IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i13p6947-d584397.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Taking Students on a Strengths Safari: A Multidimensional Pilot Study of School-Based Wellbeing for Young Neurodiverse Children

Author

Listed:
  • Lauren H. Naples

    (Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA)

  • Elizabeth D. Tuckwiller

    (Department of Special Education and Disability Studies, Graduate School of Education and Human Development, Foggy Bottom Campus, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA)

Abstract

There is a robust body of psychological research linking youth mental health and academic achievement. However, students in early childhood are rarely represented in this research, and children with disabilities and/or neurological differences are virtually absent. Thus, the present pilot study explored the effects of a structured psychoeducation program designed to enhance school-based wellbeing (SBWB) for young students who are neurodivergent (ND). This study utilized a quasi-experimental design to investigate the effects of the Student Strengths Safari intervention on (1) students’ self-reported covitality and (2) teacher-rated executive functioning to (3) examine data for evidence of a dual-factor model of SBWB. Two classrooms in a suburban, Mid-Atlantic private school were randomly assigned to the waitlist control group ( n = 14) (1st grade) and the intervention group ( n = 10) (2nd grade), and quantitative data were analyzed at pretest and posttest to determine intervention outcomes. Key findings produced evidence to support (a) a statistically significant interaction effect for improvements in executive functioning relative to the waitlist control group ( p = 0.011), and (b) the utility of a new theoretical dual-factor model to advance SBWB for ND students in early elementary education.

