building success and resiliency: preventing tragedies scott poland, n.s.u. steve rosenberg, p.s.i
TRANSCRIPT
Building Success and Resiliency: Preventing Tragedies
Scott Poland, N.S.U.
Steve Rosenberg, P.S.I.
Statistics ….• The leading causes of death for children are
accidents, homicide and suicide
• Adults have a responsibility to work on prevention at school and in homes and neighborhoods
• Children in the U.S. are dying in nearly record numbers
Recommendations for Parents
• Bring back the family meal
• Don’t let technology steal your child
• Avoid setting their room up to be a kingdom
• Limit teen driving—safe driving tips
• Know where your child is and know their friends and the parents--Network
More Recommendations
• Avoid putting children in the middle of divorce
• Importance of modeling—Gandhi quote• Enjoy your children and let them know they
are the sons and daughters you always wanted
• Make family the priority• Don’t micromanage about school issues
Reduce Bullying
• Repetitive
• Humiliating
• Physical and/or verbal
• Involves power
• New term bullicide
• Cyber bullying issues
Reduce Bullying….
Turn the “silent majority” into a “caring majority”.
“ We must end the conspiracy of silence that allows guns and
weapons in our schools!”
The object is to cut off blood flow to carotid artery causing nearly or completely passing out, then releasing the pressure allowing the rush of blood back into the brain causing a lightheaded feeling resembling a quick high.
Choking Game
• Frequent headaches.• Bruises or abrasions on neck.• Blood shot eyes or flushed face• Agitated or aggressive moods• Presence of strap, rope or belt without
reason
www.gaspinfo.com
Warning Signs
Important Points
• Choking game often done in pairs and can be contagious
• Most kids learn it from peers at school
• Need for increased supervision at school and in homes
• Question of are deaths suicides or accidents
Choking Game
• Estimate is that several hundred adolescents die each year www.gaspinfo.org
• Hanging deaths are on increase• Many adolescents who do not use drugs see the
choking game as acceptable• Adolescents often seek thrills and communities
need to provide recreational/adventure programs
• Good relationships with other youth• Seeks adult help when needed • Lack of access to suicidal means• Access to mental health care • Religiosity• School environment that encourages
help seeking and promotes health
PROTECTIVE FACTORS
• Family cohesion and stability
• Coping and problem solving skills
• Positive self worth and impulse control
• Positive connections to school and extracurricular participation
• Successful academically
PROTECTIVE FACTORS
Self Mutilation/Self Injury
• Episodic and complex behavior 4 to 19% of teens engage in SI
• Contagious• Not as simple as tell them to stop• Cutters report it calms them and stops them
from suicide• Adults need information/awareness• Schools need local guidelines
New Breed (Walsh 2006)
• Normal attitude towards body image without hatred/alienation
• Onset ages 11 or 12 use single method
• 2 to 1 female wide range backgrounds
• No history of psychiatric treatment
• More receptive to treatment
What Do Kids Report?
• Want to feel concrete pain when psychological pain is overwhelming
• Reduces numbness• Keeps trauma from
intruding• I cut so I will not kill
myself
• Gets attention of others
• Discharges tension, anger and despair
• Gain a sense of control• Punish myself• Cutting is better than
going out and getting drunk
Excerpts from Cutter’s Poem
• “Turn up the music and set the mood• Once is never enough• Quivering with anticipation • Watch it the drop spills over and runs down
my arm• Crimson orgasm---you seduce me every
time Mr. Knife”• Sight of blood flow is central to experience
Helping Students Cope
• Recognize developmental level of students.
• Respond with patience and love.
• Answer questions but don’t overwhelm with too much information.
Helping Students Cope…, cont..
• Adults need to model calmness and reassure children of their safety.
• Provide activities and projects that allow them to express feelings.
• Recognize the value of diversity.
• Model tolerance and avoid stereotyping.
• Re-establish routines quickly.
More resources: www.nasponline.org
Geographical Proximity
Outside the disaster areaOutside the disaster area
Within hearing distanceWithin hearing distance
Near the disaster areaNear the disaster area
Direct exposureDirect exposure
Psychosocial Proximity
Identification with or Identification with or similaritysimilarity
to victimsto victimsAcquaintanceAcquaintance
Immediate family Immediate family
Near family or close friendNear family or close friend
Population at Risk
Oversensitive Oversensitive
Difficult personal or social Difficult personal or social crisiscrisis
Significant loss in the past Significant loss in the past yearyear
Recent or similar trauma Recent or similar trauma
Circles of Vulnerability
Geographical Geographical ProximityProximity
Population at RiskPopulation at Risk Psychosocial ProximityPsychosocial Proximity
Resiliency
• Learned behavior
• Importance of being surrounded by caring family and friends
• Utilize coping skills and vent strong emotions
• Keep an optimistic view
• www.apa.org
Recognize that all children need:
• three or more significant adults in their lives in addition to parents.
• a sense of safety and belonging in the home, school, and community.
• three or more hours of organized activities weekly.
• Adolescents need volunteer work
National adolescent survey found students disconnected from
school more likely to engage in:• Substance
abuse
• Sexual activity
• violence
School Disconnection Results From:
• Large schools• Lack of extracurricular
participation• Lack of belonging• Low academic
achievement• Discipline problems
Building Relationships
• Key is knowing students well
• What are students hopes and dreams?
• Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
“We must reach out to the unreachable!”
Craig ScottColumbine Survivor
