published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The present study examines the issue of minority participation in a multi-faceted prevention program for youth with problem behavior. Historically, participation in such research programs has been low (Myers, Alvy, Richardson, Arrington, Marigna, Huff, Main, & Newcomb, 1990; Coie, 1996; Spoth & Redmond, 2001). Targeted prevention programs, which design their interventions for populations that are susceptible to negative outcomes, face more obstacles to participation than most participants of universal prevention programs. Targeted populations, specifically families with children with problem behavior, are usually under great duress, suffer multiple hardships, and have high adversity characteristics, (e.g., low socioeconomic status, insularity, single-parent families, and low levels of education). As has long been documented, minority status is usually associated with this heightened risk status (Prinz & Miller, 1991). A common suggestion in the prevention and therapeutic treatment literature is the use of minority staff members to increase the likelihood of participation of minority parents (Prinz, Smith, Dumas, Laughlin, White & Barron, 2001). This argument is most prevalent in the literature regarding Latino clients (Sue, Fujino, Hu, Takeuchi, & Zane, 1991). This study attempts to predict minority parents' participation quality (PQ) from demographic variables (e.g., level of adversity, ethnicity), participation rate (PR) (e.g., amount of participation measured by minutes and contacts), and ethnic matching. This study also offers insight on how PQ and PR relate to one another. The results of this study imply that PQ and PR relate differently for Latino parents than they do for parents from other ethnicities. The relationship of these variables has implications for frequency of dosages in an intervention, especially for interventions that attempt to reach distinct populations.

Childhood anxiety disorders are highly prevalent, cause significant distress and functional impairment, are risk factors for depression, suicidal ideation and attempts, substance abuse and smoking, yet often go unrecognized and untreated. As a result, effective prevention and early intervention have become policy and research priorities. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a universal school-based cognitive behavioural intervention in decreasing anxiety symptoms experienced by early adolescents during the transition from elementary to middle or secondary school. The role of gender, coping style, geographic location, and timing of the intervention were also assessed. Participants were 722 grade 7 and 8 students (11 – 14 years) from 41 classrooms in 20 randomly selected public schools in British Columbia. Schools were randomly assigned to either the FRIENDS for Youth program provided within regular classrooms, one hour weekly for 10 weeks or to a waitlist control group. Self-reported anxiety, depression and coping, and parent and teacher assessed difficulties were assessed at pre-, post, and six month follow-up. Results were examined universally and for children who scored above the clinical cut-off for anxiety at pre-test. Results indicate students, including those “at risk”, who participated in the FRIENDS for Youth program had lower anxiety than those in the control group at 6-month follow-up. Gender differences in self-reported anxiety as well as in response to the intervention were found, with girls, including those “at risk” reporting higher anxiety scores than boys, and intervention group girls reporting significantly lower anxiety scores at post-intervention and at 6-month follow-up compared to the control group. Teachers assessed girls as having lower difficulties scores than boys, and intervention group girls reporting significantly lower difficulties scores at post-intervention than the control group. Grade 7 elementary students had significantly lower anxiety scores than middle school students and grade 7 students in the intervention group had significantly lower anxiety scores at post-intervention than the control group. Overall, intervention effects on anxiety were small. For “at risk” participants and for girls, however, the intervention was effective. Results demonstrated a prevention effect with significantly fewer “at risk” students at 6-month follow-up in the intervention group than the control group.

School counsellors are individuals with specialized training in social-emotional support for children and adolescents. In fact, school counsellors are the front-line school personnel who recognize and respond to various student mental health concerns. Despite the important role of school counsellors, there is little research that explores the experiences and perceptions of school counsellors who support students with mental health concerns. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach, this study is based on a set of interviews conducted with four school counsellors who work with students ranging from kindergarten to grade 12. School counsellors were interviewed individually and asked about their views, experiences, approaches, outcomes, and challenges in relation to supporting students with mental health concerns. Data analysis explored the lived experience and essential themes of school counsellors working as mental health professionals.

