Positive Coping Teacher Professional Development Building
Resilience in Children and Young People
Slide 2
Positive Coping What is Positive Coping? Coping refers to the
individuals efforts to manage both the various external or
environmental challenges and the internal or psychological demands
that are part of everyday life Coping responses include the
thoughts, feelings and actions that occur in response to these
demands Individuals deal with the demands on them by drawing on a
range of coping strategies. Some coping strategies are more
productive than others (Frydenberg 2010)
Slide 3
Positive Coping Why Teaching Positive Coping Strategies? Coping
strategies are the things people do to help them to self-calm,
persevere and endure, release tension, deal with distress or
uncertainty or lift their mood Coping strategies can be learnt
through observation Children tend to imitate the coping strategies
that they see modelled in their families and amongst their peers
Boys and girls tend to absorb gendered coping styles Students can
learn to extend their repertoire of coping strategies and benefit
from critically reflecting on their own choices When young people
develop language around coping, they are more likely to be able to
understand and deliberately utilise a range of different strategies
for use in addressing different types of challenges
Slide 4
Positive Coping Gendered Coping Styles Boys more likely to: use
humour deny anything is wrong use physical recreation or sports be
aggressive ignore the problem manage by themselves abuse substances
use distraction ventilate emotions act out Girls more likely to:
talk to others seek social support be fatalistic work harder cry
worry blame themselves seek others approval use wishful thinking
seek spiritual support set out to solve the problem
Slide 5
Positive Coping Promote Positive Coping Strategies These coping
strategies are not effective - so teach children and young people
to minimise use of these: Worry Self-blame Keep things to self
Tension reduction (via alcohol, acting out, displays of anger and
distress) These coping strategies are effective - so teach children
and young people to maximise use of these: Work hard Focus on
solving the problem Seek relaxing diversions Seek physical
recreation
Slide 6
Positive Coping Key Issues of Concern for Children and Young
People FemalesMales Age 5-9 1.Family relationships 2.Bullying
3.Friends/peer groups 4.Emotional wellbeing 5.Child abuse 1.Family
relationships 2.Bullying 3.Emotional wellbeing 4.Child abuse
5.Friends/peer relationships Age 10-14 1.Mental health concerns
2.Family relationships 3.Emotional wellbeing 4.Suicide-related
concerns 5.Dating and partner relationships 1.Family relationships
2.Bullying 3.Emotional wellbeing 4.Child abuse 5.Friends/peer
relationships Age 15-19 1.Mental health concerns 2.Dating and
partner relationships 3.Emotional wellbeing 4.Suicide-related
concerns 5.Family relationships 1.Mental health concerns 2.Dating
and partner relationships 3.Emotional wellbeing 4.Friends/peer
relationships 5.Family relationships BoysTown 2013
Slide 7
Positive Coping Common Stressors for Children Young children
(age 3-5) are affected by a range of stressors, the most common
being: uncertainty fear of being abandoned by a significant adult
fear of toileting accidents fear of getting into trouble with a
teacher or parent fear of being punished by adults fear of trying
something new being bullied or teased wanting to belong to a group
fear of the dark fear of losing something or someone special
Slide 8
Positive Coping Stress in Young People A major survey of
Australian young people aged 15- 19 showed that 40% reported being
extremely concerned or very concerned about coping with stress 37%
found that school or study problems were a major concern (Mission
Australia 2013)
Slide 9
Positive Coping Mental Health Problems in Children and Young
People Mental health problems are experienced by an estimated 14%
of 4-17 year olds (Sawyer et al., 2000) 27% of 18-25 year olds
(Slade et al., 2009) 9% of young people aged 16-25 have high or
very high levels of psychological distress (Slade et al., 2009)
Females are twice as likely as males to report high or very high
levels of psychological distress (Slade et al., 2009) 75% of mental
health problems emerge before the age of 25 (Kessler et al., 2007)
19% of 12-24 year olds live with a parent who has a mental health
problem (AIHW, 2011)
Slide 10
Positive Coping Data from Youth Mental Health Report, 2014 In
2013, 14,461 young people aged 15-19 years participated in Mission
Australias Youth Survey. The survey used a widely accepted measure
of non-specific psychological distress known as the Kessler 6 (K6)
which consists of a six-item scale that asks about experiences of
anxiety and depressive symptoms during the past four weeks. The K6
was used to classify Youth Survey respondents into two groups -
those with a probable serious mental illness and those with no
probable serious mental illness. Just over one fifth (21.2%) of
young people aged 15 -19 who responded to the survey met the
criteria for having a probable serious mental illness, ranging from
19.4% for 19 year olds to 21.5% for 15 year olds Females were
almost twice as likely as males to meet criteria for having a
probable serious mental illness (26.2% compared to 13.8%) Mission
Australia 2014
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Positive Coping Some Groups are More Vulnerable Than Others
Females almost twice as likely to be classified as having a
probable serious mental illness as males (26.2% compared to 13.8%).
