The purpose of this study was to explore Grade 11 students perceptions of programs related to the prevention of alcohol use in four Saskatchewan high schools through an analysis of data elicited from student questionnaires and focus groups. Utilizing a case study design, information regarding current prevention policies in the schools was obtained by interviewing school principals. Interviews were then conducted with teachers and counsellors to determine the context in which the students were learning and included collecting data about the programs that were being delivered. In the final phase, 452 student questionnaires were administered and four focus groups were undertaken to explore students perceptions of alcohol prevention programs.<p> It was found that formal and informal school programs to prevent alcohol use were influenced by a number of factors. Time was an essential factor in allowing information to be conveyed to students. Although the topic of alcohol prevention was included within the health curriculum, there was limited time allotted to present this information in an effective manner. In fact, senior high school students did not receive any formal health education. With regard to alcohol prevention, the students identified that practicing resistance skills, the delivery of developmentally appropriate accurate information, and personal stories would contribute to their engagement in prevention programs and improve program efficacy. Methods of program delivery including peer interaction should be considered at all levels including the Grade 9 level when a large proportion of students reported that they started using alcohol. For the students in this study, the location and methods for student referrals to support services should be more transparent and accessible.<p> The findings of this study generated several implications for practice, policy, and research. First, systematic monitoring of students alcohol use would be useful in informing policy and program development. In adjunct to programs, teacher professional development should be implemented and informed by evidence-based practice to ensure consistency in the program goals and objectives. To support a comprehensive program with clear and consistent messages, policy needs to include the educative approach, professional development, strategies for student infractions, referral processes, parental information and guidelines, and evaluative measures. Implications for research underline the need for further exploration of students perceptions of zero tolerance policy, the nature of engaging prevention-related content, and efficacy of methods of information delivery to students on the risk continuum. Questions concerning how to actively involve parents at the school level need to be pursued.

The purpose of this study was to explore Grade 11 students perceptions of programs related to the prevention of alcohol use in four Saskatchewan high schools through an analysis of data elicited from student questionnaires and focus groups. Utilizing a case study design, information regarding current prevention policies in the schools was obtained by interviewing school principals. Interviews were then conducted with teachers and counsellors to determine the context in which the students were learning and included collecting data about the programs that were being delivered. In the final phase, 452 student questionnaires were administered and four focus groups were undertaken to explore students perceptions of alcohol prevention programs.<p> It was found that formal and informal school programs to prevent alcohol use were influenced by a number of factors. Time was an essential factor in allowing information to be conveyed to students. Although the topic of alcohol prevention was included within the health curriculum, there was limited time allotted to present this information in an effective manner. In fact, senior high school students did not receive any formal health education. With regard to alcohol prevention, the students identified that practicing resistance skills, the delivery of developmentally appropriate accurate information, and personal stories would contribute to their engagement in prevention programs and improve program efficacy. Methods of program delivery including peer interaction should be considered at all levels including the Grade 9 level when a large proportion of students reported that they started using alcohol. For the students in this study, the location and methods for student referrals to support services should be more transparent and accessible.<p> The findings of this study generated several implications for practice, policy, and research. First, systematic monitoring of students alcohol use would be useful in informing policy and program development. In adjunct to programs, teacher professional development should be implemented and informed by evidence-based practice to ensure consistency in the program goals and objectives. To support a comprehensive program with clear and consistent messages, policy needs to include the educative approach, professional development, strategies for student infractions, referral processes, parental information and guidelines, and evaluative measures. Implications for research underline the need for further exploration of students perceptions of zero tolerance policy, the nature of engaging prevention-related content, and efficacy of methods of information delivery to students on the risk continuum. Questions concerning how to actively involve parents at the school level need to be pursued.

In 2004 the Ontario Ministry of Education created the Safe Schools Action Team (SSAT) to advise on the development of a comprehensive approach to bullying prevention. When four years later in 2008 the SSAT re-engaged in order to review the issues of gender-based violence, homophobia, sexual harassment, and inappropriate sexual behaviour, recommendations were made for addressing these issues (Ministry of Education, 2008). One of the most significant dimensions of the SSAT report was their statement that the most effective method to learn about healthy relationships is through school curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2008). Taking the SSAT recommendation that the most effective method for educating adolescents on healthy relationships is through curriculum, the current study seeks to describe, from the teacher’s perspective, experiences with and motivations for using curriculum advocating healthy relationships, specifically dating violence prevention programming. The purpose of this thesis is to examine four female Ontario Physical and Health Education teachers’ personal and professional experience with teen dating violence and their knowledge about and use of dating violence prevention curriculum that has been approved by the Ontario Ministry of Education. The participants related their experiences with dating violence within their school communities and discussed how they approached these issues within their own classroom. The results of this study indicate that dating violence continues to be a prevalent issue for Ontario secondary schools, and there is a need for continued research into how to teach dating violence prevention in meaningful ways. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2012-04-25 10:00:15.681

Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) may have consequences for an athlete in the form of pain, decreased activity levels and early-onset osteoarthritis. Female athletes are at increased risk of injury, perhaps because of differences in neuromuscular function. Methods of identifying risk factors and effective prevention strategies for ACL injury have traditionally involved athletes of high school age or older. However by that age, the opportune time to intervene may have passed. This thesis involves a sequence of studies which measures the neuromuscular function of younger athletes, aged 10-14 years. First, the reliability of measuring strength and power of the lower extremity on an isokinetic dynamometer was explored. Torque and power of the hip flexors and knee extensors were the only measures with acceptable reliability. Conversely, peak velocity of all the tested hip and knee movements demonstrated acceptable reliability. A high amount of variability was found with all test movements, and so alternate tests should be used if measuring an individual athlete’s ability. From the data collected within the reliability study, a sex comparison was undertaken to determine if neuromuscular power differed at this young age. It was determined that girls and boys between 10 and 14 years of age do not differ in terms of knee or hip movement velocity or power. There is evidence to suggest that sex differences exist by adulthood; further research is required to determine when the disparity becomes apparent. The final project was to determine whether strength training would improve the manner in which young female athletes land from a jump; a common ACL injury mechanism. This randomized controlled trial found no difference between the intervention group who trained their legs, and the control group who trained their arms. However those athletes with the poorest landings appeared to improve their movement pattern regardless of training regime. This thesis contributes to the literature by providing evidence for measurement protocols for young athletes, introducing neuromuscular power instead of strength into the investigation of contributing factors to injury, and by furthering the examination of strength training as an effective component of prevention programs.

Workplace violence can produce adverse financial outcomes for organizational shareholders, harms employees, and might create long-lasting mental health issues for survivors. Leaders of small businesses might lack the tools available to larger organizations to effectively address the growing incidence of violence in the workplace. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies some leaders of small businesses used to prevent workplace violence. The targeted population consisted of 3 leaders of small businesses from 3 different organizations in the government consulting industry in northern Virginia who successfully implemented workplace violence prevention programs. The general systems theory was the conceptual framework for this research. Data were collected from applicable company documents and semistructured interviews. The data were analyzed through a 5-phase qualitative analysis cycle. Emergent themes included effective workplace violence prevention policies and procedures and leaders’ role in creating a positive working environment. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to reduce work-related stress so that employees are healthy members of society. Leaders of small business who promote a positive work environment and understand the importance of an effective workplace violence prevention policy might be able to increase the performance of their businesses, which could allow them to be more involved in their communities.

Female collegiate athletes have been identified as a group at risk of developing eating disorders (EDs) and unhealthy weight control behaviors. Interventions grounded in cognitive dissonance theory and those that incorporate mindfulness-based interventions have shown improved body image and reductions in internalization and ED symptomatology over time in female non-athletes. However, few studies have examined the efficacy of intervention programs among female athletes, and, despite early promising results, previous research has been limited in several ways (e.g., methodology, small sample size). The purpose of this study was to conduct a long-term (i.e., three years) qualitative follow-up evaluation of Bodies in Motion (BIM), an ED prevention program developed specifically to acknowledge the unique experience and needs of female athletes with respect to their bodies as women and athletes. Results indicate that, similar to their initial experiences, now-retired athletes reported increased awareness of sport and societal messages and their impact on body image, shifted perspectives in their view of themselves and their bodies, and ongoing use of skills to manage body image in their lives. Further, with the passage of time, athletes continued to report a positive experience in the program and the utility of Bodies in Motion as they navigated challenging life transitions. These results indicate that the Bodies in Motion program has long-term benefits for female collegiate athletes consistent with program aims, even as athletes transition out of their sports.

No description available.

