As more schools consider ways to help students to develop not only academically but also socially and emotionally, school personnel look to formal programs of character education to help address the needs of the whole child. Of these programs of character education, Berkowitz and Bier (2005) posit that effective programs begin by promoting positive social relationships within the school. One measure of the quality of the social relationships in schools is reflected in the level of belonging or connectedness that students feel toward their school and members of the school community. Consequently, the purpose of the present study was to further the investigation of the construct of sense of school belonging and its relationship to formal programs of character education. Eighth-grade students (732) from five middle schools – three character program schools and two non-character program schools – were surveyed measuring sense of school belonging by their responses on the total score of the Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) scale developed by Goodenow (1993) and on the four sub-scores of the PSSM demonstrated by Ye and Wallace (2013). No significant differences were found for student sense of belonging between character program schools and non-character program schools. However, the study also investigated the effect of structural and perceptual elements of character education programs that were found to positively relate to student sense of school belonging. Students who identified themselves as being part of a character education group in their school reported significantly higher levels of sense of belonging (on the total score of the PSSM and on the PSSM factors of Identification and Participation in School, Perception of Fitting in Among Peers, and Generalized Connection to Teachers) than those students who did not identify as being part of a character education group. In addition, students reported statistically significant higher levels of sense of belonging a) the more they felt accepted by other students in their group, b) the more they felt accepted by their adult group advisor, c) the more they felt able to express opinions in their group, d) the more they felt their group was like a family, and e) the more they felt character education groups made their school a better place. Sense of belonging was also positively related to more frequent opportunities for character education group meetings and to a common school language that emphasized moral character more than performance character. / Educational Leadership

The aim of this study was to investigate the after-school staff's perspectives on their strategies for promoting peer relationships for students with autism. Previous research has shown that children and young people with autism have difficulties linked to the diagnosis, which make social interaction and the maintenance of peer relationships difficult. The study used qualitative semi-structured interviews with eight after-school professionals. The interviews were analyzed using interpretive phenomenology to make the respondents' individual experiences visible. To interpret and discuss the results this study used the sociocultural theory, the four levels of relational perspective and Nilholm's perspective on inclusion. The phenomenological analysis of the data resulted in four different themes; The after-school staff's view of relationships for all students in the after-school center, the after-school staff's view of relationships for students with autism, the after-school staff's view of strategies to promote relationships for students with autism and the after-school staff's view of difficulties in building relationships within the after-school center. In the results, the after-school staff describe the importance of having peer relationships and be given the opportunity to participate in activities for all students within the after-school center and the activities need to be adapted to everyone. However, there were two respondents who problematized the idea of inclusion in that the group's needs can be overlooked when an activity needs to be adapted. In the results the respondents discussed that there were different difficulties among students with autism and, these difficulties had an impact on the social interaction and peer relationships. They also lifted differences between the sexes. The strategies that the after-school staff highlighted to support peer relationships for students with autism were about providing adult support in activities and individual solutions depending on which student they met. The results also show that there are aggravating circumstances regarding the work with relationships within the after-school center, some of the respondents described staff shortages, large student groups, the lack of planning time and lack of competence to meet students with autism. Overall, this study contributes with knowledge about peer relationships in relation to students with autism and which working methods may be suitable to support these students in the after-school center, as previous research in relationships connected to autism and after-school centers is limited. / I den här studien har syftet varit att undersöka fritidspersonalens perspektiv på deras strategier för att främja kamratrelationer för elever med autism. Tidigare forskning har visat att barn och unga med autism har olika svårigheter kopplat till diagnosen vilket försvårar det sociala samspelet och upprätthållandet av kamratrelationer. Studien genomfördes med kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med åtta fritidspersonal. Intervjuerna analyserats sedan med hjälp av en tolkande fenomenologi för att synliggöra respondenternas individuella upplevelser. För att tolka och diskutera resultatet användes den sociokulturella teorin, de tre nivåerna av relationellt perspektiv och Nilholms perspektiv på inkludering. Den fenomenologiska analysen av data resulterade i fyra olika teman; Fritidspersonalens syn på relationer för alla elever inom fritidshemmet, fritidspersonalens syn på relationer för elever med autism, fritidspersonalens syn på strategier för att gynna relationer för elever med autism och fritidspersonalens syn av svårigheter i relationsbyggandet inom fritidshemmet. I resultatet beskriver fritidspersonalen vikten av att ha kamratrelationer och få delta i aktiviteter för alla elever inom fritidshemmet och att aktiviteter behöver anpassas till alla. Dock problematiseras inkluderingstanken av två respondenter genom att gruppens