Rates of probable serious mental illness were very similar for
those born in Australia (21.2%) and those not (21.1%) Aboriginal or
Torres Strait Islander respondents had considerably higher rates of
probable serious mental illness (31.8% compared to 20.7%) Rates of
probable serious mental illness were substantially higher for
respondents who reported a disability than those who didnt (32.8%
compared to 20.3%)
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Positive Coping Higher distress levels for young people with a
probable serious mental illness When compared with than those
without a probable serious mental illness, young people with a
probable serious mental illness were: around 5 times more likely to
express serious concerns about depression (57.0% compared to 11.5%)
around 5 times more likely to express serious concerns about
suicide (35.3% compared to 6.8%) 2.5 times more likely to indicate
that coping with stress was a major concern (71.7% compared to
29.5%) around twice as likely to indicate that school or study
problems were a major concern (61.6% compared to 31.0%) around
twice as likely to indicate that body image is a major concern
(57.1% compared to 23.8%) Almost 3 times more likely to have
serious concerns around family conflict (40.1% compared to
14.2%).
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Positive Coping Top concerns higher distress levels for females
than males Females with a probable serious mental illness: Coping
with stress 77.9% School or study problems 66.0% Body image 65.9%
Depression 59.8% Males with a probable serious mental illness:
Coping with stress 54.9% Depression 49.7% School or study problems
49.4% Body image 32.9% Mission Australia 2014
Slide 14
Positive Coping More Serious Concerns About More Issues Young
people without a probable serious mental illness had serious
concerns about 1.6 issues, compared with 4.3 for those with a
probable serious mental illness In addition to having more serious
concerns about the issues, young people with a probable serious
mental illness also appear to be trying to cope with a higher load
of issues than those without a probable serious mental disorder.
Mission Australia 2014
Slide 15
Positive Coping Lower Help Seeking Comfort for those in Most
Need When compared with than those without a probable serious
mental illness, young people with a probable serious mental illness
are substantially more uncomfortable seeking information, advice or
support from: Parents: 32.8% compared to 10.3% Relatives/family
friends: 34.3% compared to 14.5% Teachers: 49.6% compared to 29.2%
Friends and the internet are the top sources of information, advice
or support that young people, both with and without a probable
serious mental illness, were comfortable going to Mission Australia
2014
Slide 16
Positive Coping Gender and Help Seeking 60% of male and female
respondents with a probable serious mental illness felt
uncomfortable accessing help from: a telephone hotline 69.5% a
community agency 60.2% online counselling services 61.7% Males with
a probable serious mental illness were more uncomfortable than
females in seeking information, advice and support from: friends
(18.3% compared to 11.4%) the internet (21.7% compared to 13.6%)
magazines (50.5% compared to 36.2%)
Slide 17
Positive Coping Positive and Negative Self-Talk Self-talk is
what we say to ourselves when we are thinking. Mostly this just
happens inside our head, though sometimes we also say it out loud:
Negative self-talk includes over-personalising adversity, excessive
self-blame, and exaggerating the likely duration and impact of
adversity or failure. It includes focussing on what is wrong and
ignoring what is right. Positive self-talk includes more realistic
appraisal of capacity, circumstances and effort. It includes
acknowledging and being grateful for the positives, recognising
personal strengths and positive intentions, and realistic
attribution of responsibility. Use of positive self-talk is
associated with greater persistence in the face of challenge,
whereas negative self-talk is associated with higher levels of
distress, depression and anxiety (Seligman 1995) Those who use
positive self-talk about how they will approach and manage
challenge are more likely to succeed. Positive self-talk can be
learnt or strengthened through practice (Seligman 2009; 2003)
Positive Self-talk Negative Self-talk
Slide 18
Positive Coping Optimistic and Pessimistic Thinking Styles
Research in the field of positive psychology identifies the
difference between pessimistic and optimistic thinking styles:
Pessimistic thinking style is associated with higher levels of
depression Optimistic thinking style is associated with greater
persistence in the face of challenge and a better capacity to use
resources and supports Teachers and parents can inadvertently
transmit pessimistic thinking styles. Optimistic thinking styles
can be learnt both through direct instruction and practice and
through role- modelling
Slide 19
Positive Coping Using the Learning Activities to Promote Use of
Positive Strategies The Building Resilience Social and Emotional
Learning (SEL) activities provide opportunities for children to
identify and discuss the value of different types of coping
strategies They learn about the way in which self-talk contributes
to more productive or less productive coping responses The topic
areas of Positive Coping and Stress-Management include many
experiential and reflective activities designed to develop skills
of self-calming and positive coping
Slide 20
Positive Coping Example Learning Activities: 1. Cheering Up and
Calming Down Students show strategies they use to cheer themselves
up when they feel lonely or sad Students show strategies they use
to calm themselves down when they are angry, afraid, jealous or
very excited Students draw a picture of themselves using a
favourite coping strategy to help them manage one of their fears
This activity is adapted from the Level 5-6 Building Resilience
learning materials (Topic 3: Positive coping, Activity 3)
Slide 21
Positive Coping Example Learning Activities: 2. Personal coping
profiles Students share favourite coping strategies. Draw up your
own Positive Coping Profile. Include 20 positive coping strategies,
with at least one strategy from each of the five categories:
1.Energetic Activity 2.Self-Calming Activity 3.Social Activity
4.Shifting attention Activity 5.Getting Organised Activity This
activity is adapted from the Level 5-6 Building Resilience learning
materials (Topic 3: Positive coping, Activity 3)
Slide 22
Positive Coping Example Learning Activities: 3. What is
self-talk? Negative self-talk: is when we say negative things to
ourselves Positive self-talk: is when we say positive things to
ourselves Technical self-talk: is when we tell ourselves how to do
things while we are doing them Work in pairs Read the example
scenario (or make up another scenario) Make up an example of each
of the three types of self-talk for a person in this scenario
Negative self-talk: is when we say negative things to ourselves
Positive self-talk: is when we say positive things to ourselves
Technical self-talk: is when we tell ourselves how to do things
while we are doing them Work in pairs Read the example scenario (or
make up another scenario) Make up an example of each of the three
types of self-talk for a person in this scenario This activity is
adapted from the Level 7-8 Building Resilience learning materials
(Topic 3: Positive coping, Activity 1) Example scenario: If you
were a tourist travelling by yourself in a foreign country you have
never been to what would positive self-talk, negative self-talk and
technical self-talk sound like?
