promoting mental health & well-being in adolescents - Wyman

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TOP ® & WELL-BEING Children and adolescents’ beliefs about themselves and their abilities are shaped by the extent to which they perceive that they adults in their lives care about them and are involved in their lives. 4 In addition to the support of a child or teen’s family life, relationships built outside of the home can make an impact on the outlook of that individual. Nurturing and Competent Adults Positive relationships with nurturing and competent adults have the potential to promote positive development. 9 A positive relationship with an adult can be described as one where the man or woman will instill pride, nurture hopes and dreams, and promote responsible, success-oriented behavior in a teen. Although some individuals are physiologically vulnerable to the development of mental illness and disorders, studies consistently show that environment matters greatly in mental health functioning. Relationships with caring adults, development of positive life goals, and belief in a positive future have all been consistently linked to healthy social and emotional functioning in youth and adults. 16 In particular, environments that foster connection with others and provide opportunities for meaning and mastery serve as buffers against mental disorders and promote positive mental health. 16 This research is encouraging because it points to pathways to promote positive well-being in youth. According to research completed by Blum and Colleagues, children and adolescents’ beliefs about themselves and their abilities are shaped by the extent to which they perceive that the adults in their lives care about them and are involved in their lives. 4 In addition to the support of a child or teen’s family life, relationships built outside of the home can make an impact on the outlook of that individual. How does TOP ® offer bonds to caring and competent adults? Each TOP ® group is facilitated by a trained, caring and competent adult. This individual is a consistent support and role model for students throughout the year. In addition, a primary task of the facilitator is to create an emotionally and physically safe environment for every youth in TOP ® . This includes demonstrating caring and concern for each student and fostering a group environment where each youth has a voice, positive boundaries, and where conflict and discord are managed proactively to resolution. Much of this group management and learning is done through social and emotional learning lessons included in TOP ® . It is augmented by having youth help set and maintain positive expectations and norms for the group, and including youth in active roles in any dispute management. Facilitators ensure that their approach is values neutral and prompts youth with questions and opportunities to explore different points of view and the positive and negative consequences of their actions. Teens thus advance their critical thinking skills and abilities with regard to issues of importance in their lives. CONCLUSION Wyman’s Teen Outreach Program ® develops the skills and abilities that adolescents need to succeed in making a healthy transition into adulthood. The program produces promising results in promoting teen resiliency and preparedness for a healthy future by aligning key components of positive teen development, including community service learning, relationships with trained, committed adults, and activities to teach self regulation and social and emotional learning skills. Touted as an affordable model and one that has been recommended by the Brookings Institution as a way to help balance the federal budget 8 , the TOP ® program produces a return on its initial investment. Wyman’s Teen Outreach Program ® presents a tremendous opportunity to invest in the mental health and well-being of our young people and, thus, the health and well-being of our families, communities, and society. For more information, please contact: Wyman Teen Outreach Program ® 600 Kiwanis Drive Eureka, MO 63025 (636) 928-5245 teenoutreachprogram@wymancenter.org www.wymancenter.org 10
REFERENCES [1] Allen, J. and Philliber, S., (2001). Who Benefits Most from a Broadly Targeted Prevention Program? Differential Efficacy Across Populations in the Teen Outreach Program. Journal of Community Psychology, 29(6): 637-655. [2] Allen, J., Philliber, S., Herrling, S., and Kuperminc, G.P. (1997). Preventing Teen Pregnancy and Academic Failure: Experimental Evaluation of a Developmentally Based Approach. Child Development, 68(4): 729-742. [3] Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). New York: Academic Press. (Reprinted in H. Friedman [Ed.], Encyclopedia of mental health. San Diego: Academic Press, 1998). [4] Blum, R.W., McNeely, C.A., Rinehart, P.M. (2002). Improving the Odds: The Untapped Power of Schools to Improve the Health of Teens. Division of General Pediatrics & Adolescent Health, University of Minnesota Adolescent Health Program. [5] Blum R.W. and Rinehart P.M. (1997) Reducing the Risk: Connections That Make a Difference in the Lives of Youth. Minneapolis, MN: Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Minnesota, 38,000 monographs mailed through May 1998. [6] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009) School Connectedness: Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors Among Youth. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [7] Fredericks, L. (2003). Making the case for social and emotional learning and service learning. In ECS Issue Brief, April (pp. 1-16) Denver, CO: Education Commission of the States. http:// education.csufresno.edu/bonnercenter/Relevant_Research/ Research_Support/Social.pdf [8] Isaacs, J. (2007). Cost-Effective Investments in Children. The Brookings Institution. http://www.brookings.edu/views/ papers/200701isaacs.pdf [9] Masten, A. S. (2009). Ordinary Magic: Lessons from research on resilience in human development. Education Canada, 49(3): 28-32. http://www.cea-ace.ca/media/en/Ordinary_Magic_Summer09. pdf [10] Masten, A. S., & Wright, M. O’D. (2009). Resilience over the lifespan: Developmental perspectives on resistance, recovery, and transformation. In J. W. Reich, A. J. Zautra, & J. S. Hall (Eds.), Handbook of adult resilience (pp. 213-237). New York: Guilford Press. Retrieved from: http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ICD/faculty/docs/Masten_Wright_ Guilford_Lifespan_book_2009.pdf [11] National Center on Response To Intervention (2009). http:// www.rti4success.org [12] Obradović, J., Burt, K. B., & Masten, A. S. (2006). Pathways of adaptation from adolescence to young adulthood: Antecedents and correlates. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1094, 13-27. [13] Payton, J., Weissberg, R.P., Durlak, J.A. Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D., Schellinger, K.B. and Pachan, M. (2008). The positive impact of social and emotional learning for kindergarten to eighth-grade students: Findings from three scientific reviews. Chicago, IL: Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. http:// www.lpfch.org/sel/PackardES-REV.pdf [14] RMC Research Corporation (2008). Standards and Indicators for Effective Service-Learning Practice. Scotts Valley, CA: National Service-Learning Clearinghouse. http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/fact_sheets/k-12_ facts/standards/ [15] Seligman, M. (2008). Positive Health. Applied Psychology, 57(1): 3-18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1464- 0597.2008.00351.x [16] Whitlock, J. and Schantz, K. (2008, December) Mental Illness and Mental Health in Adolescence. ACT for Youth Center of Excellence Research Facts and Findings, Cornell University, University of Rochester and New York State Center for School Safety. Retrieved from: http://www.actforyouth.net/documents/ MentalHealth_Dec08.pdf [17] Wilczenski, F. L., & Cook, A. L. (2009). How service learning addresses the mental health needs of students in urban schools. Journal of School Counseling, 7(25). Retrieved from http://www. jsc.montana.edu/articles/v7n25.pdf 11 10
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