Posttraumatic stress disorder and general psychopathology in children and adolescents following a wildfire disaster

Objective: To report on the use of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (PTSD-RI) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in identifying children and adolescents who may require psychological interventions following exposure to a wildfire disaster. Method: Six months after a wildfire disaster, we conducted a school-based program to screen for wildfire-related events, such as exposure to and perception of threat, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and general psychopathology. Results: The screening battery was completed by 222 children (mean age 12.5 years, SD 2.48; range 8 to 18 years). Severe or very severe PTSD was reported by 9.0% of students, while 22.6% scored in the abnormal range on the Emotional Symptoms subscale of the SDQ. Younger children and individuals with greater exposure to and perception of threat experienced higher levels of PTSD and general psychopathology. Female students reported a greater perception of threat but did not report higher levels of PTSD or other symptoms. Conclusions: Screening was well received by students, parents, and staff and proved feasible in the postdisaster environment. The PTSD-RI and SDQ demonstrated different individual risk associations and functioned as complementary measures within the screening battery. The identification of children at greatest risk of mental health morbidity enabled service providers to selectively target limited mental health resources.

General self-concept and life satisfaction for boys with differing levels of physical coordination: The role of goal orientations and leisure participation

Participation in leisure-time activities, self-concept perceptions and individual dispositional goal orientations were examined as mediators of relationships between physical coordination and self-evaluations of life satisfaction and general self-concept for 173 boys aged 10-13 years. Participants completed seven-day activity diaries and 12-month retrospective recall questionnaires recording participation in leisure-time activities. Self-report measures of self-concept, global life satisfaction and dispositional goal orientations were also completed. Results showed that boys with moderate to severe physical coordination difficulties had significantly lower self-concept perceptions of physical ability and appearance, peer and parent relations and general self-concept, as well as lower life satisfaction than boys with medium to high levels of physical coordination. The relationships between boys' physical coordination and their self-perceptions of life satisfaction and general self-concept were significantly influenced by individual self-concept appraisals of physical ability and appearance, peer and parent relations. Adopting task-oriented goals was found to positively change the relationship between physical coordination and both general self-concept and life satisfaction. Team sport participation positively mediated the relationship between physical coordination and life satisfaction. The potential for team sport participation and adoption of task-oriented goals to influence life satisfaction for boys with differing levels of physical coordination was discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.

The rural medicine rotation: Increasing rural recruitment through quality undergraduate rural experiences

TITLE: The Rural Medicine Rotation: Increasing Rural Recruitment through Quality Undergraduate Rural Experiences Eley Diann, University of Queensland, School of Medicine, Rural Clinical Division, Toowoomba 4350, Queensland Australia Baker Peter, University of Queensland, School of Medicine Rural, Clinical Division, Toowoomba 4350, Queensland Australia Chater Bruce, University of Queensland, Chair, Clinical School Management Committee, School of Medicine Rural Clinical Division, Queensland Australia CONTEXT: While rural background and rural exposure during medical training increases the likelihood of rural recruitment (Wilkinson, 2003), the quality and content of that exposure is the key to altering undergraduatesâ?? perceptions of rural practice. The Rural Clinical Division at University of Queensland (UQ) runs the Rural Medicine Rotation (RMR) within the School of Medicine. The RMR is one of five eight week clinical rotations in Year three and is compulsory for all students. The RMR provides the opportunity to learn from a wide range of health professionals and clinical exposure is not restricted to general practice but also includes remote area nursing, Indigenous health care, allied health professionals and medical specialists. Week 1 involves preparation for their rural placement with workshops and seminars and Week 8 consolidates their placement and includes case and project presentations and a summative assessment. Weeks 2-7 are spent living and working as part of the health team in different rural communities. SETTING: Rural communities in and around Queensland including locations such as Arnham Land, Thursday Island, Mt. Isa and Alice Springs METHOD: All aspects of the RMR are evaluated with surveys using both qualitative and quantitative free response questions, completed by all students at the end of the Week 8. RESULTS: Overall the RMR is evaluated highly and narratives offered by students show that the RMR provides a positive rural experience. The overall impact of the RMR for students in 2004 ranked 3.45 on a scale of 1 to 4 (1 = lowest and 4 = highest), and is exemplified by the following quote; â??I enjoyed my placement so much I am now considering rural medicine something I definitely had not considered beforeâ??. OUTCOME: The positive impact of the RMR on studentâ??s perceptions of rural medicine is encouraging and can help achieve the overall aim of increasing recruitment of the rural workforce in Australia.

Doom and gloom or a time for optimism: Potential aspirants' views about school leadership - now and for the future

Principal recruitment has attracted national and international attention in recent years (eg. Barty et al, 2005 in Australia; Earley et al, 2002 in the UK; Brooking et al, 2003 in New Zealand; Williams, 2003 in Canada). Importantly, Australian research in both state and non-state schools suggests that potential principal aspirants are less enthusiastic than might be expected in their desire to become principals (D’Arbon et al, 2002; Cranston et al, 2004; Lacey, 2002). Given the importance of ensuring we have quality leaders for our schools in the future, the research reported here (which is on-going) examined the views of potential aspirants (primary and secondary deputy principals) from one large government education system in Australia about the principalship and their intentions in seeking promotion (or otherwise) to such positions and the reasons driving these intentions. Data were collected via the Aspiring Principals Questionnaire (APQ) – especially developed for the study – comprising 38 closed items mainly of a Likert-type format, 5 open-ended items linked to particular closed items allowing participants to add their own suggestions/ideas, expand/elaborate on responses; and 4 further more general open-ended items. A number of system-level policy and practice recommendations have been developed from the findings.

