Past School Discipline Experiences: Perspectives of Disabled Adults.

BACKGROUND: School discipline has potential life-long consequences for students. Disabled youth can be misunderstood and experience harsh discipline and are at increased risk for negative outcomes, yet little research includes their voices. The aim of this study was to explore past school discipline experiences among disabled adults. METHODS: Disabled adult perspectives (N = 9) regarding past school discipline experiences were explored employing qualitative descriptive methodology framed by the Peace and Power Conceptual Model. Peace-Power versus Power-Over-Powers involve actions/behaviors reflecting critical emancipation or oppression of those in power. RESULTS: Eight peace-power versus power-over themes emerged: "humiliating," "threatening," "escaping," "observing," "avoiding," "diverging," "isolating," and "failing." IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY: Disabled students can experience oppressive power-over dynamics separating them from others because they are unable to meet rigid classroom expectations. Educators may lack awareness of structural biases shaping reactions warranting need for school policies and practices promoting restorative justice, social-emotional learning, and inclusion. CONCLUSIONS: Classroom discipline can represent emancipatory peace-power or oppressive power-over powers. Not all teacher interactions represent 1 power or the other. Future research should focus on including disabled student voices informing school discipline practices. Educators' perspectives of their role fostering inclusive classrooms should also be considered.

The association of parentification indicators with substance use patterns among military-connected adolescents.

Military-connected youths are a vulnerable population exposed to a unique set of stressors, which may put them at increased risk for adverse mental and behavioral health outcomes, compared to their civilian counterparts. Among military-connected adolescents, emotional and instrumental parentification are mechanisms hypothesized to account for negative outcomes, including substance use. However, parentification may be protective in some cultures and has not been examined in the military population. Data were drawn from 1,441 7th-, 9th-, and 11th-graders who had a parent in the military and completed the 2013 California Healthy Kids Survey. Latent class analysis was used to examine patterns of instrumental parentification indicators among military-connected youths and associated patterns of substance use. Military-connected students in the high parentification class were significantly less likely to be in the frequent polysubstance using class (odds ratio = 0.376, 95% confidence interval [0.180, 0.782]). Findings suggest that experiences of instrumental parentification, including having more responsibilities at home, being more independent, and being able to solve problems better than peers, may be protective. For military-connected youths, these skills, developed in the context of their families, may translate to better coping with other stressful situations. Professionals may be able to build on these strengths and develop adaptive coping strategies to support military-connected youths in managing the stressors of wartime military life. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Districts' and schools' role in identifying and providing services for homeless students: Nested ecological case studies in school districts with high- and low-socioeconomic status.

Even though homeless students are nested in schools and districts with different socioeconomic status (SES) contexts, little is known about the role of schools and districts for homeless students in these differing contexts. This comparative case study explored the identification, service provision, and school experience of homeless students in high- and low-SES districts. Mixed-methods case study methodology was used to compare two school districts and their four elementary and middle schools in California. The districts differed based on their SES: low to medium versus high. Findings show that despite differences in the SES context, both districts were underidentifying homeless students. Hence, both districts were underserving and lacking awareness of homeless students that were not identified. However, the low-SES district had far greater poverty awareness and, subsequently, an existing organizational structure than the high-SES district to support identified homeless students. Poverty awareness and districts' organizational structure are important contextual factors to consider in designing local and tailored interventions and services for homeless students.

"We Need to Address the Trauma": School Social Workers' Views About Student and Staff Mental Health During COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school disruptions shined a spotlight on the mental health needs of young people, and the importance of schools and school social workers (SSWs) in attending to those needs. This study sought to understand SSWs' views about mental health and trauma in relation to the pandemic and schools reopening. Data came from written responses to open-ended questions on a national survey of SSWs during June-July 2020 (Kelly et al., 2021; Watson et al., 2022). In the national survey, 450 SSWs responded to open-ended questions, providing 115 single-spaced pages of detailed qualitative comments. A unified conceptual model for a trauma-informed school was created by integrating components suggested within the literature. This conceptual model was then used to generate a theory-based coding schema. Responses mapped well onto the conceptual model. Major themes included recognition of COVID-19 and 2020 social unrest as a unique period and potentially traumatic experience; the need for a trauma-informed school response; the challenges of addressing all facets of safety during the pandemic; and the essentiality and difficulty of maintaining school-based relationships during school closures and remote learning. Results demonstrated that SSWs used and discussed key components of a trauma-informed approach. Respondents offered several recommendations for implementing trauma-informed approaches during and after the pandemic, many of which required collaboration from other school staff. Findings provide empirical support for a unified school model that integrates components of a trauma-informed approach found in the literature. We make recommendations for interpersonal, organizational, and policy adaptations schools can take to become more trauma informed.

Positive school climate for school staff? The roles of administrators, staff beliefs, and school organization in high and low resource school districts.

Despite continued calls for positive school climate, school staff members are rarely included in school climate research or theories. This qualitative case study explored how socioeconomic status (SES), school districts, leadership, and school contexts combine to create school climate. Four schools were selected from a sample of positive and negative climate schools in one high and one low-SES district. Data collection involved key informant interviews and observation. District and school SES did not directly dictate the quality of climate. Organizational variables such as the principal's decisions and vision were key influences on the quality of climate for staff members. Staff members often prioritize student experiences of climate above their own experiences. School organization and the influence of the principal are critical for the quality of school climate staff members experience; these along with staff voice are critical ongoing contributions to school climate research, theory, and practice.