Suggested Citation

  • Lauren H. Naples & Elizabeth D. Tuckwiller, 2021. "Taking Students on a Strengths Safari: A Multidimensional Pilot Study of School-Based Wellbeing for Young Neurodiverse Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-27, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:13:p:6947-:d:584397
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/13/6947/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/13/6947/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael J. Furlong & Sukkyung You & Mark Shishim & Erin Dowdy, 2017. "Development and Validation of the Social Emotional Health Survey–Higher Education Version," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 12(2), pages 343-367, June.
    2. Michael Furlong & Sukkyung You & Tyler Renshaw & Douglas Smith & Meagan O’Malley, 2014. "Preliminary Development and Validation of the Social and Emotional Health Survey for Secondary School Students," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(3), pages 1011-1032, July.
    3. Nansook Park & Christopher Peterson, 2006. "Character Strengths and Happiness among Young Children: Content Analysis of Parental Descriptions," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 323-341, September.
    4. Tyler Renshaw & Alex Cohen, 2014. "Erratum to: Life Satisfaction as a Distinguishing Indicator of College Student Functioning: Further Validation of the Two-Continua Model of Mental Health," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(1), pages 335-335, May.
    5. Peter Greenspoon & Donald Saklofske, 2001. "Toward an Integration of Subjective Well-Being and Psychopathology," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 81-108, April.
    6. Anat Shoshani & Sarit Steinmetz, 2014. "Positive Psychology at School: A School-Based Intervention to Promote Adolescents’ Mental Health and Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1289-1311, December.
    7. Robert Biswas-Diener, 2006. "From the Equator to the North Pole: A Study of Character Strengths," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 293-310, September.
    8. Nansook Park, 2004. "The Role of Subjective Well-Being in Positive Youth Development," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 591(1), pages 25-39, January.
    9. Shannon Suldo & Jessica Savage & Sterett Mercer, 2014. "Increasing Middle School Students’ Life Satisfaction: Efficacy of a Positive Psychology Group Intervention," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 19-42, February.
    10. Tyler Renshaw & Alex Cohen, 2014. "Life Satisfaction as a Distinguishing Indicator of College Student Functioning: Further Validation of the Two-Continua Model of Mental Health," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(1), pages 319-334, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Min Fang & Li Zhang & Dachen Pan & Jiashu Xie, 2021. "Evaluating a Psychoeducation Program to Foster Chinese Primary School Students’ Covitality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-14, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shiri Lavy, 2020. "A Review of Character Strengths Interventions in Twenty-First-Century Schools: their Importance and How they can be Fostered," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(2), pages 573-596, April.
    2. L. Lambert & H.-A. Passmore & N. Scull & I. Al Sabah & R. Hussain, 2019. "Wellbeing Matters in Kuwait: The Alnowair’s Bareec Education Initiative," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(2), pages 741-763, June.
    3. Xue Han & Yunyue Yang & Feng Li & Yuhui Li, 2022. "Adding Life to Years: The Influence of Internet Use and Appearance Management on Life Satisfaction Among the Elderly," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 585-600, April.
    4. Muhammad Asghar & Angela Minichiello & Assad Iqbal, 2022. "Perceived Factors Contributing to the Subjective Wellbeing of Undergraduate Engineering Students: An Exploratory Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-19, December.
    5. Carmel Proctor & P. Linley & John Maltby, 2009. "Youth Life Satisfaction: A Review of the Literature," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(5), pages 583-630, October.
    6. Kathlyn M. Cherry & Brae Anne McArthur & Margaret N. Lumley, 2020. "A Multi-Informant Study of Strengths, Positive Self-Schemas and Subjective Well-Being from Childhood to Adolescence," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(6), pages 2169-2191, August.
    7. Tassia K. Oswald & Alice R. Rumbold & Sophie G. E. Kedzior & Mark Kohler & Vivienne M. Moore, 2021. "Mental Health of Young Australians during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Roles of Employment Precarity, Screen Time, and Contact with Nature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-22, May.
    8. Aileen Fullchange & Michael J. Furlong, 2016. "An Exploration of Effects of Bullying Victimization From a Complete Mental Health Perspective," SAGE Open, , vol. 6(1), pages 21582440156, January.
    9. Vincenza Capone & Daniela Caso & Anna Rosa Donizzetti & Fortuna Procentese, 2020. "University Student Mental Well-Being during COVID-19 Outbreak: What Are the Relationships between Information Seeking, Perceived Risk and Personal Resources Related to the Academic Context?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-17, August.
    10. Seung-yeon Lee & Sukkyung You & Michael J. Furlong, 2016. "Validation of the Social Emotional Health Survey–Secondary for Korean Students," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(1), pages 73-92, March.
    11. Cuixia Zhang & Yaliu Yang & Conghu Liu, 2022. "Knowledge Management-Based Mental Health Service Model: Sustainable Application during College Students’ Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, July.
    12. Laura Goßner & Yuliya Kosyakova & Marie-Christine Laible, 2022. "Resilient or Vulnerable? Effects of the COVID-19 Crisis on the Mental Health of Refugees in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-20, June.
    13. Samson F. Agberotimi & Choja Oduaran, 2020. "Moderating Effect of Self-Esteem on the Relationship Between Optimism and Life Satisfaction in Final Year University Students," Global Journal of Health Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 12(3), pages 1-12, March.
    14. Ditzel, Loreto & Casas, Ferran & Torres-Vallejos, Javier & Reyes, Fernando & Alfaro, Jaime, 2022. "Children participating in after-school programs in Chile: Subjective well-being, satisfaction with free time use and satisfaction with the program," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    15. Carmel Proctor & John Maltby & P. Linley, 2011. "Strengths Use as a Predictor of Well-Being and Health-Related Quality of Life," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 153-169, March.
    16. Gökmen Arslan, 2019. "Exploring the Effects of Positive Psychological Strengths on Psychological Adjustment in Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(4), pages 1449-1464, August.
    17. Fortuna Procentese & Vincenza Capone & Daniela Caso & Anna Rosa Donizzetti & Flora Gatti, 2020. "Academic Community in the Face of Emergency Situations: Sense of Responsible Togetherness and Sense of Belonging as Protective Factors against Academic Stress during COVID-19 Outbreak," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-12, November.
    18. Christopher Peterson, 2006. "Strengths of Character and Happiness: Introduction to Special Issue," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 289-291, September.
    19. Jose A. Piqueras & Tiscar Rodriguez-Jimenez & Juan Carlos Marzo & Maria Rivera-Riquelme & Agustin E. Martinez-Gonzalez & Raquel Falco & Michael J. Furlong, 2019. "Social Emotional Health Survey-Secondary (SEHS-S): A Universal Screening Measure of Social-Emotional Strengths for Spanish-Speaking Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-16, December.
    20. Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar & Mythily Subramaniam & Esmond Seow & Sherilyn Chang & Rajeswari Sambasivam & Nan Luo & Swapna Verma & Siow Ann Chong & Rob M. van Dam, 2022. "Youth Positive Mental Health Concepts and Definitions: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Synthesis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-17, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:13:p:6947-:d:584397. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.