: priority being given to acting out students; lack of knowledge about depression, assessment techniques, and treatment strategies; and lack of community resources. Lack of a clear role policy was not perceived to be a major barrier to assisting depressed students. The most frequent recommendations for helping counsellors to assist depressed students were more information about effective treatment strategies and a lower student-to-counsellor ratio.

This study examined British Columbia elementary school counsellors' perceptions in relation to assisting depressed students, including: (a) their knowledge about depression; (b) their ideal role; (c) their current role; (d) their current practices; (e) barriers to assisting depressed students; and (f) factors which would help them to better assist these students. A questionnaire specifically designed for this study was mailed to 333 elementary school counsellors, and 248 (74.5%) were completed and returned. The percentages of counsellors who perceived various functions as part of their current and ideal roles were calculated, as were the percentages who engaged in various counsellor activities, and indicated factors which would help them to better assist depressed students. Sample means and standard deviations were calculated for the extent to which various factors were barriers to assisting depressed students. Results indicated most counsellors perceived identification, referral, and prevention of student depression to be part of their ideal and current roles, and have used these functions to assist depressed students. However, respondents were divided on treating depressed students, and only slightly more than one-third had assessed students even though two-thirds perceived it as part of their ideal role. Most counsellors have been referred depressed students by teachers, and have referred students to mental health and medical professionals. Approximately one-half perceived art and play therapy to be a more effective method of treating depression. Counsellors lacked basic information on childhood depression, and more learned about it through their own initiative, rather than professional development activities. Too high a student-to-counsellor ratio and lack of time were most consistently rated as the highest barriers to assisting depressed students. Other major barriers included: priority being given to acting out students; lack of knowledge about depression, assessment techniques, and treatment strategies; and lack of community resources. Lack of a clear role policy was not perceived to be a major barrier to assisting depressed students. The most frequent recommendations for helping counsellors to assist depressed students were more information about effective treatment strategies and a lower student-to-counsellor ratio. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

This study was design to determine the efficacy of intensive individual play therapy as a method of intervention for children diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this study was designed to study the effectiveness of an intensive play therapy intervention in: a) reducing symptoms of childhood depression in children with IDDM; b) reducing symptoms of anxiety in children with IDDM; c) reducing the overall behavior difficulties in children with IDDM; d) increasing healthy adjustment in children with IDDM; e) increasing diabetic's children's adherence to their diabetic regime; and f) impacting these emotional and behavioral symptoms over time. The 15 children in the experimental group received 12, daily play therapy sessions while attending a summer camp for children with diabetes. The control group, consisting of 15 children who attended the diabetic summer camp, received no play therapy. Children and parents in both groups completed pretest, post-test and three-month follow-up data, consisting of: the Children's Depression Inventory, the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, the Filial Problems Checklist and the Diabetes Adaptation Scale. Analysis of covariance revealed that the children in the experimental group significantly improved their adaptation to their diabetes following intensive play therapy as reflected by the Diabetes Adaptation Scale. No other hypothesis were retained, although statistical trends noted increased improvement in the experimental group in the areas of behavior difficulties and adherence behavior. Possible explanations for these results include a lack of symptoms reported at the time of pretesting and the validity of these instruments for a chronically ill population. The results of this study indicate that intensive play therapy may be an effective intervention for children diagnosed with IDDM. Qualitative observations and progress noted in therapy reveal that young children with IDDM have the capability to address and resolve issues of anxiety, depression and other emotional issues related to their diabetes in play therapy. Preventative approaches such as play therapy for children with IDDM are particularly important for this population as current behavior patterns and treatment adherence are highly correlated with long-term medical and psychological health.