School Social Worker Voice during COVID-19 School Disruptions: A National Qualitative Analysis.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created unprecedented impacts on our schools and society, requiring school social workers (SSWs) to attend to layered and cascading effects for students and their families. This study presents rich qualitative data from a national survey of SSWs about their personal and professional roles supporting students, families, and staff members as schools shifted to remote instruction. Findings indicate that SSWs are highly concerned about a lack of basic needs resources, including food, housing, and mental health support for students and families. SSWs highlighted the unequal effects of school closures for families without technology and Internet access as well as the difficulties providing services during the pandemic. Recovery policies should target resources to schools with the highest needs while prioritizing food, housing, mental health, and access to tools for online learning. SSWs also need additional and refined professional support to overcome their isolated roles in schools and bolster their ability to deliver online services effectively.

Needs of Children and Families during Spring 2020 COVID-19 School Closures: Findings from a National Survey.

Despite extensive reports during the COVID-19 pandemic of the academic challenges facing students, and the effects of online learning on academic achievements, we have little information regarding the needs and difficulties of K-12 students and their families from a social work perspective. The present article shares findings from a nationwide survey of 1,275 school social workers (SSWs) reporting on their clients-schools, children, and families-during the spring 2020 COVID-19 school closures. SSWs indicated that the children and families they served had significant unmet basic needs, including for food, healthcare, and housing. Poverty and mental health compounded pandemic difficulties, which were associated with the sociodemographic makeup of schools. Student engagement in social work services during the closures was significantly lower than prepandemic levels, generally due to unmet material needs. Several policy and practice implications arise from these findings, including a need for additional services for students and families, a plan to address structural inequities in our schools and communities, coordinated outreach to reengage missing students, and recognition of the strong work being done by school staff coupled with a need for additional supports and resources to combat persistent inequality.

School Discipline Experiences Among Youth With Disabilities From the Perspective of School Nurses.

Youth with disabilities disproportionately experience harsh discipline. Exploring perspectives of behavior and discipline could increase inclusivity, yet school nurses' perspectives are unexplored. Using the Peace and Power Conceptual Model, school nurses' perspectives were explored employing secondary qualitative analysis using Thorne's typology of analytic expansion. Parent study included interviews with school nurses, 24 data files comprised the sample for secondary analysis. Three peace-power versus power-over themes emerged: "having discordant perspectives," "being mislabeled," and "placing at higher risks." School nurses are equipped to build healthy school communities through changes in discipline practices, policies, and understanding of how youth with disabilities are impacted.

Suicidality among military-connected adolescents in California schools.

Previous research indicates that suicidal ideation is higher among military-connected youth than non military-connected youth. This study extends prior work by examining suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts in military-connected and non military-connected adolescents. Data were gathered from 390,028 9th and 11th grade students who completed the 2012-2013 California Healthy Kids Survey. Bivariate comparisons and multivariate logistic analyses were conducted to examine differences in suicidal ideation, plans, attempts, and attempts requiring medical attention between military and not military-connected youth. In multivariate logistic analyses, military-connected youth were at increased risk for suicidal ideation (OR = 1.43, 95 % CI = 1.37-1.49), making a plan to harm themselves (OR = 1.19, CI = 1.06-1.34), attempting suicide (OR = 1.67, CI = 1.43-1.95), and an attempted suicide which required medical treatment (OR = 1.71, CI = 1.34-2.16). These results indicate that military-connected youth statewide are at a higher risk for suicidal ideation, plans, attempts, and attempts requiring medical care because of suicidal behaviors. It is suggested that policies be implemented to increase awareness and screening among primary care providers, school personnel, and military organizations that serve military-connected youth.

Substance Abuse and Other Adverse Outcomes for Military-Connected Youth in California: Results From a Large-Scale Normative Population Survey.

IMPORTANCE: Military families and military-connected youth exhibit significant strengths; however, a sizeable proportion of these families appear to be struggling in the face of war-related stressors. Understanding the consequences of war is critical as a public health concern and because additional resources may be needed to support military families. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether rates of adverse outcomes are higher for military-connected adolescents during war compared with nonmilitary peers. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This study is a secondary data analysis of a large, normative, and geographically comprehensive administrative data set (2013 California Healthy Kids Survey) to determine whether military-connected youth are at risk for adverse outcomes, including substance use, experiencing violence and harassment, and weapon carrying, during wartime. These outcomes are of particular concern because they affect socioemotional adjustment and academic success. Data were collected in March and April 2013 and participants included 54,679 military-connected and 634,034 nonmilitary-connected secondary school students from public civilian schools in every county and almost all school districts in California. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Outcomes included lifetime and recent use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, prescription medications, and other drugs, as well as experiences of physical and nonphysical violence and harassment and weapon carrying during the last year. RESULTS: Multivariable logistic regression models indicated that military-connected youth had greater odds of substance use, experience of physical violence and nonphysical harassment, and weapon carrying. For example, military-connected youth had 73% greater odds of recent other drug use (eg, cocaine and lysergic acid diethylamide; odds ratio [OR], 1.73; 95% CI, 1.66-1.80) and twice the odds of bringing a gun to school (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 2.10-2.30) compared with nonmilitary-connected peers. Their odds of being threatened with a weapon or being in a fight were also significantly higher than their civilian counterparts (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.80-1.95 and OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.62-1.71, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Most military-connected youth demonstrate resilience. However, results suggest that during wartime, military-connected youth are at increased risk for adverse outcomes. Further, when compared with data from 2011, the rates of these negative outcomes appear to be increasing. These findings suggest a need to identify and intervene with military-connected adolescents and reflect a larger concern regarding the well-being of military families during wartime.