behov kan bli åsidosatt när en aktivitet behöver anpassas efter en elev. I resultatet diskuterades att det fanns olika svårigheter bland elever med autism, vilket försvårande det sociala samspelet och deras kamratrelationer. Svårigheterna kunde skilja sig mellan könen. De strategier som fritidspersonalen lyfte fram för att stötta kamratrelationerna för elever med autism handlade om att ge vuxenstöd i aktiviteter och individuella lösningar beroende på vilken elev de mötte. I resultatet framkommer också att det finns försvårande omständigheter vad gäller arbetet med relationer inom fritidshemmet, vissa av respondenterna beskrev personalbrist på grund av hög sjukfrånvaro, stora elevgrupper, bristen på planeringstid och avsaknad av kompetens att möta elever med autism. Sammantaget bidrar denna studie med kunskap om kamratrelationer i förhållande till elever med autism och vilka arbetssätt som kan vara lämpliga för att stötta dessa elever inom fritidshemmet då tidigare forskning inom relationer kopplat till autism och fritidshem är begränsade.

The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive description of what a peer helper programme is and to set guidelines for the design and implementation of a peer helping programme for university residence students. In order to achieve these objectives a literature study was firstly conducted to attain a good understanding of the problems that students of tertiary institutions are currently experiencing. The conclusion was made that students are today faced with a lot of frustrations, problems and challenges resulting in a need for care, support and effective help. Secondly the terms "peer helping", "peer helper" and "peer helper programmes" were defined and peer helping was consequently identified as an effective way of addressing the need for help in the student community. This was followed by a description of guidelines for the design and implementation of a peer helper programme for students in university residences. Plomp's general educational design model was used as a point of reference in the setting of these guidelines. An empirical study was done in the form of a case study as it was exercised only at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University. The aims of the empirical research were to determine firstly if there was a real need for the implementation of a peer helper programme among students in university residences; secondly, to look into and examine the guidelines set for the design and implementation of a peer helpers' programme in university residences, and finally to evaluate the efficacy of the training of peer helpers for university residences. Questionnaires, observations and semi structured interviews were used in the empirical study in order to come to the following general conclusions: Students tend to confide in friends when they experience problems of a more serious nature. In other words they share their problems and concerns with people whom they are in a close relationship with. There is a definite need for a peer helpers' programme in university residence environments. Students are willing to take part and make use of such a programme and students want to take the lead in organising and managing such a programme. In order to design and implement a peer helpers' programme successfully in a university residence, the set guidelines for the effective designing and implementation of such a programme should be followed. Finally it is recommended that a peer helpers' programme should be implemented in every residence or on the campus of every university or tertiary institution in South Africa in order to address the growing need for help among students, effectively. Various recommendations for further research were made. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive description of what a peer helper programme is and to set guidelines for the design and implementation of a peer helping programme for university residence students. In order to achieve these objectives a literature study was firstly conducted to attain a good understanding of the problems that students of tertiary institutions are currently experiencing. The conclusion was made that students are today faced with a lot of frustrations, problems and challenges resulting in a need for care, support and effective help. Secondly the terms "peer helping", "peer helper" and "peer helper programmes" were defined and peer helping was consequently identified as an effective way of addressing the need for help in the student community. This was followed by a description of guidelines for the design and implementation of a peer helper programme for students in university residences. Plomp's general educational design model was used as a point of reference in the setting of these guidelines. An empirical study was done in the form of a case study as it was exercised only at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University. The aims of the empirical research were to determine firstly if there was a real need for the implementation of a peer helper programme among students in university residences; secondly, to look into and examine the guidelines set for the design and implementation of a peer helpers' programme in university residences, and finally to evaluate the efficacy of the training of peer helpers for university residences. Questionnaires, observations and semi structured interviews were used in the empirical study in order to come to the following general conclusions: Students tend to confide in friends when they experience problems of a more serious nature. In other words they share their problems and concerns with people whom they are in a close relationship with. There is a definite need for a peer helpers' programme in university residence environments. Students are willing to take part and make use of such a programme and students want to take the lead in organising and managing such a programme. In order to design and implement a peer helpers' programme successfully in a university residence, the set guidelines for the effective designing and implementation of such a programme should be followed. Finally it is recommended that a peer helpers' programme should be implemented in every residence or on the campus of every university or tertiary institution in South Africa in order to address the growing need for help among students, effectively. Various recommendations for further research were made. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

No description available.

