INFLUENCING PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE AGGRESSION: C-SELF THE SOCIO-EMOTIONAL LEARNING FORTIFICATION PROGRAM IN ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA.

There are no structured programs to respond to youth violence amongst students in the Caribbean. There has been little data collected and organized research conducted on the efficacy and impact of programs which may combat youth violence. Without rigorous impact evaluations, the region continues to lack effective and sustaining strategies for preventive programs. This manuscript shares outcomes from the implementation of the Children and Youth Social-Emotional Learning Fortification (C-SELF) strategy embedded into the curriculum in five schools in Antigua and Barbuda. In 2020, using data from 2017 to 2018, a mixed method study was conducted with 482 (intervention) and 152 (control) primary school students. Data was analyzed for the influence of the intervention on 16 factors. The findings suggest positive outcomes, without significance, in self-control and competence. It demonstrates the importance of social-emotional learning curriculum changes to increase children’s mastery of self-regulated behaviors, decision-making, self-management, and self-leadership skills.

CARD GAME TO IMPROVE CRITICAL THINKING

Fostering critical thinking skills is a ubiquitous goal across disciplines and social contexts. Productive solutions to educational, content-based and social problems can emerge through well-reasoned conversation. How best to support the development of these skills has been a topic of debate. In this study, we investigated the design and effectiveness of a card-based game focused on undergraduate student understanding of common fallacies in thinking. 13 Fallacies was designed with the intention of improving students’ reasoning. In our study, we completed an iterative design phase, play testing phase and have collected data on student learning outcomes from two semesters as a result of classroom implementation. Results indicate that 13 Fallacies improved student understanding of common fallacies in thinking and promoted social reasoning for at-risk undergraduate students.

ACADEMICALLY AT-RISK HIGH SCHOOL

This investigation queried the phenomenological perspective of the school counselor within the high school setting. The counselors’ perspective was sought in this qualitative investigation to determine the impact of bullying on the academically at-risk population. The literature at present has neglected a population of high school students. The omitted population is the academically at-risk population. Researchers have identified many sub-populations of the “at risk” school category that traditionally included: culture, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation. The academically at-risk student is another category and is inclusive of traditional “at risk” students. This population experiences (1) a grade point average below 2.0—C, (2) absenteeism more than 15 days in a 90-day semester and (3) behavioral issues that impact successful matriculation. At present, no research has been conducted about the academically at-risk high school student, and how bullying, contextually, impacts students, and how their counselors understand and perceive bullying.

TECHNOLOGY IMPACT ON LISTENING SKILLS

The rapid rise in the use of electronic devices in college classrooms has become problematic for both professors and students. Specifically, active listening skills can be compromised by students who are stimulus driven and multi-tasking. This article examines the literature to determine the trends in electronic device use in college classrooms, explores the pros and cons of electronic devices as a learning tool, and recommends advancements that will preserve the necessary active listening skills and values of the human being in helping professions. Implications for active listening are discussed especially in relation to practitioners developing and delivering effective trauma-informed care services. Suggestions are provided for creating an active learning environment that embraces active listening skills in college classes for future human service practitioners and their professional career development in trauma-informed care.