Slide 23
Positive Coping Example Learning Activities: 4. Six Mind-traps
of Pessimistic thinking Students map pessimistic thoughts and
develop optimistic thoughts to contest or argue back:
1.Over-reacting 2.Exaggerating how bad things are 3.Mind-reading or
thinking you know what other people think about you 4.Taking it too
personally (Not taking enough responsibility for what happens and
blaming other people 5.Not taking enough responsibility for what
happens and blaming other people 6.Ignoring the positives or the
good things that happen
Slide 24
Positive Coping Example Learning Activities: 5. Self-reflection
on coping strategies Fill out the coping profile handout provided,
thinking about the sorts of strategies you use to cope when faced
with a difficult situation What are your top five (most used)
strategies? What are the top three strategies youd like to use
more? If you would like to use some strategies more often, how
might you go about doing this? Are there any strategies you rarely
use? Think about the reasons for this Compare some responses with a
partner This activity is adapted from the Level 9-10 Building
Resilience learning materials (Topic 5: Stress management, Activity
2)
Slide 25
Positive Coping REFLECT What coping repertoire do you use to
build a good work-life balance? How do you model use of productive
coping strategies when things do not go to plan in your classroom?
What sorts of anger management strategies do you favour in your
personal and professional life? What strategies do you use to
encourage students to use productive coping strategies?
Slide 26
Positive Coping Useful Links SAFEMinds
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/health/Pag
es/safeminds.aspx
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/health/Pag
es/safeminds.aspx Headspace www.headspace.org.au/
www.headspace.org.au/ Beyond blue www.beyondblue.org.au/
www.beyondblue.org.au/ Smiling Mind www.smilingmind.com.au/
www.smilingmind.com.au/
Slide 27
Positive Coping References BoysTown. (2013). Kids Helpline
Overview 2012. Milton, Qld: Boystown2011. Frydenberg, E. (2010).
Think positively! A course for developing coping skills in
adolescents. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.
Frydenberg, E., Deans, J., & O'Brien, K. (2012). Developing
everyday coping skills in the early years: Proactive strategies for
supporting social and emotional development. London: Continuum Inc.
Press. Kessler, R. C., Amminger, G. P., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S.,
Alonso, J., Lee, S., & stn, T. B. (2007). Age of onset mental
disorders: a review of recent literature. Current Opinion in
Psychiatry, 20(4), 359-364. Lewis, R., & Frydenberg, E., 2002,
Concomitants of failure to cope: What we should teach adolescents
about coping, British Journal Of Educational Psychology, No. 72,
pp. 419-431 Mission Australia. (2013). Youth Survey 2013. Sydney:
Mission Australia. Mission Australia (2014) Youth Mental Health
report of Young Australians June 2014
http://www.missionaustralia.com.au Sawyer, M.G, Arney, F. M.,
Baghurst, P. A., Clark, J. J., Graetz, B. W., Kosky, R. J.,...
Zubrick, S.R. (2000). The Mental Health of Young People in
Australia: Key Findings from the Child and Adolescent Component of
the National Survey of Mental Health and Well-Being. Australian and
New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 35(6), 806-814 Seligman, M.
(1995). The Optimistic Child, Sydney: Random House. Seligman, M.,
et al. (2009). Positive education: positive psychology and
classroom interventions. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3): p.
293-311. Seligman, M., (2002). Authentic Happiness, New York: Free
Press. Slade, T., Johnston, A., Teesson, M., Whiteford, H.,
Burgess, P., & Pirkis, J. (2009). The mental health of
Australians 2: Report on the 2007 national survey of mental health
and wellbeing. Canberra: Department of Health and Ageing.