scholarly journals Measurement invariance of the short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale and latent mean differences (SWEMWBS) in young people by current care status

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Anthony ◽  
Graham Moore ◽  
Nicholas Page ◽  
Gillian Hewitt ◽  
Simon Murphy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Measurement Invariance ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Short Version ◽  
Living Situation ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Mean Differences ◽  
Children In Care

Abstract Purpose Studying mental wellbeing requires the use of reliable, valid, and practical assessment tools, such as the Short version of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS). Research on the mental wellbeing of children in care is sparse. The current study aims to: (1) examine the unidimensionality of SWEMWBS; (2) assess measurement invariance of SWEMWBS across children and young people in care compared to their peers not in care; and (3) investigate the latent factor mean differences between care status groups. Methods We used data from the 2017 School Health Research Network Student Health and Wellbeing (SHW) survey, completed by 103,971 students in years 7 to 11 from 193 secondary schools in Wales. The final data include a total of 2,795 participants (46% boys), which includes all children in care and a sub-sample of children not in care who completed the SWEMWBS scale fully and answered questions about their living situation. Results Confirmatory factor analysis supported the unidimensionality of SWEMWBS. The SWEMWBS is invariant across groups of young people in foster, residential and kinship care compared to children and young people not in care at configural, metric and scalar levels. Findings from latent mean comparisons showed that young people in care reported lower mental wellbeing than their peers, with those in residential care reporting the lowest scores. Conclusions Findings suggest that SWEMWBS is a valid scale for measuring differences in mental wellbeing for young people in care similar to the population.

scholarly journals Mental health and wellbeing implications of the COVID-19 quarantine for disabled and disadvantaged children and young people: evidence from a cross-cultural study in Zambia and Sierra Leone

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Darren Sharpe ◽  
Mohsen Rajabi ◽  
Clement Chileshe ◽  
Sitali Mayamba Joseph ◽  
Ibrahim Sesay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Peer Relationships ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Planning Tool ◽  
Income Loss ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Children And Young People

Abstract Background The mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantining on children and young people (CYP) living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has yet to be fully comprehended. CYP in LMICs are at utmost risk, given the COVID-19-related restrictions and social distancing measures, resulting in reduced access to school-based services for nutritional and mental health needs. This study examined mental health of CYP during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Zambia and Sierra Leone. Method A total of 468 disabled and disadvantaged CYP aged 12 to 25 completed a planning tool that comprised the short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS), as well as open-ended questions covering social connectedness, physical distancing and educational challenges during the lockdown. The community coaches screened individuals and families who could be eligible to receive emergency aid, and based on a convenience sample following distribution of aid, recipients were invited to complete the planning tool. Results The data showed that participants in the global south have increasing anxieties and fears centred on accessing offline educational resources and income loss in the family effecting food security and their ability to return to education. Mean (SD) SWEMWBS scores for all participants in Zambia and Sierra Leone, were 19.61 (3.45) and 21.65 (2.84), respectively. Mental well-being scores were lower in females, children aged 12–14 and participants with two or more disabilities. Factors significantly associated with poor mental wellbeing in the sample were: type of disability, nationality, peer relationships, connection to others during the pandemic, knowledge about COVID-19, worry about the long-term impact of COVID-19, and the types of self-isolating. Conclusion The study shows that participants who self-reported low levels of COVID-19 health literacy also scored low on the mental wellbeing self-assessment. Yet, despite undoubted limited resources, these CYP are doing well in identifying their needs and maintaining hope in the face of the problems associated with COVID-19 in countries where stigma persists around mental ill-health.

scholarly journals Development of a Pathway for Multidisciplinary Neurodevelopmental Assessment and Diagnosis in Children and Young People

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 1033
Author(s):  
Marion Rutherford ◽  
Donald Maciver ◽  
Lorna Johnston ◽  
Susan Prior ◽  
Kirsty Forsyth
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Waiting Times ◽  
Complex Interventions ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Advisory Group ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Implementation Team ◽  
Scottish Government ◽  
Assessment And Diagnosis

There is a variable standard of access to quality neurodevelopmental assessment and diagnosis. People may have negative experiences, encountering lengthy waiting times, and inconsistent practices. Practitioners need guidance on standards and practices for assessment and diagnosis matched to new ways of working. In this paper, we present a new pathway and recommendations for multidisciplinary neurodevelopmental assessment and diagnosis for children and young people (<19 years), developed by the Scottish Government funded National Autism Implementation Team (NAIT). Our research used the Medical Research Council guidance for the development of complex interventions and included several iterative stages. Stage 1: n = 44 stakeholders attended an event on developing new practices for diagnosis and assessment. Stage 2: a literature synthesis was completed by the research team of clinical guidelines and diagnosis and assessment tools. Stage 3: an event with n = 127 stakeholders included discussion and debate of the data from stages 1 and 2. Recommendations and a draft pathway were written. Stage 4: successive drafts of recommendations and the pathway documentation were circulated among an advisory group, including multidisciplinary clinical experts and people with lived experience, until the final pathway was agreed upon. The finalised pathway includes guidance on terminology, assessment, diagnosis, triage, time standards and engagement of people with lived experience. The new pathway has been adopted by the Scottish Government. The pathway and associated documentation are freely available online for use by others.

