As winter approaches each year we often look forward to special moments such as snow days, cozy fires, sledding, the holidays, and more. However as the holiday season ends and the cold weather stays we face “The February blues”. This time of the year is associated with feelings of sadness, depression, or loneliness and even more so after a tumultuous year that was 2020.

Now, as we hit the “The February blues”, it is important to note that it is something that can affect all of us, even children. We often see people demonstrate symptoms that can be associated with “Seasonal Affective Disorder”, and even more so now after a global pandemic that has made it even more challenging to fight off the depressive symptoms. The CDC reported that symptoms of depression had a threefold increase in 2020 compared to the previous year due to the pandemic. Surveys also showed that children and adolescents were also experiencing higher levels of depression and anxiety. 

 

Knowing all this, What are ways for children and adults to not be as affected by the February blues?

 

1. Prioritize Socialization
   1. Even though we are unable to see our friends and family, it is important to stay social. The effects of social isolation on children and adults can lead to an increased risk for depression. There is a lot of research on the toll that stressful life events can cause, but luckily social ties have been known as a way to prevent symptoms from rising. Maintaining social relationships improves overall happiness and can lower the intensity of depressive symptoms. Even if it seems impossible to socialize in the midst of covid, there are many ways to keep in touch with your friends and family. You can have a virtual play date, movie night, or happy hour for the adults. It’s important to continuously put in the effort to surround yourself with positive people and positive energy. 
2. Increase play time
   1. Play time is an important part of childhood development. It increases their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional intelligence. Currently, children have limited interaction with their peers and are unable to play and learn. Despite not being able to spend time with their peers, the most important play time interaction is between the parents and the child. It promotes a stronger bond and a healthy attachment. Ever since COVID hit the world, puzzle sales have skyrocketed for those dreadful days during quarantine. Legos, blocks, and puzzles are amazing toys for kids to play with as it improves their spatial skills. Play time doesn’t necessarily mean playing with toys, music can be a fun contribution to play time. Music has beneficial qualities such as reading skills, vocabulary, language ability, and math skills. Study has found that musical training can increase a child’s IQ. Playing music in the house can uplift the parents’ and the child’s spirit. 
3. Exercise
   1. Research has shown that exercise can decrease symptoms of depression, even if it’s just a 20 minute walk a day. Being stuck at home can be dreadful during the winter months, so it’s a nice change of scenery to go outside and get some fresh air. It may seem difficult to incorporate your kids into your exercise routine, but many Children platforms have come out with workout routines designated to provide your child with a fun exercise routine. Exercising together can be another way to bond with your child while improving your physical and mental health at the same time. 
4. Communication
   1. It is difficult to start up a conversation about your feelings, especially if it is negative. Parents encourage their children to express their good feelings, but it is hard to address the negative emotions. It may be uncomfortable, but encouraging children to talk about negative emotions is important for helping them address it and learn how to express it. If your child bottles up their negative emotions, it can make them less expressive and prone to developing emotional problems. 
5. Mental Breaks
   1. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you need a break. As parents, it is best to take care of yourself mentally before caring for your children. Parents’ mental health can be passed onto their children and cause them to develop anxiety and depressive symptoms. This pandemic has caused a lot of fear and anxiety in adults and children, and sometimes we all just need a break from reality. 

 

Article Link: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-baby-scientist/202102/fend-the-february-blues-your-kids

 

The holiday season is typically a time of happiness and joy as people enjoy a time with their family and friends. Unfortunately, this time also encompasses a certain amount of stress and anxiety that is further reinforced by advertisements, media, and society (and the current COVID-19 pandemic). Among some strategies to handle stress and anxiety people turn to unhealthy stress management behaviors such as overindulging in eating or drinking. These actions don’t typically help and often make us feel worse. With that in mind, the APA suggests better, healthier, and longer-lasting techniques we can use to make holiday stress more manageable.

