Pathways to Resilience IV: Global South Perspectives

Suggesting an integrative (resilience and systems based) psychodynamic model to work with students with social-emotional and behavioural problems within school context
Presenter: Elias Kourkoutas (University of Crete, Greece)
Co-Authors: Wassilis Kassis, Albertus Johannes (Johan) Botha
Introduction: Children in elementary schools with social, emotional and behavioral problems are three times more likely to be suspended or expelled than their peers. Almost 50 percent of adolescents in high school with social, emotional and behavioural problems drop out of school. Children’s social, emotional and behavioural problems represent a complex phenomenon which challenges traditional psychiatric approaches and calls for the adoption of innovative conceptual frameworks and systematic and coordinated efforts from all stakeholders and experts. A considerable shift in school-psychology practice and research has been realized during the last decade. The strength-based approach represents a shift from medical and individual-based models of treatment to more systemic, resilience-based and less expertise-oriented approaches, which foster families’, schools’ and teachers’ potential and focus on positive aspects of their functions. A similar strength-based model integrating psychodynamic thinking and practice and innovative art-based/ therapy techniques has been implemented within school context to support students with various social-emotional and behavioral problems. Psychodynamic thinking allows counsellors and teachers to go beyond the child’s symptomatic reactions and see the “real” child and his/her family behind the problem behavior. Resilience in this study is considered in terms of “self-protective mechanisms” and is conceptualized from a systemic perspective, rather than an individualist-trait perspective.
Methods: The study draws on a mixed quantitative and qualitative method to evaluate the outcomes of this (pilot) innovative intervention program. The sample of the study included 17 students (8-13 years old) indentified as suffering from mild to more serious social emotional and behavioral problems. Six individual sessions with each student were held during a whole academic year. Sessions with parents and teachers have also been conducted.
Findings: Results of the evaluation process showed significant improvement in most children (14) in behavioral, interpersonal, and academic domains. A detailed analysis of the results will be presented. The discussion section will focus on analyzing what works and why it works in this program. Barriers and limitations of implementing such programs will be analyzed.