Detta utvecklingsinriktade arbete fokuserar på elevers lunchraster. Rasten tolkar vi som barnens fria tid under deras skoltid där vårt syfte med arbetet har bland annat varit att skapa en tryggare lunchrast för eleverna och öka deras inflytande över rastaktiviteterna. Genom att organisera strukturerade rastaktiviteter för eleverna vill vi även erbjuda eleverna en bredare variation av aktiviteter under deras rast som utgår från deras egna intressen och behov. Genom att strukturera rastaktiviteter under elevernas rast, som utgår från elevernas egna förslag men som är planerade och organiserade av lärare, så får eleverna möjlighet till ett ökat inflytande över deras rast. Den strukturerade rastaktiviteten är en frivillig aktivitet för eleverna att delta i. Den erbjöds under elevernas lunchrast. Eftersom aktiviteterna har varit frivilliga att delta i, så utgår vi från att lärandet från aktiviteterna har varit situationsstyrt men också grupporienterat då eleverna väljer att delta samt lär dem sig tillsammans med andra genom lek. Inledningsvis knyter vi an till hur elevernas raster kopplas till fritidshemspedagogiken. Eleverna anses som centrala deltagare under arbetets gång då de bland annat varit med och fått bestämma innehållet av de rastaktiviteter som genomförts. För att identifiera vår utvecklingsbara fråga i verksamheten har samtal förts med fritidspedagogerna på fritidshemmet. Vi har fått ta del av skolans trygghetsenkät samt gjort en egen nulägesanalys över fritidshemmet som detta utvecklingsinriktade arbete har genomförts på. I arbetets syfte och mål förklarar vi vad syftet med arbetet är och vilka mål vi försökt arbeta mot under arbetets gång. Vi har genom tidigare forskning inom området fått fram väsentligt material som vi använde oss av under arbetets gång som utgångpunkter. Forskningen vägledde arbetet genom att kunna analysera och reflektera över de begrepp som var väsentliga till de aktioner som vi genomfört. Aktionsforskning var vårt val av metod som kom att knyta an det abstrakta med praktisk handling. De aktioner som genomfört är Trygghetkartor, Capture the flag, Fotbollsmatch samt Under hökens vingar. Resultaten av utfallen kopplade till trygghet ansågs som positivt då bland annat majoriteten av eleverna kände sig tryggare på flera platser på skolgården.

