Extension: 7285
Email: lucy.johnston@canterbury.ac.nz
Please complete and submit the application form as a WORD document and send to summerscholarships@canterbury.ac.nz
Title of Project (max 30 words):
Literature Review: Interventions to Improve emotional self-regulation in children with high arousal levels associated with experiencing the Christchurch earthquakes in early childhood
Project Leader(s): Kathleen Liberty and Maureen Allan
Host Department/Organization: School of Health Sciences
Other persons involved in this topic/activity:
(List other significant members involved along with their affiliation to the research project.)
Name
Sonja Macfarlane
Affiliation to project
Advisor
Describe the proposed research project – maximum of 400 words (box will expand as you type).
Our current study of children ages 5-8 years who experienced the earthquakes in early childhood involves five schools in Christchurch. Traumatic shock in early childhood is known to disrupt the development of emotional regulation and arousal, and about two-thirds of children in the study have PTS symptoms and all study schools have in excess of onethird of study children with high arousal levels which are impacting their learning due to associated difficulty with concentration, and the classroom learning environment, due to their acting out behaviour, such as irritability, defiance, and anger. To date, traditional classroom management strategies have had little impact, as high arousal levels are persisting across years 1, 2 and 3.
The summer scholar will undertake a literature review under guidance from the senior investigator. The review will be directed in the first instance to studies of interventions for school children who have high arousal levels, which are associated with acting out behaviour problem, however, as it is anticipated that there may be few such studies, the review will also encompass interventions for school-aged children with emotional dysregulation.
The senior investigator will complete preliminary database surveys to establish search terms and scope of the review.
The student will identify studies, summarise and apply appropriate meta-analytic procedures. An academic literature
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review and a lay summary for the participating study schools will be co-authored with the senior investigator. The academic paper will be submitted to a scholarly journal, such as The Journal of School Psychology , which publishes literature reviews, using APA guidelines for order of authorship. It is hoped that this review will also help inspire the student to undertake doctoral studies within the project.
Additional experiences:
1. The summer scholar will visit the study classrooms with the highest arousal levels and talk to the teachers and principal about the types of problems the children are having. This will be an informal series of visits to familiarise the student, and this information will not be recorded or used in any research project or the literature review.
2. End of year reports from the schools will be entered into the data-base and analysed, and the student will also have some opportunity to participate in this process, as time is available.
3. The student may also be invited to present a summary of the literature review to participating schools. (387)
If the project involves work away from the University campus (e.g., at fieldwork sites) please detail all locations.
Study primary school on the East side of Christchurch .
If the student be required to work outside of normal university hours (8am-5pm), please provide details
N/A
Describe the research experience and skills that the student will acquire through involvement in this research project – maximum of 100 words.
The student will extend existing knowledge and skills in reviewing research literature relating to children’s development and school-based interventions. Students will have the opportunity to work with the research team to prepare a literature review to be submitted to a professional journal and to prepare a summary written in ‘lay’ language for schools participating in our study. The ‘lay summary’ will be developed into a written report and oral presentation schools. The literature review and school contacts will establish an ideal foundation for an intervention research at the
PhD level.[90]
Ideally, the student will have (a) completed, or be close to completing, a masters degree in education and/or psychology with a B+ or above average GPA; (b) have completed course work or have experience pertaining to child development, primary education and/or children’s mental health; (c) understanding of basic statistics used in research studies, and (d) an interest in a PhD study in the area of the literature review.
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