building success and resiliency: preventing tragedies scott poland, n.s.u. steve rosenberg, p.s.i

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

spoland@nova.edupsisr@aol.com

www.psi-solutions.com