An Alternative School Model for Pregnant and Parenting Teens: A Qualitative Analysis Abstract Teenage pregnancy is linked to poverty, poor child physical and psychological well-being, child maltreatment, family dysfunction, and reduced educational attainment. Furthermore, less than half of teenage mothers birthing a child prior to age 18 earn a high school diploma. Consequently, alternative academic programs have been developed to combat these maladaptive outcomes; however, the effects of such outcomes, particularly from perspectives of program graduates, are not well understood. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to explore outcomes of an alternative school program from the perspectives of pregnant and parenting teenage students who have graduated from such a program. Graduates of an alternative high school program (N = 8; Mage = 20.75 years, SD = 1.67) were interviewed and data were qualitatively analyzed for themes. Emergent themes included improved parenting skills, academic and career development, life skills acquisition, and personal and positive relationship development. Educational and developmental benefits for participants’ children, program challenges, and opportunities for improvement were also described. Overall, results demonstrate that improving child well-being can be accomplished by promoting a holistic perspective to the physical, emotional, and mental health of teenage mothers while also providing educational opportunities. The application and generalization of program outcomes for others in related fields are discussed.

eSafety and Sharing Habits with Family and Friends Among Children and Adolescents Abstract The aim of this study was to examine eSafety, children’s and teenagers’ awareness of safe browsing, identify their Internet usage patterns, their habits of sharing their surfing experiences with parents and family, and the relationship between usage patterns, sharing habits, and socio-demographic attributes. This is a mixed-method study. A total of 345 participants from Israel completed questionnaires. The findings indicate that children and adolescents spend an average of 3.1 h a day surfing the Web. Their level of awareness of eSafety is medium–high. Young children have a more significant need to share and consult about dealing with Internet-related dangers, with others than do adolescents. It was found that many children and adolescents block channels of dialogue and sharing with their parents, fearing their parents’ reaction, especially parental criticism. Because of the complexity of the environment in which children live, involvement in the children’s lives is important.

Are Children an Oppressed Group? Positing a Child Standpoint Theory Abstract Standpoint theory identifies a power differential between a group in power and an oppressed group. Standpoint theories provide a theoretical framework to explore how oppressed groups experience their position, and help identify a way to challenge the group in power. Among the standpoint theories that have been posited, a Child Standpoint Theory has not been fully formed. In the development of a Child Standpoint Theory, there must be exploration to determine whether children are an oppressed group. This paper is broken into four sections in the consideration of a Child Standpoint Theory. The first section is a brief overview of the history of standpoint theory. The second provides a brief overview of the view of the child developmentally and socially. The third identifies possible tenets of Child Standpoint Theory. The final section explores the reasons for the development of, and reasons to consider, Child Standpoint Theory. In this article, “children” will be inclusive of all developmental ages through childhood and adolescence.

Marte Meo and Coordination Meetings (MAC): A Systemic School-Based Video Feedback Intervention—A Randomised Controlled Trial Abstract Children displaying early disruptive behaviour problems (DBP) in school are at risk for severe long-term problems. This study evaluated and compared a systemic school-based intervention, Marte Meo and Coordination meetings (MAC) with service as usual (SAU) in a randomised controlled trial. The teachers’ and parents’ ratings were collected before and after intervention. Target group were children aged 3–12 years that displayed DBPs in school (N = 99). MAC programme was more effective than SAU in reducing DBPs among school children based on teachers’ reports (dppc2 .30–.38), whereas the effect was equal according to parents’ reports. It is possible to achieve changes in children’s DBPs in a school setting. Advantages of MAC might be explained by a clear target for change enhancing children’s development in school, but might also be explained by shortcomings in SAU, which seems to generate more services and personnel.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescents Abstract Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are associated with increased risk for psychopathology over the life course. However, few studies have examined the differential impact of ACE and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for racially and ethnically diverse adolescent populations. The findings from the few studies that examine differential effects are contradictory. This study uses data from the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), a nationally representative adolescent sample (N = 10,123) to examine the impact of race/ethnicity on the association between ACE and PTSD among youth in a nationally representative sample in the United States. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to examine the main effects of ACE and race/ethnicity on PTSD, as well as the moderating role of race/ethnicity adjusting for socio-demographic variables. Findings suggest that race/ethnicity moderates the association between ACE and PTSD. Higher ACE score increased probability of lifetime PTSD for White non-Hispanic, Black, and Hispanic adolescents with White non-Hispanic adolescents presenting with a much higher probability of lifetime PTSD compared to their Hispanic and Black peers. Implications for future research and practice are discussed, specifically trauma informed strategies and culturally inclusive/specific practices that address the structural, interpersonal, and intrapersonal influences adolescent outcomes.

