NZAIMS Conference 2022
Dunedin Multidisciplinary Study
Has been going for 50 years. Has created highly rigorous, relevant and sought after data.
There has been a really rapid pace of change for our young people.
Self-control/self-regulation has been a significant part of this longitudinal study. 21 C skills. Could be the third variable in predicting life success. Now more than ever this seems relevant:
A triangulation of approaches to measure data.
Key findings:
Children with low self-control had poorer health than those with high self-control.
Drug use / dependency / convictions - more in those with low self=control
A link to financial success and financial struggles and higher life satisfaction.
Quality of parenting - lower in those with low self-control.
Antisocial Behaviour - two types (usually violates the rights of others)
1 Lifecourse persistence
Intervention - group intervention, early (as early as possible)
2. Adolescence limited - non group intervention, avoid of risk of exacerbation
Psychological Distress - increasing rapidly
Doubling/trebling in the last decade, before Covid
Adult disorders are juvenile disorder grown up
There is dire need for early intervention.
How can we come up with solutions in our schools to help these children as early as possible?
Counsellors in schools. Holistic approaches with whānau focusing on engagement plans that help children see their strengths and focusing on aspirations.
IWS approach - who does this focus on? Too late by the time it gets to IWS.
How are our kids? How do we know what their levels of distress are?
Aspiration
Massive secular change
21C skills in schools
Linkage across the system
Types of intervention
Next steps?
From Coercion to Cooperation
Children’s Commissioner - Judge Eivers
“How we treat the sapling is how the tree will grow”
The exclusion process - how does it allow for the voice of the student to be truly heard?
A time of revitalisation and changes to:
How we respect and listen to mokopuna
How we are working on revitalisation indigenous languages
How we are honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi
Embed the new Aotearoa NZ Histories Curriculum. Iwi connected.
Concerns/Interests from mokopuna:
Climate changes
Love Food programmes and Garden to Plate
Unisex toilets
Respecting diversity in schools
The Future is in Collaboration:
Health Hubs in schools to help support physical health
Social Workers and Counsellors in schools
… and critically, addressing child poverty as this is the root cause of most poor outcomes.
School Vege Challenge (Springvale Garden Centre)
MOE Healthy Lunch Initiative
MSD - how can we collaborate and support kids on their books
Dr Michael Carr-Gregg Child and Adolescent Psychologist
The journey between childhood and adulthood is more difficult than ever before. Less protective factors and more risks.
UK research 1901 average period 16 years of age.
Today it is 10.2 years of age.
Physical development racing ahead, cognitive and emotional development staying the same. Everything is a bit out of sync.
How do we respond? Advocate for intermediate schooling! A successful early adolescence sets the way for successful adulthood.
More important than ever before due to the impact of the pandemic.
Our young people need to do four things in early adolescence.
1 Begin to emancipate from their adult care
2 Acquire the fundamentals of schooling
3 Take healthy, structured risks - the importance of the arts, music and sport.
4 Make prosocial relationships / friendships
The greatest predictor of well being is the ability to maintain, obtain and sustain friendships. Ie The capacity to have friends.
Following COVID 19, the world has a youth mental health crisis.
No one approach has been shown to be effective.
Analogy re planes - one wing is the school, one wing is the parent. If the parent wing is missing in action, we have an issue.
An opportunity for our sector to lead the way.
Protective Factors for our young people:
Relationships with teachers are pivotal
School safety
Closeness to caring friends
Overall resilience
Neighbourhood safety
Awareness of an access to local health services
Academic achievement
Parent connectedness
The teenage brain
https://time.com/4929170/inside-teen-teenage-brain/
Female 23 , Male 30 (prefrontal cortex)
Prefrontal cortex under development in early adolescence. Ability to regulate emotions, focus attention. An inability to predict the consequences of their actions. Social interaction. Understanding other people, self awareness.
Scientific American Magazine The Amazing Teen Brain
Implications for us:
Be clear about what you mean and be patient
(kids not great at reading emotions)
Tips for Good Communication for Early Adolescents;
Keep Calm
Don’t talk too much - listen more (especially when they are emotional
Keep it short
Use humour (but avoid sarcasm)
Set very clear boundaries and stick to them
Avoid confrontations and ultimatums
Only argue over things that matter (pick the hill you are going to die on)!
Regularly give positive feedback
Do not constantly remind them of past mistakes
Talk while doing something together
Let some things go by you (pick your battles)
Approaching an Early Adolescent that you have concerns about
Be relaxed, friendly and concerned
So I have noticed …
Are you okay?
Help me understand?
So what you are saying to me is ….
Using Technology to Control Screen time
Self Control - a free Mac application to help you to avoid overuse.
https://www.ted.com/talks/russell_foster_why_do_we_sleep?language=en
Struggle to get enough sleep.
1 Dim lights
2 Implement a routine
3 Cool down
4 Minimise anxiety
5 Avoid stimulants
6 Ban electronics in bedroom
More susceptible to peer pressure:
A major challenge is mobile phone use.
Social media is a major risk factor for our young people.
Be aware of the contagion effect.
Implications for Teachers of 11 and 12 year olds.
Many mental disorders between to emerge at this time - common types:
Anxiety disorder, depressive disorders, substance use disorders
The Brave Programme - online CBT to help manage anxiety.
https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/brave-anxiety-online-treatment-program/
Teen Mental Health First Aid
https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/population-focused-modules/teens/
Apps:
Calm Harm -strategies to avoid self harm
SnoreLab - records how you sleep
7 min workout app - gets their heart rate up and clears their mind
Keen Awareness app - strategies to break cycle of hair pulling, skin picking, eyelash pulling out
Mindfulness - direct decrease in bullying behaviour. Able to self soothe, keep calm.
“Smell the rose, blow out the candle” strategy to shut down fight, flight response.
Alternate hand clicking - shuts down hostility in anger. Start slow and speed up.
ADHD A brain based disorder:
3 types - hyperactive, inattentive, combined (see slide from Michael’s notes)
What helps:
A certain routine at home / school
Study in a quiet place at the same time
Use praise more than punishment
Have consequences for poor choices (kind, gentle and firm)
Ensure consequences are not too long
Extra learning support - firm, positive and patient
Autism:
Main differences in brain - more white matter/inflamed areas in frontal lobe, corpus callosum (connector between hemispheres) is undersize, enlarged frontal lobe, amygdala (home to emotions) enlarged, hippocampus (memory) 10% larger, cerebellum is overloaded with white matter
Signs:
Play alone, hysteria, depression, intolerance to sounds, hyperactivity, may not respond to their name.
What helps:
They don’t like change, they like routines
Find it hard to relax - sensitive to noise, smells, food
Picky about clothes
Like repetition
Not big on sport usually
Teach them to recognise how others feel
Teach self-soothing
High fat, high processed, high sugar food - single worst thing for kids with mental health and educational disorders. According to research from Decan University.
Power foods to help neurodiverse kids
Eggs, toast, cereal, blueberries, greek yoghurt, avos, nuts (esp walnuts)
NZC Refresh: Pauline Cleaver
(see her slideshow)
The Science of Invention - Logan Williams
Five rules for success. See slides.
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