ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This systematic review synthesized available research on the psychological implications for children and adolescents who either were directly or indirectly exposed to an infectious outbreak. On this basis, the current paper aims to provide recommendations for future research, practice and policy regarding children during pandemics. METHOD: A total of 2195 records were retrieved from the PsycINFO, SCOPUS and MEDLINE databases, and three from Google Scholar. RESULTS: Including only those papers that focused on children or adolescent's mental health in association with respiratory infectious outbreaks, 11 articles were identified. The majority of research utilized qualitative or retrospective hospital record data. Children and adolescents reported fear and anxiety, as well as disruptions to their day to day routines as a result of outbreaks. However, children were also able to demonstrate resilience during outbreaks with the right support. CONCLUSIONS: Children's psychological response to the outbreak appeared to be largely attributed to how their parents, healthcare providers and the media communicated the event. Recommendations for policy, practitioners and researchers concerning the current COVID-19 outbreak concludes the paper.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Communicable Diseases , Disease Outbreaks , Mental Health , Adolescent , Anxiety , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/psychology , Child , Child, Preschool , Communicable Diseases/epidemiology , Communicable Diseases/psychology , Depression , Humans , Infant , Pandemics , Psychology, Adolescent , Psychology, ChildABSTRACT
School leaders' experiences and perceptions of students' domestic violence experiences and trauma-informed school interventions have been overlooked. This semi-structured qualitative study aimed to investigate three areas regarding school leaders' perceptions regarding domestic violence-exposed students: 1) the experiences of school leaders in dealing with these students; 2) the barriers and strengths associated with managing these students; and 3) school leaders' recommendations for overcoming any barriers related to this issue in schools. Interviews conducted with 15 school leaders were analysed using thematic analysis. School leaders were found to be instrumental in influencing school culture and support systems surrounding students' exposure to domestic violence. However, school leaders provided mixed reports regarding the adequacy of resources for domestic violence-exposed students. Recommendations suggested by school leaders included more domestic violence specific training for school staff and training delivery methods that were more sensitive for staff who have personal experiences with domestic violence. School leaders expressed great concerns for teachers, particularly less experienced teachers, regarding their knowledge and skills to assist students who disclose family violence.