Background: DISA (Depressive Symptoms In Swedish Adolescents) is a cognitive behavioral intervention aimed at preventing stress and depressive symptoms in adolescents. It is frequently used in Swedish schools for students aged 13-15 years. DISA is commonly offered to females, but at some schools, the intervention is also offered to males. In this study, the application of the intervention for both females and males is evaluated. Aim: The overarching aim of this thesis was to explore the experience, significance, and effectiveness of the school-based intervention DISA. The specific aims were to investigate the effectiveness of depressive symptoms and self-reporting health, and costs and cost-effectiveness as well as to elucidate the experiences of adolescents and tutors. Methods: The effectiveness of DISA was investigated using method triangulation. The thesis is based on two quantitative and two qualitative studies. The quantitative studies were quasi-experimental trials with an intervention group (I, IV), and a control group (IV), with follow-up measurements obtained at 3 and 12 months after baseline. The qualitative studies were based on focus group interviews with adolescents (II) and tutors (III). The school-based cognitive behavioral prevention program DISA was presented by school health staff and teachers once per week for ten weeks. Students in grade 8 (median age: 14) participated in the intervention in study I (n=62, 52% females) and study IV (n=462, 79% females), and 486 students (46% females) were allocated to the control group (IV). Focus group interviews were conducted with 89 adolescents (II) and 22 tutors (III). The interviews were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Findings: The intervention group decreased their self-reported depressive symptoms and improved their self-rated health more than the control group (p<0.05) at the 12-month follow-up. The majority of the adolescents rated the cognitive behavioral program as a positive experience, and the attendance rate was high. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was approximately USD 6,300 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY). The focus group interviews with the adolescents revealed that the students found that they developed intrapersonal strategies through DISA, such as directed thinking, improved self-confidence, stress management, and positive activities. They also gained an increased interpersonal awareness regarding trusting the group and considering others. However, structural constraints of the DISA program, such as negative framing and an emphasis on performance, were also noted. The focus group interviews with the tutors identified an overall theme of striking a balance between strictly following the manual and meeting student needs. Conclusions: The DISA program appears to be a feasible, cost-effective school-based cognitive behavioral program with high levels of student adherence and satisfaction, as well as positive mental health benefits. However, a desire for a more health-promoting approach was expressed.

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Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Education, 1998. / This case study explores, through critical reflection, the process of a school-based curriculum change (SBCC) and examines to what extent the application of adult education principles facilitates this process. The change is related to three issues: the process of curriculum development; the shift towards professional development based on adult education principles; and the changing role of the consultant in relation to curriculum development. Tire consultant came to realize that in order to promote school based curriculum development it was necessary to work with the head of the department and the teachers in a participative mode, rather than taking a stand as a curriculum development expert. The research findings suggest that in order to apply adult education principles to teachers’ professional development, the consultant needs to move from consultancy based on an expert role towards consultancy based on a process role. The research proposes that professional development based on adult education principles and teamwork could be a promising introduction to a secondorder change promoting a school culture of teamwork and critical reflection. The researcher came to question the appropriateness of a case study based on participant observation as a research methodology in the workplace. She suggests that an action research could be more advantageous to promote a second-order change and could be more in line with adult education principles.

Research has indicated that effective parenting programs for pregnant and parenting teens greatly improve educational and career opportunities for teen parents. Such research underscores the need for schools to use these programs in their efforts to increase high school graduation rates for this population. The aim of this case study was to assess if a school-based parenting program was successful and, if so, how elements of this program might be useful to educators who are planning similar programs. The study included an examination of archived program data, which included end-of-year reports related to the program and participants, and interviews with 12 key program administrators and teachers. Outcome evaluation theory and a logic model served as the conceptual framework. The research design had 2 parts: a quantitative secondary analysis of archived data and qualitative interviews. The program data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The interview data were downloaded into a computer-assisted qualitative software program to organize the data, code the data, and to determine major themes. Major findings were that the program met goals and objectives due to: (a) clearly stated and specific program objectives;(b) a high level of program support from district and administrative staff; (c) a major asset of the program, its curriculum; (d) adequate resources and funding, and (e) the active participation of, and open communication between, parents/guardians of program participants, faculty, and staff. This study contributes to social change by showing educators and parents that an effective school-base parenting program can result in improved high school completion and brighter outcomes for pregnant and parenting students.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between school-based mental health services and academic achievement. The study focused on (N=38) students in elementary and middle school, who participated in services from the 2012-2013 school year. The test scores before and after they received services were gathered from an existing database to determine how effective school-based mental health services were. The results indicated there was not a significant difference in measures of academic achievement before and after school-based mental health services. However, results demonstrated a positive relationship between test scores before and after school-based mental health services. Limitations to study, such as the sample size, are also discussed.