Validation of a Cyber Bullying and Victimization Measure Among Elementary School-Aged Children Abstract Drastic increases in access to and use of technology among younger children has given rise to concerns about their exposure to cyber forms of bullying and victimization. However, few validated measures exist for accurately capturing younger children’s involvement. To this end, the purpose of the present study is to investigate the validity of a cyberbullying and victimization measure. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the construct validity of the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire on a sample of 841 3rd through 5th grade students that was previously validated on 7th–10th grade adolescents. Findings suggest that this measure may adequately capture younger children’s exposure to cyber victimization but may be less sensitive to capturing their perpetration of cyber bullying. Study findings also provide some support that cyber bullying may represent a unique form of bullying that is distinct from traditional forms. Implications for social work practice with children and adolescents are discussed in light of the need for accurate and reliable assessment tools for practitioners.

Resiliency and Adolescent Motherhood in the Context of Residential Foster Care Abstract The purpose of the current study was to explore how adolescent mothers experienced pregnancy and parenthood within the context of residential foster care. Adolescent mothers in foster care are a vulnerable population although little research has explored their experiences, particularly from a resiliency framework. The present study begins to fill this gap by conducting focus group interviews with 39 adolescent mothers living in residential foster care. Using thematic analytic methodology, we uncovered themes that highlighted not only the mothers’ struggles, but also their capacities for resilience. Specifically, the mothers experienced societal stigma, parenting judgment, and challenging relationships with their child(ren)’s father as common struggles. However, the mothers described how the social support they received and the relationships they formed with the other adolescent mothers living in residential foster care allowed them to develop resiliency including through specific lifestyle changes that helped them to prepare for motherhood.

Youth Transition Home from Residential Mental Health Treatment: Caregivers’ Perspective Abstract Residential treatment (RT) provides a secure setting where youth with moderate to severe emotional and behavioral disorders reside long-term to receive treatment and care. The purpose of this study was to explore caregivers’ perceptions of their child’s immediate transition home following residential treatment. Ten mothers of youth discharged from RT participated in a semi-structured interview approximately 4 weeks after discharge from RT in Ontario, Canada. The mothers’ reports suggested that there was initially some nervousness in the family but that the youth and family members made good effort in their relationship and youth made good efforts in school. About 40% of participants reported that initially the common problems prior to admission to RT were absent; however, about 2 weeks later these problems resurfaced. Caregivers also reported that youth had difficulty connecting with friends and peers, seemed nervous when re-stablishing relationships with caregivers and had difficulty managing their emotions and life’s challenges. Most participants reported a perceived lack of professional supports for caregivers and youth following RT. Participants’ narratives indicated a need for a continuity of care after RT. Further implications for practice and research are discussed.

Executive Functioning Outcomes Among Adolescents Receiving Dialectical Behavior Therapy Abstract Changes in the adolescent brain underlie the development of executive functions (EFs) after the onset of puberty; however, adolescents that engage in deliberate self-harm (DSH) have impaired EFs in the areas of inhibition, emotion regulation, shifting, and interpersonal functioning. On the other hand, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has been shown to be effective in treating adolescents with DSH. Moreover, the DBT skills of mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and “walking the middle path” are suited to treat these adolescents with impaired EFs. This single group pre-post study examined changes in adolescents’ EFs who were enrolled in DBT. Ninety-three adolescents from a 16-week DBT program for DSH were administered the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Self Report (BRIEF-SR) at pre-treatment and post-treatment. Adolescents improved from the elevated to non-clinical range on the Emotional Control, Shifting, and Monitor scales in addition to the Global Executive Composite of the BRIEF-SR. Significant effects for funding type on shifting, interpersonal functioning, and overall EF were observed while a significant effect for previous history of psychiatric hospitalizations was observed for emotion regulation. DBT appears to be effective for improving the EFs of adolescents with DSH and for specific subgroups of this population. Knowledge of these adolescents’ profile of EFs will assist clinicians in determining the type and level of intervention with DBT in order to shape positive behaviors during this important period of brain development.

Platforms and Patterns for Practice: LGBTQ+ Youths’ Use of Information and Communication Technologies Abstract LGBTQ+ (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) youths’ engagement with information and communication technologies (ICTs) allows them to access social support, develop their identities, and increase their well-being in a context of relative safety. However, a significant knowledge gap remains regarding the patterns of LGBTQ+ youths’ use of ICTs, how ICT usage varies among LGBTQ+ sub-populations, as well as how LGBTQ+ youths’ usage compares to the general youth population. This article investigates the use of ICTs by a geographically diverse, cross-sectional survey sample (n = 6309) of LGBTQ+ youth (ages 14–29) from across the United States and Canada. The sample’s use of mobile and non-mobile digital devices, their time spent engaging online, and their participation on a wide variety of social media and other online platforms were studied. A comparison of participants’ experiences was also undertaken based upon their sociodemographic characteristics—particularly age, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethno-racial identity, community type, and socioeconomic status. Significant implications for contemporary social work practice with diverse LGBTQ+ youth populations and sub-populations by individual service providers and social service organizations are discussed.