The following tips are among some of the points to consider:

• Strengthen social collections: The holidays can be a time to reconnect with the positive people in our lives.
• Initiate conversations about the season: Conversations with our kids about the variety of holiday traditions in the family are typically a good exercise. This time can be used as an opportunity to discuss how some families may not participate in certain holiday traditions as well.
• Set expectations: It is helpful to set realistic expectations for gifts and holiday activities. Depending on the child’s age, this opportunity can be used to teach kids about the value of money and responsible spending.
• Keep things in perspective: It is helpful to maintain a broad context and a longer-term perspective. There will be time after the holiday season to follow up or do more of things we’ve overlooked or didn’t have time to do during the holidays.
• Take care of yourself: We must pay attention to our own needs and feelings during the holiday season.

If a person continues to feel stress, it would be recommended to consult a psychologist or other licensed mental health professional in addition to the suggestions presented above.

Considering the current coronavirus pandemic and the way the year has passed we can say that this holiday season is nothing like ordinary. I stand by the CDC’s recommendations of frequent hand washing, practicing social distancing from family and friends, as well as wearing a proper mask. Recognizing the importance of mental health, we at UConn KIDS encourage you to abide by the recommended guidelines to handle the pandemic and consult a mental health professional if needed (links to the APA and CDC are included below as they contain further guidelines that can be helpful).

Happy Holidays!

 

Francisco A. Carrillo

Research Assistant, UConn K.I.D.S.

 

Link to article: https://www.apa.org/topics/parents-holiday

Link to APA: www.apa.org

Link to CDC: www.cdc.gov

Developmental Psychologists have been interested in why some children tend to be more violent than others and what factors can contribute to this increase in violent behaviors. Significant findings make psychologists suspect that children may sometimes behave violently because they lack interpersonal cognitive problem-solving (ICPS) skills, like for example reasoning or brainstorming solutions to a problem, analyzing the potential negative outcomes of their actions, and how to link causal relationships with interpersonal interactions. The researchers suggest that without these skills children are more likely to have infuriating social encounters. Frustration is in turn expressed as negative outcomes reflecting itself in misbehaviors, which in turn bolsters the cycle of unpleasant social interactions, hurt feelings, frustration, and bad behavior.

Researchers have presented significant findings that suggest that teaching ICPS skills improved children’s impulsive behavior and social interactions in comparison to children in the control group. Interestingly, well-adjusted children who learned ICPS skills in their early years (nursery school) were less likely to develop negative behavioral outcomes in the future when compared to children who didn’t learn these skills. Additional research shows how positive parental influence can have strong positive effects on cognitive and behavioral maturation.

The development of effective interpersonal cognitive problem-skills (ICPS) intervention has led to the emergence of several programs around the U.S. that seek to decrease frustration and misbehaviors therefore increasing positive behavioral outcomes and interactions. The ICPS’s widespread appeal has taught thousands of children and adolescents how to think and interact with others and has contributed significantly to the reduction of violence, high-risk behaviors, and substance abuse in the locations where it has been implemented.

Link to article: https://www.apa.org/research/action/solve

Bullying in the school setting is not a new concern, but rather an ongoing issue that hasn’t been properly addressed in the past. Currently, psychologists have been working in new ways to identify and manage bullying and violence in school as they recognize the serious and sometimes deadly consequences this negative behavior has. Bullying can be better defined as a repeated negative, ill-intentioned behavior perpetrated by one or more students and directed against a student who has difficulty defending himself or herself. Typically, the perpetrator(s) are characterized as being impulsive, aggressive and defiant, as they exhibit a strong need to dominate or subdue others. On the other hand, victims are usually described as being cautious, sensitive, cautious, withdrawn, and shy. They may present anxious and insecure behaviors which may often lead to an increased chance of developing a low-self-esteem and depression. Researchers have taken a look towards the prevalence of bullying in the school setting, finding out that 17 percent of students reported having been bullied “sometimes” and six percent reporting both bullying others and being a victim of bullying.

Having recognized the importance of bullying and school violence, psychologists have greatly contributed to the development of comprehensive models designed to reduce and prevent bullying among students. Programs like for example the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program have focused on creating a school and home environment surrounded by warmth and positive involvement from adults as it is complemented with firm limits on unacceptable behaviors and consistent applications of non-punitive, non-physical sanctions for unacceptable behaviors. This program has yielded significant results including substantial reductions in the frequency of reports, significant improvements in the social climate of the class and improvement in students’ satisfaction with school life.