I denna studie undersöks sambandet mellan ungdomars psykiska ohälsa, ofrivillig ensamhet och social isolering i ljuset av individens psykosociala miljö. Syftet är att utveckla en djupare förståelse för de dynamiska interaktionerna mellan dessa faktorer, och hur de bidrar till psykisk ohälsa och ökad ensamhet bland ungdomar. Vidare undersöker studien befintliga strategier och interventioner som kan hantera och minska ensamhet hos ungdomar, och deras effektivitet. Genom litteraturstudie belyser studien potentiella mekanismer bakom ensamhet hos ungdomar. Resultaten visar att ofrivillig ensamhet och/eller social isolering har en inverkan på psykisk hälsa och kan bidra till olika psykiska problem såsom depression och ångest. Det framkom att ingen enstaka variabel orsakar ensamhet, det är istället en mängd faktorer i individens psykosociala miljö som har inverkan. Ungdomar upplever olika typer av ensamhet, inklusive existentiell ensamhet, och uppfattningen av ensamhet är djupt subjektiv. Resultaten framhäver vikten av social inkludering/exkludering, familjens roll, kamratrelationers kvalitet samt betydelsen av mentorer, stödjande vuxna och professionella. Samtidigt lyfts bristen på specifika interventioner för att bekämpa ungdomars ensamhet. Trots detta påvisar studien att vissa interventioner, inklusive gruppbehandling, mindfulness och internetbaserade program, har positiva resultat. / This thesis aims to investigate the association between youths' mental health, involuntary loneliness, and social isolation, particularly focusing on the individual's psychosocial environment. Furthermore, this study examines existing strategies and interventions that can address and reduce loneliness among youths and the effectiveness of these interventions. Through a literature study of previous research, this study aims to deepen the understanding of the underlying mechanisms behind youths' loneliness. Findings demonstrate that involuntary loneliness and/or social isolation significantly impact mental health and can lead to various mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. It is evident that there isn't a single variable causing loneliness, instead, several factors within the individual's psychosocial environment play a role. Youths’ experience different types of loneliness, including existential loneliness, and perceptions of loneliness are deeply subjective. The present thesis underscores the importance of social inclusion and exclusion, the role of the family, the quality of peer relations, and the significance of mentors, supportive adults, and professionals. It highlights the lack of specific interventions to combat loneliness among youths. Despite this, the study indicates that certain interventions, including group therapy, mindfulness, and internet-based programs, yield positive results.

Vi vill i denna studie lyfta barns perspektiv genom att undersöka barns uppfattningar av inkludering och exkludering i förhållande till kamratrelationer på förskolan samt dilemmat ”alla får vara med”. Studien bygger på gruppintervjuer med förskolebarn. För att undersöka och få svar på studiens frågeställningar genomfördes 15 gruppintervjuer med totalt 50 barn i 4 - 6 års ålder på tre olika förskolor i Halland. Studien tar sin teoretiska utgångspunkt i dilemmaperspektivet, vilket innebär att dilemman diskuteras utifrån flertalet synvinklar utan att fastställa en rätt eller fel sanning. Resultat och analys visar att barnen satte inkludering och exkludering i relation till att få vara med eller inte få vara med och hur det kan kännas. Barnen uttryckte sig verbalt om detta i relation till ett filmavsnitt från serien ”Djuren på Djuris”, men även i förhållande till kamratrelationer. Slutsatsen visar att barnen verbalt uttryckte att det fanns ett dilemma gällande att få vara med eller inte i lek med andra. Detta framgick då barnen nämnde att det var lika viktigt att inkludera kamrater i lek som att få sin röst hörd i att vilja att alla inte alltid måste vara med i alla lekar. / In this study we want to highlight children’s perspective by examining children’s perceptions of inclusion and exclusion connected to peer relationships in preschool and the dilemma of “everyone gets to join”. The study is based on interviews with preschool children. We interviewed a total of 15 groups with a total of 50 children in the ages 4 – 6 years old in 3 different preschools in Halland, to answer the questions posed in this study. The study takes its theoretical starting point from the dilemmaperspective which means that dilemmas are discussed based on the majority of points of views without establishing a right or wrong truth. The results and analysis show that the children mainly expressed themselves verbally about inclusion or exclusion in relation to being allowed to participate or not and how that can feel. The children verbally expressed this both in relation to the characters in the episode in the series “Djuren på djuris”, but also in connection to peer relationships. The conclusion shows a dilemma regarding being allowed to participate in play with others as the children mentioned that it was just as important to include peers in play as to having their voices heard in wanting that everyone does not always have to join.

No description available.