DOS CABIDES DE EMPREGO AOS CABIDES DO CONHECIMENTO: UM CASO DE PARCERIA ENTRE O INSTITUTO GENERAL MOTORS E A ESCOLAMUNICIPAL DE ENSINO PROFª. ALCINA DANTAS FEIJÃO NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DA RESPONSABILIDADE SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL

O Brasil, até poucos anos atrás, não via em sua agenda de prioridades a educação como foco principal para o crescimento econômico, talvez por não acreditar que com a estabilidade da moeda, abertura da economia e outros fatores necessitassem de pessoal qualificado para poder manter a capacidade produtiva. Assim, o país tenta corrigir esta situação investindo em educação, incorporando novas tecnologias no processo produtivo, necessitando de uma força de trabalho hábil para aprender e desenvolver as novas técnicas. Atualmente o Brasil mantém um dos menores índices de desemprego, no entanto, muitas empresas sofrem com o apagão da qualificação, necessitando realizar treinamentos e por consequência aumento em seus custos. As empresas tentam driblar a falta de pessoal qualificado investindo nos programas de estágio e trainee, realizando contratações de profissionais estrangeiros, criando universidades corporativas, e em alguns casos, as empresas estreitam seus laços junto às redes de ensino, a fim de preparar jovens para o domínio de novas tecnologias, associado ao aprimoramento em sua área de atuação, evitando assim o desequilíbrio entre teoria e prática . As organizações empresariais conscientes de seu papel começam a compreender que a prosperidade tão almejada não se traduz por faturamentos vultosos ou simplesmente pela quantidade de produtos vendidos. Estas despertam para a criação e adaptação de empresas-cidadãs que por meio de suas ações sociais, buscam desenvolver atividades solidárias. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo geral analisar a Responsabilidade Social Empresarial sob a ótica de parcerias com escolas (parceria entre a General Motors do Brasil, por meio de seu braço social - o Instituto General Motors e a Escola Municipal de Ensino Profª. Alcina Dantas Feijão da Cidade de São Caetano do Sul). A parceria se concretiza, por meio do Programa Jovens Empreendedores ou Fábrica de Cabides . O intuito do Programa é despertar o espírito empreendedor nos estudantes e incentivar a formação de futuros empresários. Com os objetivos específicos determinou-se: a) estudar parcerias entre empresas e escolas no desenvolvimento da RSE; b) entender os motivos que levaram a empresa e a escola a concretizar a parceria e suas expectativas; c) identificar possíveis alterações ocorridas na escola, atribuídas ao processo de parceria. A partir destes objetivos, o procedimento metodológico foi orientado pelo método de estudo de caso, objetivando uma pesquisa mais voltada para abordagem qualitativa, levantando-se referenciais teóricos, bem como, procedimentos de análise de dados por meio de questionário, observação direta e artefatos físicos. A análise compreensiva dos dados foi realizada a partir de dois núcleos temáticos: importância da parceria e mercado de trabalho. Os resultados evidenciam que iniciativas de parcerias podem se reverter em melhoria da qualidade de ensino que permita o desenvolvimento de habilidades e competências necessárias à inserção responsável no mercado de trabalho com uma dimensão cidadã.

The directions taken by young people on leaving compulsory education:a study in two Birmingham schools

The thesis addresses the relative importance of factors affecting working-class school-leavers' post-compulsory education transitions into post-sixteen education, training, employment and unemployment. It focuses on school-leavers choosing to enter the labour market, whether successfully or not and the influences affecting this choice. Methodologically, the longitudinal approach followed young people from before they left school to a period of months after. Discrepancies between young people's intended and actual destinations emphasised the diverse influences on post-sixteen transitions. These influences were investigated through a dynamic multi-method approach, drawing from quantitative and qualitative methodologies providing depth and insight while locating the research within a structural framework, allowing a comparison with local and national trends. Two crucial factors of school and gender affected young people's intended and actual post-sixteen directions. School policy, including treatment of disaffected pupils and recruitment to a large, on-site sixth form, influenced the number of pupils opting to continue their education. Girls were more likely to continue education after the end of compulsory schooling and gave different reasons to boys for doing so. Family and peer groups were influential, helping young people develop a 'horizon for action' incorporating habitus and subjective preferences that specified acceptable post-sixteen directions. These influences operated within the context of the local labour market. Perception of the latter rather than actual conditions informed post-sixteen decisions; however, labour market reality influenced the success of the school-leavers' endeavours. The research found that the economics-based rational choice model of decision-making did not apply to many working class school-leavers. The cohort made pragmatically rational decisions dependent on their 'horizon for action'. based on partial, occasionally inaccurate information. Policy recommendations consider the careers service and structure or school sixth forms as aiding successful transitions from compulsory education into education, employment or training. The maintenance allowance may be ineffectual in tackling its objective of social inclusion.

School children's attitudes towards computers as a fucntion of gender, course subjects and availability of home computers

The attitudes of 328 British Secondary School children towards computers were examined in a cross-sectional survey. Measures of both general attitudes towards computers and affective reactions towards working with computers were examined in relation to the sex of the subject, courses studied (computer related/noncomputer related) and availability of a home computer. A differential pattern of results was observed. With respect to general attitudes towards computers, main effects were found for all three independent variables indicating that more favourable attitudes increased as a function of being male, doing computer courses and having a home computer. In contrast to this, affective reactions to working with computers was primarily related to doing computer courses, such that those doing computer courses reported more positive and less negative reactions. The practical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed.