BPS Division of Educational and Child
Psychology Conference 2010
Looking
L
ki tto th
the ffuture:
t
EP
practice beyond individuals
and
d smallll groups
Dr Sean Cameron
The personal adjustment spectrum
%
Consistently high
levels of
well--bring
well
Well-being
Generally
high
hi h
levels of
well--being
well
Occasional
problems
bl
requiring help
Chronic
well
wellll-being
b i
problems
The response
of school
p
•
•
•
•
•
Nothing 70%
One teacher spoke 10%
Peers were primed 10%
Gave ‘normality’
normality 4%
More tolerant 4%
Holland, J. (2001) Understanding children
children’ss
experiences of parental bereavement.
London: Kingsley,
Kingsley
How school could help
p
•
•
•
•
•
•
Acknowledging the loss.
loss
Listening with ears and with eyes.
Telling peers and discussing support strategies
for return
Explaining the emotional journey
Developing policies / procedures for staff
Considering a loss
loss, death and separation
curriculum.
From Holland, J. (2001) Understanding Children’s
Experiences of Parental Bereavement. London:
Kingsley.
Average overall well-being by age
(New Economics Foundation Study, 2006)
Optimum
O ti
return
t
for
f investment
i
t
t
Source: J Heckman & D Masterov (2005) Ch 6, New Wealth for Old Nations: Scotland’s
Economic Prospects
Optimal experience
This state
Thi
t t off consciousness
i
is
i
characterised by the perception of high
environmental
i
t l challenges,
h ll
high
hi h personall
skills, concentration, enjoyment, control
off the
h situation
i i andd intrinsic
i i i motivation.
i i
Csikszentmihalyi, 2000. op.cit.)
Happiness and Flow in Teaching
58% really enjoy the work (staff in ICT & Banking = 53%)
14% extremely enjoy the work (6% of the above staff)
44% have flow experiences on a regular basis (34% of the above staff)
Conclusions –
¾ mediating variables for teacher satisfaction are – autonomy, variety,
ppersonal satisfaction,, ppersonal/professional
p
development;
p
;
¾ Teachers in high mood develop a positive classroom atmosphere and
create an upward spiral of enthusiasm among their pupils.
Reference source:
Morgan,
g , S. (2005).
(
) Happiness
pp
and flow in teaching.
g International Positive
Psychology Conference (Braga), July 2005.
Flow experiences in School
• Optimal experiences reported (home = 4 x school)
p
associated with
• Few school or classroom experiences
flow
p
beingg school trips,
p school friends encounters,
• Exceptions
sporting activities
• School leisure and shared activities with friends are byy
far the chief sources of flow experiences in school!
Reference source:
Lima,, I. & Freire,, T. (2005).
(
) Adolescents’ quality
q
y of experience
p
in the school context: optimal experience and life interests.
International Positive Conference (Braga), July 2005.
So… what p
possibilities exist for ‘psychology
py
gy for
the many’?
• The West Dunbarton Literacy Initiative Study
(See Brown, 2007);
• The Emotional Warmth model of professional
child care (Cameron and Maginn,
Maginn 2007; 2009)
•
•
•
•
S
Some
b
benefits
fit ffor th
the EP profession…
f i
• Highlighting the distinctive contribution of
applied psychology and applied
psychologists.
• Wideningg the perceived
p
impact
p of
psychological input
• Providing more sophisticated data for
decision-making at central and local
government levels.
• Reducing the general level of unhappiness
among our children
hild
andd young people.
l
The personal adjustment spectrum
%
Consistently high
levels of
well--bring
well
Well-being
Generally
high
hi h
levels of
well--being
well
Occasional
problems
bl
requiring help
Chronic
well
wellll-being
b i
problems
The Effect of Shiftingg the Mean of the Social
Adjustment Spectrum
%
Consistently high
levels of
well--bring
well
Well-being
Generally high Occasional
l
levels
l off
problems
bl
well--being
well
requiring
help
Chronic
well
wellll-being
b i
problems
“…..psychologists
py
g
will learn how to build the
qualities that help individuals and communities,
not jjust to endure and survive,, but also to
flourish.”
(Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi, 2000)
Reference
f
sources:
Brown, G. (2007) Britain’s Everyday Heroes: The making of good society. Edinburgh:
Mainstream Publishers
Csickzentmihalyi, M. (2008) Flow: the Psychology of optimal experience. NY: Harper
Classics.
Cameron, R.J. (2006) Educational Psychology: the distinctive contribution.
Educational Psychology in Practice 22 (4), 289-304.
Cameron, R.J. and Maginn, C. (2009) Positive outcomes for children and young
people in public care, London:SageF
Cameron, R.J. and Maginn, (2008) The Authentic
Warmth dimension of professional
F
child-care.British Journal of Social Work, 38 (6), 1151-1172.
i
Seligman,
g
M. and Csickzentmihalyi,
y M. (2000)
(
) Positive Psychology.
y
gy American
n
Psychologist, Special Issue, January 2000.
Zimbardo, P.G. (2004) Does Psychology make
i a significant difference in our lives?
American Psychologist, 59 (5), 339-351.
n
Dr Sean Cameron, Department of Psychology University College London
E-mail: r.cameron@ucl.ac.uk
14/01/10