Indigenous Children and Young People in Residential Care: A Systematic Scoping Review

2019 ◽  
pp. 152483801988170
Author(s):  
Kathomi Gatwiri ◽  
Lynne McPherson ◽  
Natalie Parmenter ◽  
Nadine Cameron ◽  
Darlene Rotumah
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Residential Care Facilities ◽  
Indigenous Children ◽  
Trauma Informed ◽  
Colonial Histories ◽  
Children In Care

In Australia and internationally, Indigenous children are seriously overrepresented in the child welfare system. This article provides an overview of literature investigating the needs of Indigenous children in residential care facilities. The provision of culturally safe and trauma-informed therapeutic care to Indigenous children and young people in residential care recognizes that the trauma and violence that they have experienced is exacerbated by their Indigeneity due to the colonial histories presenting. Utilizing a systematic scoping review methodology, the study returned a total of 637 peer-reviewed articles that were identified and reviewed for inclusion. The process of exclusion resulted in the inclusion of eight peer-reviewed studies and 51 reports and discussion papers sourced from gray literature. Findings from this study, though dearth, indicate that trauma-informed and culturally safe interventions play a significant role in Indigenous children’s health and well-being while in care. Their experiences of abuse and neglect transcend individual trauma and include intergenerational pain and suffering resulting from long-lasting impacts of colonization, displacement from culture and country, genocidal policies, racism, and the overall systemic disadvantage. As such, a therapeutic response, embedded within Indigenous cultural frameworks and knowledges of trauma, is not only important but absolutely necessary and aims to acknowledge the intersectionality between the needs of Indigenous children in care and the complex systemic disadvantage impacting them.

scholarly journals The role of arts activities in developing resilience and mental wellbeing in children and young people a rapid review of the literature

2017 ◽  
Vol 137 (6) ◽  
pp. 337-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leyre Zarobe ◽  
Hilary Bungay
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Extracurricular Activities ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Search Terms

Aims: This rapid review explores the role of arts activities in promoting the mental wellbeing and resilience of children and young people aged between 11 and 18 years. Methods: A systematic search of the literature was undertaken across 18 databases; no date limit was set on publication. Search terms included a range of creative activities: music, dance, singing, drama and visual arts; these were combined with terms linked to aspects of mental health, emotional wellbeing and resilience. Only studies related to activities that took place within community settings and those related to extracurricular activities based within schools were included. Results: Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, eight papers were included in the review. The interventions used in the studies were diverse and the research was heterogeneous; therefore, narrative synthesis of the results was conducted. The findings from the studies are considered in terms of the contribution the activities make to building resilience of children and young people. It was found that participating in arts activities can have a positive effect on self-confidence, self-esteem, relationship building and a sense of belonging, qualities which have been associated with resilience and mental wellbeing. Conclusions: Although the research evidence is limited, there is some support for providing structured group arts activities to help build resilience and contribute to positive mental wellbeing of children and young people.

scholarly journals Positive Mental Well-being in Australian Adolescents: Evaluating the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon C. Hunter ◽  
Stephen Houghton ◽  
Lisa Wood
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Invariance ◽  
School Psychologists ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Short Version ◽  
Internal Reliability ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Western Australian

While there is increasing recognition of the need to go beyond measures of mental ill health, there is a relative dearth of validated tools for assessing mental well-being among adolescents. The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) is a promising tool for use in this context, and this study evaluated its use in an Australian context. The WEMWBS was completed by 829 Western Australian adolescents, aged from 13 to 16 years old, drawn from Grades 8, 9 and 10 in seven separate high schools. Using confirmatory factor analytic techniques, the utility of the full 14-item scale was not supported, but good fit for a previously validated seven-item short version (SWEMWBS) was supported. Strong measurement invariance was demonstrated across age, and weak measurement invariance was demonstrated across gender. The scale has good internal reliability. There were no differences in SWEMWBS scores across Grades 8 to 10. Overall, the SWEMWBS represents a useful tool for educational, developmental, and school psychologists investigating positive mental wellbeing in younger adolescents.