Bullying has been an ongoing issue both in historical and current contexts. Research on bullying and school violence has leaned towards the development of scientific models that would reduce and prevent its prevalence in schools and academic settings.  From a social standpoint, these outcomes can be beneficial as negative effects that could possibly escalate in the future are substantially reduced. It is important to recognize that a great number of scientific literature (both studies and books) address the importance of bullying and treat it as a “hot-topic” to highlight it’s importance in our current and future social setting.

 

Link to Article: https://www.apa.org/research/action/bullying

The global COVID-19 pandemic has affected how society functions and operates. The academic and educational perspective provides us interesting feedback on how schools, more specifically children, have confronted this unprecedented challenge as they moved quickly into online formats as their teaching settings instead of their typical classroom environment. This results in several possible stressors that can cause mental health challenges for anyone regardless of a previous history of mental health challenges. The school setting would usually provide teachers with the opportunity to identify said stressors and handle the rise of a mental health challenge. However, the current scenario limits the opportunity to identify said challenges as they might go undetected.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 15 to 20% of students could be identified as needing support. Statistically speaking, this number is expected to increase as the number of potential emotional downfalls is higher than before. The APA proposes a possible solution using frequent screening methods to address any mental health challenges that may arise. In collaboration with faculty and staff, teachers may be asked to nominate students who appear to be excessively anxious or frequently sad. The scores on these questionnaires can be used to identify a student who might appear at risk for anxiety or depression. Said questionnaires can be completed again a few weeks later to determine whether their mental health challenges are enduring.

The initiative of having students complete questionnaires is beneficial as it identifies students who might be at risk for emotional difficulties. However, schools need to have a plan of action to connect their students to the appropriate service. This could take place either through the school or through a community agency that treats youth with mental health disorders. Given the many mental health challenges that students may experience both during and after the pandemic, educators need to assist in identifying at-risk students through systematic screening; advocate for universal screening for the student population; and increase awareness of the importance of mental health screening within their colleagues as well as the school and parents.

Link to article: https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/student-mental-health

Today’s Friday Feature is Shuyan Wang!

What is your name?
– Shuyan Wang

Earlier this month, UConn Postdoctoral Fellow Leah Lessard was awarded a prestigious grant from the Society in Research in Child Development (SRCD). Since 1933, the Society for Research in Child Development has focused on stimulating and supporting research to encourage collaboration among individuals within the field of child development and fortify applications of research findings. The grants were selected from a competitive pool of professional applicants that cover many different areas of research and topics. A selection for this grant deserves recognition, so we at UConn KIDS want to take part in congratulating her for this exceptional accomplishment.

Dr. Lessard received her Ph. D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, where much of her experience and expertise within child development and psychology took place. After about five years in Los Angeles, Dr. Lessard’s current research is taking place here at the University of Connecticut at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. Her research focuses on how social experiences contribute to stigma-based health and educational disparities during adolescence. She seeks to identify mechanisms that effectively promote inclusion and acceptance within the school setting as a way to improve marginalized adolescents’ access to the social resources critical for healthy and academically successful outcomes.

As a top 25 public university, we here at UConn recognize research as an integral part of the formation of our students and the growth of its faculty and professors. With this in mind, we at UConn KIDS want to congratulate Dr. Lessard as she continues to make her mark within the field of psychology and child development. Her professionalism and expertise make her more than a qualified professional, but an advocate to promote social inclusion and acceptance for middle and high school kids.

Once again, congratulations.

Best wishes in all your personal and professional endeavors Dr. Lessard.

Francisco A. Carrillo

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Today’s Friday Feature is Alaina Brenick, Ph.D.!

What is your name?
– Alaina Brenick, Ph.D.

What is your current position at UConn?
– Associate Professor in Human Development and Family Sciences and Associate Director of the Center for the Study of Culture, Health, and Human Development.

Where did you study & what degree were you awarded?
– I received my Ph.D. in Human Development with a specialization in Developmental Science from the University of Maryland. I then received a postdoctoral fellowship from the Friedrich Schiller Universiteit of Jena Graduate College of Human Behaviour in Social and Economic Change, Jena Germany.

Where are you from?
– Since you asked, I am proudly born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland (go ravens!).

What is the focus of your research?
– My research examines individual, micro-, and macro-level factors that contribute to intergroup conflict, societal inequities, and the conditions necessary for reducing prejudice, discrimination, and victimization across development. Specifically, I analyze how various groups of youth in the U.S. and in other regions of the world—sometimes with vastly different societal structures, norms, and expectations—experience, reason about, and respond to intergroup peer relations and group-based victimization (e.g., discriminatory bullying or exclusion). My work provides a fundamental knowledge base that can be translated into multifaceted, contextually, and developmentally appropriate intervention programs ranging from mindfulness training to intergroup contact, designed to promote compassion, empathy, social equity, and positive intergroup relations.

Can you tell us more about your ongoing studies?
– I have a number of ongoing studies at the moment: one assesses longitudinal interventions carried out in the Middle-East with Palestinian- and Jewish-Israeli children to reduce outgroup prejudice, and increase positive outgroup regard and behaviors in intergroup scenarios. A second study is assessing the bullying experiences of Latinx and Muslim-Arab immigrant youth in the U.S. following the last presidential election to the present day and exploring the protective and risk factors that may be unique to these groups. A third study examines how youth evaluate different scenarios of intergroup bullying and what type of bystander behaviors they believe are appropriate based on the ethnic makeup of the bully-victim-other bystander group. We have many more studies starting including resiliency in refugees, compassion and mindfulness interventions with kindergarteners, and prejudice reduction interventions pre- and post- covid19, to name just a few.

What are your ultimate goals?
– My ultimate goals are giving voice to marginalized youth and helping empower all youth to work for social justice.

What do you like to do in your free time?
– I love indoor gardening (I have about 40 plants in my indoor plant family and sneaking more into my home every chance I can get), I crochet and knit–mostly cute creatures for my nieces and nephews, I love to go walking and hiking, and I love to travel all over the world. The thing I love the most, though, is spending time with my niblings and being the world’s best tanta—my most important title.

The Developmental Approaches to Identities, Inequities, and Intergroup Relations Lab
(learn more about Dr. B’s work, the lab, and all our projects at: www.alaina-brenick.uconn.edu)

Findings in the late 1960s led to the development of an empirically tested treatment program to aid troubled children and juvenile offenders. Psychologists Elaine Phillips, Elery Phillips, Dean Fixsen, and Montrose Wolf combined the successful components of their studies into the Teaching-Family Model with the intention of generating a structured treatment regimen which exemplifies a family-like environment. The model’s ideal composition is built around a married couple that lives with the children in a home with the intention of teaching them essential interpersonal and living skills. Taking a step further, the behaviors and techniques are assessed for their effectiveness through empirically observable methods. Teaching-parents also work closely with the children’s caregivers (parents and/or custodian), teachers, employers, and peers to ensure support for the children’s positive environment.

In the past, many treatments viewed delinquency as an illness and therefore handled it as such. The Teaching-Family Model, in contrast, views children’s behavior problems as stemming from a lack of essential interpersonal relationships and skills. Its significance has expanded well beyond as it has demonstrated how well-researched treatment programs can be implemented on a large scale. Besides numbers and statistics that prove its significance, I believe it’s important to highlight the fact that the Teaching-Family Model has been a source of hope that young people with difficult problems or behaviors can improve the quality of their lives and the repercussion for society.

The application of the Teaching-Family Model has been expanded to include foster care facilities, home treatment settings, and even schools. The model has been accommodated to the needs of physically, emotionally, and sexually abused children; emotionally disturbed and autistic children and adults; and medically fragile children.  Although the model has been effective so far (both practically and statistically) research is still being conducted to make the Teaching-Family Model an effective tool, with the intention of benefiting both children and adults who might need aid, but to also contribute to a better social regimen.

Link to article: https://www.apa.org/research/action/family