CHILDREN’S HOPE: CULTIVATING SUCCESSFUL HOMELESS CHILDREN

There are approximately 2.5 million youth in the United States who experience homelessness annually, placing them at risk for social, behavioral, and academic challenges (American Institute of Research, 2009; Covenant House, 2016; Project Home, 2018). Promoting the academic success of homeless youth is critical to supporting student’s healthy development and their ability to contribute to the global economy. It is the legal and ethical duty of school counselors and all educational leaders to provide academic access as well as supports to promote the success of all students, including homeless youth. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the following: (a) background information regarding homeless youth and how their experiences can interact with their academic progression, (b) the benefits of complying with the ethical and legal duty of educators to advocate and support homeless children and families, (c) how educators and/or school counselors can help promote the success of homeless children. Homeless children are at-promise (i.e., at-risk) youth who experience situations that can affect their academic growth, career transitions, mental health, and physiological development. Homeless children have a higher propensity than their counterparts (children who are not homeless) to experience adversity and trauma (e.g., abuse, bullying, stigma, hate crime, academic failure). They are highly susceptible to risks, such as street violence, sexual harassment, substance abuse, school delinquency, imprisonment, and sex trafficking (Bassuk, E., Richard, M., Tsersvadze, A., 2015; Sisselman-Borgia, Budescu, & Torino, 2018; Stone, 2007; Tyler & Johnson, 2006). Each year, approximately 20,000 runaways in America are forced into human trafficking (Covenant House, 2016). Homeless children exhibit a high need for support, however, they are less inclined to have support systems (i.e., social supports, resources) and advocates to assist with their development and growth (Allensworth, 2014; Covenant House, 2016; Stone, 2007). There are approximately 2.5 million homeless children in the United States that are identified on an annual basis (American Institute of Research, 2009; Covenant House, 2016; Project Home, 2018). Forty percent of homeless people are under the age of 18, and 29.4 million children under the age of 18 are classified as poor (i.e., family SES 200% below the federal poverty threshold (American Institute of Research, 2009; Covenant House, 2016). Researchers have introduced interventions for working with homeless children, however the effectiveness of resiliency intervention programs within educational institutions were minimal (Masten, Fiat, Labella, & Strack, 2015; Van der Ploeg, J., & Scholte, E., 1997). Quantitative studies conducted with homeless youth illustrate correlations between mobility, income, attendance, and academic achievement (Altena, Brilleslijper-Kater, & Wolf, 2010; Bassuk, E., Richard, M., Tsersvadze, A., 2015). However, there is a limited amount of qualitative (i.e., grounded theory) studies that focus on how the interactive cultures of homeless children leads to their resilience and success. There is also a gap in the literature as it pertains to examining resiliency and skill building interventions that directly influence the success (i.e., academic performance, quality of life) of homeless youth (Altena, Brilleslijper-Kater, & Wolf, 2010; Miller, 2011; Rew, 2008). Therefore, the purpose of this manuscript is to discuss the following: (a) background information regarding homeless youth and how their experiences can interact with their academic progression, (b) the benefits of complying with the ethical and legal duty of educators to advocate and support homeless children and families, (c) how educators and/or school counselors can help promote the success of homeless children.

NAVIGATION TO TRANSFORMATION: EFFECTIVE CASE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

The term navigation has become the new “buzz” word for assisting individuals in their shift from one situation in life, to another. The process and service delivery of navigation is useful for helping individuals, families and communities achieve their goals. Navigation service is especially beneficial in helping persons manage their health and biopsychosocial needs, including mental health. Whether it is helping a person transition from mental illness to mental health, or assisting a student in their career development, having someone with the proper knowledge and skills to help navigate that process can be advantageous. This article will identify and describe the five essential components of effective case management and its application to the navigation process. It will also state some important interviewing skills that can enhance the practitioner-client relationship during the navigation case management process.

EXPLORING PERSONAL DEATH ANXIETY: INCREASING COUNSELOR COMPETENCE FOR GRIEF AND LOSS

Personal death anxiety is a universal human experience, and many clients seek counseling as they attempt to find meaning of grief experiences due to loss. Counselors are called to provide congruent, empathetic, unbiased, and unconditional support throughout this process, although sparse, research explores how counselor death anxiety may also enter into the therapeutic relationship. Counselors who work with clients presenting with grief and loss needs are vulnerable to imposing personal values or risking potential harm to clients if their own worldview surrounding death remains unexplored and unresolved. Humanistic psychology, terror management, post traumatic growth, and the counselor will to meaning all provide theoretical rationale for the exploration of personal death anxiety. Counselor education programs and professional development opportunities are encouraged to introduce didactic and experiential activities for practitioners to explore new ways of conceptualizing death as it affects clients and understanding death as it relates to personal belief held by each counselor.