School- and Classroom-Based Supports for Children Following the 2013 Boston Marathon Attack and Manhunt

A sociocultural approach to understanding collective trauma in Indigenous communities

Research on the effects of collective trauma tends to take a psychocentric approach, focusing on the impact of being geographically near the traumatic event (physical proximity) or personally knowing a victim (social proximity). We theorize that this approach falls short in describing the effect of collective trauma among interdependent cultural groups, such as Indigenous Peoples, for whom the self and one's group are inextricably tied. Using a concurrent embedded mixed-methods design (N = 545), the current study explores the influence of cultural proximity (having a shared cultural connection to victims) in the wake of a fatal school shooting involving students from both a Native American tribe and a predominantly White city. After controlling for physical and social proximity, student distress behaviors and staff support behaviors, but not staff members' own psychological distress, were significantly higher in schools with higher Native student populations, where a larger proportion of students shared cultural connections with the victims. We discuss implications regarding the importance of providing adequate support for Indigenous Peoples, and interdependent cultural groups in general, following collective trauma.

Universal crisis psychoeducational interventions in schools: A scoping review

In times of crisis, schools are expected to help students deal with the situation and any help offered should consider the social and emotional problems arising from the critical event. Therefore, school-based activities enabling children to recognize the experience and work through it are essential to sustain their normal development and prevent academic and mental health problems. This paper provides an overview of the literature on universal school crisis interventions. We performed a scoping literature search in Scopus, ERIC, and Psych Info for articles published between January 2000 and May 2021 and identified 32 universal school-based crisis interventions based on three main crisis types (armed conflict, natural disaster, and Covid-19). Analysis of the methodologies and theoretical backgrounds generated six key psychoeducational factors commonly adopted. Comparing the different programmes in terms of topics, course content, duration, and methodology can help administrators and educators select the most appropriate crisis intervention for their school and situation. We also discuss the collaboration between mental health care specialists, school teams, and other important factors needed to implement these programmes and ensure their effectiveness under real-life conditions.

School performance after experiencing trauma: a longitudinal study of school functioning in survivors of the Utøya shootings in 2011

BACKGROUND

The psychological impact on survivors of terrorism has been well documented. However, studies on adolescent survivors and the academic performance of high school students following a terrorist attack are lacking.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated academic performance, absenteeism, and school support amongst survivors of a terrorist attack in Norway.

METHOD

Data from a longitudinal interview study were linked to officially registered grades of students (N=64) who successfully completed their 3-year senior high school program. Statistical tests of mean differences and linear regression were used to compare the survivors' registered grades with the national grade point average, before and after the event, as well as to assess absenteeism, self-reported grades and to test the association with school support.

RESULTS

The students' grades were lower the year after the event than they had been the year before, and they were also lower than the national grade point average (p<0.001). However, their grades improved in the last year of high school, indicating possible recovery. Absence from school increased after the event, compared to the previous year. However, students reported high satisfaction with school support.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that academic functioning was reduced in the year after the traumatic event, but for students who successfully completed high school, the school situation improved 2 years after the event. The findings underscore the importance of keeping trauma-exposed students in school and providing support over time. A more defined educational approach to maintaining school attendance and educational measures which compensate for learning loss are needed in trauma-sensitive teaching.

Character strengths and their influencing factors among nursing students in Changsha, China: the only-child versus non-only-child

The purpose of this study was to explore the differences of character strengths and their predictors between only-child and non-only-child nursing students. Using data from 742 participants, linear regression was conducted. Results indicate that there was no significant differences between the two groups concerning anxiety, depression and general self-efficacy (P>0.05). The character strengths status of only-child was better than that of non-only-child (P<0.05) and the predictors of character strengths between the two groups had some differences. This study has suggestions on how to help nursing students to improve their character strengths.