Peerbeziehungen wirken sich maßgeblich auf die Entwicklung im Jugendalter aus. Aufgrund von alltags- und behinderungsspezifischen Lebensbedingungen stehen Jugendliche mit Behinderungen dabei vor besonderen Herausforderungen, die die Möglichkeiten der Anbindung an andere Jugendliche erschweren. Angebote der Kinder- und Jugendarbeit können behinderungsbedingte Barrieren nicht immer auffangen, allerdings stellen inklusive Ferienfreizeiten dabei eine besonders geeignete und zugängliche Ausnahme dar. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden 46 Jugendliche, die an zwei inklusiven Ferienfreizeiten teilgenommen haben, hinsichtlich der Entstehung, Qualität, Quantität, Funktionen, Intensität, Bestand und bedeutsamer Wahlkriterien von Peerbeziehungen befragt. Im Fokus stand dabei die Differenzkategorie Behinderung, weitere Differenzkategorien wurden in die Befragung einbezogen, um Wechselwirkungen benennen zu können. Im Rahmen eines explorativen Mixed-Methods-Designs mit zwei Sequenzen erfolgte eine Auswertung in den vier Teilen deskriptive Auswertung, soziometrische Analyse, Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse sowie Fallauswertungen. Als zentrale Ergebnisse über Bedingungen für die Entstehung und Erhaltung von Peerbeziehungen von Jugendlichen mit und ohne Behinderungen konnte ermittelt werden, dass vertrauensentwickelnde, ähnlichkeitsbezogene und erlebnisbasierte qualitative Aspekte, die Persönlichkeitsmerkmale Extraversion und Offenheit sowie die kognitive Reife im Vordergrund standen. Dabei zeigte sich eine große Spannbreite entstandener Freund- und Bekanntschaften mit eher geringerem Bestand. Vor allem für Jugendliche mit Lernschwierigkeiten ergaben sich in Bezug auf die Entstehung und Entwicklung von Peerbeziehungen Wechselwirkungen ihrer Behinderungen mit höherem Alter, Introversion, Kommunikationsbarrieren, der gemeinsamen Anreise mit einer bereits bekannten Person sowie den Einstellungen der teilnehmenden Jugendlichen ohne Behinderungen. Sie haben dadurch zwar Bekanntschaften, aber eher keine Freundschaften entwickelt, was darauf hinweist, dass von einer sozialen Einbindung in die Gruppen nicht ausgegangen werden kann. Die Ausgestaltung des Settings inklusiver Ferienfreizeiten wird im Rahmen eines sozialraumorientierten Gesamtkonzepts der Jugendarbeit und Behindertenhilfe sowie einer stärkeren Fokussierung auf Gruppenprozesse inklusive begleitetem Kontakt und damit einhergehenden Einstellungsänderungen diskutiert. Es werden konkrete Hinweise für das pädagogische Handeln gegeben. / Peer relationships have a significant impact on development in adolescence. Due to everyday life and disability-specific living conditions, young people with disabilities face special challenges that make it difficult to connect with other adolescents. Child and youth work services cannot always compensate disability-related barriers, but inclusive summer camps are a particularly suitable and accessible exception. In the present study, 46 adolescents who participated in two inclusive summer camps were interviewed with regard to the development, quality, quantity, functions, intensity, continuity, and significant choice criteria of peer relationships. Besides the focus on the difference category disability, other difference categories were included in the survey in order to be able to identify aspects of intersectionality. Using an explorative mixed-methods design with two sequences, an evaluation was carried out in four parts: descriptive and sociometric analyses, qualitative content analysis, as well as case evaluations. As central results, trust-developing, similarity-related and experience-based qualitative aspects, the personality traits extroversion and openness as well as cognitive maturity emerged as conditions for the development and maintenance of peer relationships of adolescents with and without disabilities. There was a wide range of friendships and encounters with a rather low continuance. Especially for adolescents with learning difficulties, interactions of their disabilities with higher age, introversion, communication barriers, travelling together with someone they already knew, as well as the attitudes of the other participating adolescents without disabilities emerged with regard to the development and continuity of peer relationships. As a result, participants with learning difficulties developed encounters but rather no friendships, which indicates that social inclusion in the groups cannot be assumed. Concerning the design of inclusive summer camp settings, a community-based concept involving the systems of youth work and disability support as well as a stronger focus on group processes including guided contact associated with attitude changes are discussed. Practical advice for pedagogical action is given.