Childhood anxiety disorders are highly prevalent, cause significant distress and functional impairment, are risk factors for depression, suicidal ideation and attempts, substance abuse and smoking, yet often go unrecognized and untreated. As a result, effective prevention and early intervention have become policy and research priorities. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a universal school-based cognitive behavioural intervention in decreasing anxiety symptoms experienced by early adolescents during the transition from elementary to middle or secondary school. The role of gender, coping style, geographic location, and timing of the intervention were also assessed. Participants were 722 grade 7 and 8 students (11 – 14 years) from 41 classrooms in 20 randomly selected public schools in British Columbia. Schools were randomly assigned to either the FRIENDS for Youth program provided within regular classrooms, one hour weekly for 10 weeks or to a waitlist control group. Self-reported anxiety, depression and coping, and parent and teacher assessed difficulties were assessed at pre-, post, and six month follow-up. Results were examined universally and for children who scored above the clinical cut-off for anxiety at pre-test. Results indicate students, including those “at risk”, who participated in the FRIENDS for Youth program had lower anxiety than those in the control group at 6-month follow-up. Gender differences in self-reported anxiety as well as in response to the intervention were found, with girls, including those “at risk” reporting higher anxiety scores than boys, and intervention group girls reporting significantly lower anxiety scores at post-intervention and at 6-month follow-up compared to the control group. Teachers assessed girls as having lower difficulties scores than boys, and intervention group girls reporting significantly lower difficulties scores at post-intervention than the control group. Grade 7 elementary students had significantly lower anxiety scores than middle school students and grade 7 students in the intervention group had significantly lower anxiety scores at post-intervention than the control group. Overall, intervention effects on anxiety were small. For “at risk” participants and for girls, however, the intervention was effective. Results demonstrated a prevention effect with significantly fewer “at risk” students at 6-month follow-up in the intervention group than the control group.

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This thesis examines the impact of implementing participatory school administration, leadership and management (PSALM) via Advisory School Councils (ASC) in Philippine public secondary schools. Through an experiment with empirical surveys, documentary analyses and interviews, this study reveals that the experimental group (EG) had higher levels of commitment, empowerment, trust and inclination for meaningful participation in improving the school compared with the control group (CG) after one year of implementing PSALM. However, the one-year experiment did not yield a significant impact on the students’ academic achievement levels. Survey respondents (735 for the 1st survey and 603 for the 2nd survey) were the school heads, teachers, students, alumni, parents and community leaders from the 76 participating schools (38 schools for experimental group and the same number for the control group). The EG perceived the ASC operations in their schools as effective. Factors that either elicit or inhibit active participation from the stakeholders in collaborative decision making have been identified. An authentic model for the effective implementation of PSALM is proposed. The study suggests that the Philippines should expedite the process of establishing school councils in the public schools as an approach for creating better schools.

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This thesis examines the impact of implementing participatory school administration, leadership and management (PSALM) via Advisory School Councils (ASC) in Philippine public secondary schools. Through an experiment with empirical surveys, documentary analyses and interviews, this study reveals that the experimental group (EG) had higher levels of commitment, empowerment, trust and inclination for meaningful participation in improving the school compared with the control group (CG) after one year of implementing PSALM. However, the one-year experiment did not yield a significant impact on the students’ academic achievement levels. Survey respondents (735 for the 1st survey and 603 for the 2nd survey) were the school heads, teachers, students, alumni, parents and community leaders from the 76 participating schools (38 schools for experimental group and the same number for the control group). The EG perceived the ASC operations in their schools as effective. Factors that either elicit or inhibit active participation from the stakeholders in collaborative decision making have been identified. An authentic model for the effective implementation of PSALM is proposed. The study suggests that the Philippines should expedite the process of establishing school councils in the public schools as an approach for creating better schools.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 1999. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xv, 191 p. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 155-167).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Education, June 1999. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-161).