Mississippi is among the states with the highest teenage pregnancy rates, and the study site is among the high schools with the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the state. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify successful practices and areas for improvement in the implementation of a teenage pregnancy prevention program (TPPP) at the study site based on the perspectives of school administrators and staff members. Bandura's social cognitive theory provided a conceptual framework for considering behaviors and the social contexts in which they occur. Twelve participants were interviewed, including 3 administrators and 9 staff members. Data were analyzed using open coding to identify themes. Findings indicated that, according to the perspectives of the 12 participants, the evidence-based TPPP positively influenced the students by providing a structured curriculum for classroom teaching; promoting small-group discussions; and implementing an abstinence approach to prevent teenage pregnancy, HIV, and STDs. Strengths identified included the use of various instructional techniques and a general support for communication. Areas for improvement included scheduling, school staff and parent buy-in, and knowledge about specific problems related to risk-taking behaviors. Social change implications of this study include increased awareness among adult stakeholders of practices that support successful implementation of a TPPP and enhanced ability to make positive decisions about sexual behaviors among students. School officials could apply the findings to strengthening the effectiveness of the school's TPPP. Students may benefit from improved TPPP instruction by being better prepared to prevent teenage pregnancy, HIV, and STDs.

Despite the increase in bullying behavior that has occurred among high school students, there is a lack of age appropriate intervention programs available to assist secondary administrators and staff with this problem. The purpose of this case study in 1 high school in a suburb of a major Mid-Atlantic city in the United States was to determine the perceptions held by secondary administrators and staff of an adapted antibullying program, originally created for use in elementary schools, in reducing the incidences of bullying behavior and feelings of strain. This study was also designed to explore how administrators and staff perceived if the bullying prevention program fostered prosocial behavior, and the extent to which the program reduced peer aggression, peer harassment, and strain. The conceptual framework was general strain theory described by Durkheim and Merton. The design for this case study included interviews with 5 teachers and 3 administrators who had been involved in implementation of the antibullying program. Open coding was used to organize and analyze the data for the emergence of significant concepts and patterns. Codes were formulated into four associated meanings or themes; relationships, student responsibility, positive culture, and trusting and supportive environment. The results indicated that school personnel were able to modify an existing bullying prevention program that has changed the culture of the school and the mindset of its student body while helping the students to alleviate strain and issues of aggression and harassment. The current research may affect social change by encouraging other secondary schools to assess their bullying prevention programs to determine if the material being used is age appropriate for secondary students and if the programs are indeed alleviating bullying behavior and strain in their students.

<p>Syftet var att undersöka förskollärares tolkning av begreppet mobbning samt undersöka hur de arbetar för att förebygga mobbning bland barnen i förskolan och i förskoleklassen.                                                                                     I läroplanerna, Lpo94 och Lpfö98, nämns vikten av att arbeta för att barnen och eleverna ska känna trygghet i skolan. Detta är ett viktigt ämne som är ständigt aktuellt.                                                                                                          Valde att undersöka förskollärarnas uppfattningar genom en enkätstudie. Delade ut 50 enkäter till förskollärare fördelade på 11 förskolor och 5 förskoleklasser. Bortfallet blev 18 stycken.                                                                   Resultatet visar att de arbetar kring frågor som rör mobbning bland barnen på varierande sätt. Endast ett fåtal nämnde likabehandlingsplanen som ett redskap i detta arbete.                                                                                           Nästan hälften av de förskollärare som svarade på enkäten upplever att de inte har den kunskap/utbildning som behövs för att de ska kunna arbeta med att förebygga mobbning på ett för dem tillfredsställande sätt.</p><p>Resultatet av denna studie visar även att de åtta program som presenteras i boken ”På tal om mobbning – och det som görs” som gavs ut av Skolverket under 2009 är okända för förskollärarna i stor utsträckning.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> / <p>The purpose was to investigate preschool teachers interpretation of the concept of bullying and examining how they work to prevent bullying among children in kindergarten and preschool classes. The curriculum, Lpo94 and Lpfö98, mentions the importance of working for children and students to feel safe at school. This is an important topic that is constantly up to date. Chose to investigate preschool teachers perceptions through a survey study. Handed out 50 questionnaires distributed to school teachers in 11 kindergartens and 5 preschool classes. The loss was 18 pieces. The result shows that they are working on issues related to bullying among children in different ways. Only a few mentioned the treatment plan as a tool in this work. Almost half of the preschool teacher respondents feel they do not have the skills / education needed for them to work to prevent bullying satisfactorily for them. The results of this study also shows that the eight programs outlined in the book “På tal om mobbning – och det som görs” which was issued by the School Board in 2009 is unknown to the preschool teachers to a great extent.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>