scholarly journals The assessment of paranoia in young people: Item and test properties of the Bird Checklist of Adolescent Paranoia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Charlotte Bird ◽  
Bao Sheng Loe ◽  
Miriam Kirkham ◽  
Emma C Fergusson ◽  
Christina Shearn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Measurement Invariance ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Test Reliability ◽  
Psychotic Experiences ◽  
Wide Range

Background: Precise assessment tools for psychotic experiences in young people may help identify symptoms early and facilitate advances in treatment. In this study we provide an exemplar - with a paranoia scale for youth – for improving measurement precision for psychotic experiences using item response theory (IRT). We evaluate the psychometric properties of the new measure, test for measurement invariance, and assess its potential for computerised adaptive testing (CAT). Method: The 18-item Bird Checklist of Adolescent Paranoia (B-CAP) was completed by 1103 adolescents including patients with mental health problems (n=302) and those from the general population (n=801). IRT was used to examine the item properties, test reliability, and measurement invariance. The efficiency of an adaptive B-CAP was assessed in a simulation of 10,000 responses.Results: All B-CAP items were highly discriminative (a=1.15-2.76), whereby small shifts in paranoia led to a higher probability of item endorsement. Test reliability was high (a&gt;0.90) across a wide range of paranoia severity (θ= -0.46-3.36). All items were invariant for gender, age, and population groups. Test-retest reliability was good (r=0.95). The simulated adaptive B-CAP performed with high reliability with an average of 10.9 items and only 5-6 items at higher levels of paranoia severity. Conclusions: The B-CAP is a reliable assessment tool with excellent psychometric properties to assess both non-clinical and clinical levels of paranoia in young people, with potential as an efficient adaptive test. In future, these approaches could be used to develop a multidimensional CAT to assess the full range of psychotic experiences in youth

scholarly journals Family Foster Care: Can it Survive the Evidence?

2014 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Ainsworth ◽  
Patricia Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Young People ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Children And Youth ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Family Foster Care ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Unemployed ◽  
Children In Care

The media coverage of foster care in Australia is replete with adoration for foster carers who look after disadvantaged and difficult children and youth. As this article is being written, New South Wales is holding a ‘foster care week’ with enhanced media coverage and praise for foster carers, the recruitment of new foster carers and acclaim for the ‘foster carer of the year’. Yet, there is another side to foster care that offers less than ideal circumstances for children in care. There is the worrying issue of multiple placements, the problem with children and young people running away from foster care before they reach the legal age for discharge, and evidence of increased incidence of poor educational attainment and involvement in juvenile offending for young people in foster care. In addition, there are cases of foster children being abused by foster carers. As adults, former foster-care children and youth are over-represented among the homeless, in adult correction centres, the unemployed and the users of mental health services. This article documents these negative outcomes of entering the foster-care system, and asks whether family (or non-relative) foster care can survive this evidence. For too many children and young people, family foster care may not provide better outcomes than less-than-optimal parental care from which the children were removed. An alternative is to reduce the use of family foster care and increase intensive support and parenting education services for birth parents who have limited parenting capacity. The aim should be to limit the number of children being taken into care.

scholarly journals Creating an Evidence Base to Support the Development of a Holistic Approach to Working with Children and Young People in Derbyshire: A Local Authority Case Study on the Integration of Social Pedagogy in Children and Young People’s Services

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicki Moore ◽  
Nicole Chavaudra ◽  
Mohammed Jakhara ◽  
John Marriott
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Workforce Development ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Children's Services ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Social Pedagogy ◽  
Children’S Services ◽  
Children In Care

Improving outcomes, particularly those relating to educational attainment for children in care, remains a ubiquitous challenge for local government. Some European countries use social pedagogy as a conceptual framework to improve the outcomes for children. As part of its aspiration to embed a holistic mind-set for staff and carers working with children, Derbyshire County Council has practiced social pedagogy within its children’s residential homes since 2010, resulting in positive changes for staff and young people. In 2013 the University of Derby was commissioned to scope the content of the Council’s workforce development approach, to explore the idea that social pedagogy is a promising approach, not just in children’s homes but also in wider services. The scoping project included surveys and interviews with a range of children’s services workers, including those from social work, child and family support, residential and fostering services. The research identified that, where social pedagogy underpins the activities offered to vulnerable children and those in residential care settings, the outcomes for these groups are improved. There is a growing appetite for a programme of workforce development in social pedagogy, however any such programme should be inclusive and offered at different levels. Furthermore, the principles and concepts should be embedded in the existing roles of a range of practitioners working with children and young people. Ongoing research with Derbyshire’s children’s services workforce will contribute to a growing body of evidence, which supports the development and application of social pedagogy to improve the experiences of children and young people in the county.

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