Bullying in schools is a social problem that continues to grow. Social workers need to be informed about it and prepared to address it in their practice. This study focused on behaviors students who are bullying and students who are victims of bullying demonstrate that get them referred to school‑based counseling. This is a quantitative study with qualitative aspects. A data extraction tool was used to collect secondary data from case files from Family Solutions Collaborative in the Ontario/Montclair School District of students who received counseling services. The data collected was coded, examined, interpreted, and described. Utilizing Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) statistics, frequency and cross‑tabulation analysis showed relationships between various behaviors and bullying status. The benefit from this research is an increased awareness of specific behaviors that will allow teachers, school staff, parents, and counselors to identify students who are bullying and students who are being bullied before the bullying evolves into something much greater.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) as it stands today still exists in many violent cases involving intimate relationships. Intervention programs seek to address this issue, however, fails to meet their intended outcomes to reduce prevalence rates of IPV. The research study evaluated the use of a prevention program and measures its effectiveness among high school students. This study sought to explain IPV prevention programs, making it explanatory and necessitates a quantitative research design. This study used secondary data analysis to assess effectiveness of this particular prevention program. Data was collected from 130 high school students within the Inland Empire who completed pre-surveys and post-surveys. Through data analysis, the study found the prevention program was effective by increasing the high school students’ knowledge about local resources for those experiencing IPV, specifically where to go for help. Another key finding revealed a majority of the participants were able to correctly define types of relationships and communication styles. However, the prevention program does not necessarily assess for participants’ knowledge on how to address conflict in a healthy manner, as measured by questions asked within the pre-surveys and post-surveys. This is not to say this particular prevention program was not effective in some areas. Still, there is room for improvement as far as future research; collaboration with seasoned researchers, school administrators, and social workers; and policy recommendations on this topic of school-based IPV prevention programs.

This project discusses the effectiveness of disciplinary interventions in school-based counseling. Participants were selected from elementary and middle school sites in a school district in Southern California. Qualitative interviews were conducted to give this researcher additional knowledge in the field of school-based counseling. The audio of the interviews that were conducted were recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed by this researcher. The knowledge of the participants and their unique experiences operating with a wide range of students in many years of experience allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of what intervention strategies are most beneficial to students and where schools and counselors can improve in providing counseling services to students. The results consisted of the following eight themes: Defining Discipline, Measuring Success in Interventions, Strategies in Interventions, Theoretical Orientations, Commonalities between Frequently Counseled Students, Communication within the School, Communication between Counselors, and Areas Where Schools are Lacking. Contributions to social work practice in a micro and macro sense are discussed. Findings were given to California State University, San Bernardino and were provided to the school sites and counselors utilized for this study.

This study was conducted to identify what sources of anxiety are most closely associated with experiencing SI among students in a school district in Southern California. Anxiety and suicide rates in youth continue to grow and a need for preventative services is a must. The research design consists of qualitative, biopsychosocial assessments, and qualitative, utilizing the collected data. MSW interns at the district site conducted the assessments and the writers analyzed and reviewed the data to draw out an answer to the research question. Implications for social work practice include gaining a better understanding on the common sources of anxiety as well as other precipitating factors that youth with SI experience. By identifying stressors and common factors social workers will be able to recognize red-flags and provide faster, more targeted preventative services to youth suffering from SI.

Like any other agricultural industry, many different career paths in the equine field are becoming more technologically advanced. To adapt to technological progress, current standards need to be integrated into school-based agricultural education courses to properly train and teach students about current industry standards. In addition to equine science curriculum development, emphasis must also be focused on providing assistance to secondary-school-based agriculture teachers so they can effectively teach industry-based equine science objectives in their programs. The equine curriculum objectives were measured in terms of perceived importance by equine professionals and post-secondary equine educators as well as Arizona school-based agriculture teachers. Further, the Arizona school-based agriculture teachers indicated their self-perceived ability to teach the objectives. Demographics for each group (equine industry professionals and Arizona school-based agriculture teachers) were also collected. A Borich needs assessment was calculated to prioritize areas needed for professional development of school-based agriculture teachers. Recommendations include the importance of bringing secondary-school-based agricultural education equine science curricula in line with industry standards. Further, providing professional development to secondary-school-based agriculture teachers is key to increasing teachers’ competence and ability to teach industry-based equine science.