The Sports Challenge International Programme for Identified ‘At Risk' Children and Adolescents: A Singapore Study

1999 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
GJ Tester ◽  
GG Watkins ◽  
I Rouse

The current world wide phenomena of youth suicide which became a major issue for countries in the early nineties, is still growing exponentially. The Sports Challenge program was initiated in 1992 in Western Australia to identify ‘at risk' children and adolescents who display: a low sense of basic trust, a sense of shame and doubt, a sense of inferiority and a sense of identity confusion with common characteristics of low self esteem. The subsequent program is based on a strong statistical paradigm encompassing current and historical information with reliable and objective evaluation measures. To this end, since 1992, Sports Challenge has been recognised as a ‘World Best Practice' in redressing the issue of ‘at risk' children and adolescents. The program now operates in over 150 schools and communities throughout Australia and 24 schools and Detention Centres in Singapore. This paper will allow a window into the development of the program and the successful transfer of the project into Singapore. The Singapore study which began in 1996 has revealed the success of the Sports Challenge program cross culturally with improvement in self esteem and self concept of ‘at risk' groups in the range of 18% to 44%.

Author(s):  
Gila Cohen Zilka ◽  
Shlomo Romi

This study examined the relationship between participants’ negative or positive identification with television characters and their behavior, and how their reactions in times of anger — whether simply negative or physically violent — varied between at-risk participants and normative ones. Participants were 86 children and adolescents from Israel who filled in four questionnaires on the topics of viewing habits, attitudes, self-image, and aggression. The findings revealed that at-risk children and adolescents reacted with more anger than did their normative counterparts, and that their reaction became stronger when they identified with a character’s negative behavior. It was further revealed that the more they watched, the higher their identification with the character and the greater their negative reaction during anger. A violent physical reaction in times of anger is more strongly associated with viewing alone than with viewing with friends. The findings also revealed that identification with the character is a mediating variable between the amount and type (solitary or with friends) of viewing and negative and violent reactions. At-risk children and adolescents tend to choose programs that show violent behaviors, and such programs could ultimately lead them to exhibit violent reactions. The question is how can the amount of children and adolescents’ viewing be limited while avoiding arguments and punishment? The key to success is finding a solution that will be formulated with the children and adolescents’ full cooperation.


2006 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 2156759X0601000
Author(s):  
Marcia Gentry

A gifted-education researcher discusses the potential effects of No Child Left Behind on gifted children and adolescents as well as implications for those who counsel such children in public schools. With the primary purpose of stimulating thought, discussion, and action, she addresses the marginalization of gifted and other at-risk children in the current educational climate and provides recommendations for school counselors.


2006 ◽  
Vol 91 (12) ◽  
pp. 995-999 ◽  
Author(s):  
R H Scott ◽  
L Walker ◽  
O E Olsen ◽  
G Levitt ◽  
I Kenney ◽  
...  

1995 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 333-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Oxlad ◽  
Steve Baldwin

The administration of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to children and adolescents remains an unresolved area of clinical debate for nurses. Thus, some nurses have refused to participate in the treatment of minors with ECT, invoking codes of conduct to justify their actions. Other nurses have supported the use of ECT with children and adolescents, via provision of technical assistance to medical colleagues. A cross-national comparison of ethical codes of conduct has confirmed that nurses should take decisive action in the clinical arena when the needs or rights of vulnerable minors are compromised. The provision of clinical guidelines is suggested as one method to enshrine the rights of at-risk children and adolescents.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 290-291
Author(s):  
Pedro Velasquez ◽  
Claudia Neira ◽  
Jennifer Hitt ◽  
Patricia Cowan ◽  
Andres Velasquez

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