Non-Violent Resistance Workshop Parental Vigilant care among Juvenile delinquents

1. Non-Violent Resistance WorkshopParental Vigilant care among Juvenile delinquents Zohar Lotringer Under the guidance of Prof. Haim Omer

2. Our project • Establishing a therapeutic manual for the designated population • Pilot study • Pilot’s results, conclusions, essential amendments • Full scale study

3. Overview • The "Vigilant Care“ (VC) model. • The population we are working with. • Our Therapeutic manual: - Its manifestation process. - Basic NVR principles underlined in the manual. - Teaching and practicing the three levels of VC with parents. • Pilot study: - results. - parent’s quotes. - Conclusions.

4. -The Vigilant Care model-(Omer, 2008; 2013)

5. "Vigilant Care“ (VC): a central concept drawn from the NVR approach. • Many studies have shown: specific parental styles decrease in dangerous activities. • conflicting evidence: what is the advisable parenting style?? • This model was manifested in order to suggest a solution for conflicting evidence, while combining the vast knowledge gathered throughout the years into one integrative model (Omer, Dritter & Satran,2016).

6. A Graded Parental attitude The VC model emphasizes a graded parental attitude, taken according to the danger signals the parents detect from their child: • Open attention • Routinely. • parental involvement, open discourse, watchful eye. (2) focused attention • If the parent detects possible reasons for concern. • Checking and asking direct questions. (3) active protection • If the parent realizes that the child is in danger. • Taking decisive action to protect him.

7. This model enables parents to achieve several goals • The lowest level – promotes autonomy, trust, open dialogue. • Open attention – increase the chance to detect reasons for concern. • Willingness to increase VC if needed – shows parental presence and obligation. • The amount of autonomy the child receives is a function of his behavior. • Linking protective actions to danger signals – legitimacy of the parental action. • High VC only when the situation clearly calls for it – avoiding intrusive actions and “over parenting”. .

8. All three levels of VC more “Parental Knowledge” reduction of risk. • "Parental Knowledge“ - The amount of knowledge a parent has on his child's behavior and daily routine (Sttatin and Kerr, 2000). • The VC actions are done in an open and declared manner! • The child establish a feeling of protective and positive parental accompaniment – a base for the ability to internalize that accompaniment and look after himself later on.

9. Previous studies – Vigilant Care Therapeutic interventions based on the VC model - efficient in improving parent and child’s feelings and functioning. • “normative” population • specific risks: internet use, unsafe sex, drugs and alcohol use. A full scale study conducted in Israel (Shimshoni, 2013): An intervention focused on helping parents to conduct the three levels of vigilant care can substantially reduce dangerous driving among young drivers.

10. The population we are working with…

11. The Israeli Juvenile Probation Service A Social-therapeutic authority, working as a national unit in the Israeli welfare ministry. The population in the probation service: • adolescents in the ages of 12-18 that have committed a crime. • Risk – socializing with delinquent peers, difficult emotional state, vagrancy, violence, alcohol and drug use… • Family difficulties – traumatic events, financial difficulties, disputes, lack of boundaries, rejection or disconnection. Current therapy methods: • individual or group therapy for the adolescents. • In very few cases - parental guidance. • willingness to work with parents, however doubts and concerns about the potential difficulties involved.

12. The “Vigilant care among young delinquents” manual

13. Written under the guidance of prof. Haim Omer, with help of experts. • After preliminary testing, amendments were made. • 12 group sessions + follow up session: - Theoretical background for each session. - Directive guidelines for the therapists. • Therapists – probation officers (social workers). • Supervision.

14. How do we encourage parents to join and pursue the group? Detailed instructions – How to encourage participation: • the importance of parental involvement facing the child's criminal offence, the importance of the father’s involvement! • Practical tools. • Emphasis on central principles and the three vigilant care levels. • detailed information, examples, slogans, phrases, role playing. • Between sessions – “Home work”, text messages.

15. NVR principles underlined in the manual The parent should apply VC while avoiding escalation! • When the child objects, threatens or tries to get his parent to retreat from steps of VC, the parent should avoid: - Parental surrender - Parental attack • the parent should avoid escalation and confrontations, and remain determined in his VC position. But how???

16. Preparing the parent in advance for possible reactions. • Strengthening the parent’s sense of legitimacy - "this is my duty as a parent“. - Matching the level of VC to the risk level. • Working on self-control X"if I won't fight back I will be perceived as weak and will not be respected“. • “I am the strongest when I stick to my parental goals without being drugged to provocations, confrontationsand justifications. • Delaying response – “strike the iron when it is cold!” the parent should delay his response and respond calmly after both he and the child calms down.

17. broadening the parent's support network • A broad safety net full of sensors for efficient VC, as opposed to an isolated parent. • what is the supporter's role? How can he help with all three VC levels? • Helping parents create a list of potential supporters in their lives. • How to "recruit" a supporter? • Clinical example and discussion. • Role playing – dealing with a severely angry reaction of the child. staying in vigilant position and avoiding escalation. "we feel like it’s a difficult time for us, and we have decided to get all the support we need“.

18. The parent's goal should not be to control the child! • It is a central obstacle when the parent focuses solely on the child's behavior. • the parent has limited control over the child. he can only control himself! • We encourage a focus on the parent’s positions and behaviors, instead of attempting to shape the child’s emotions, thoughts or behavior. • The VC's goal is to establish constant presence in the child’s life in a way that delivers the message: "I am your parent! You can't dismiss me from this job!"

19. Vigilant Care is a parental position that does not require the child’s consent! • VC is a parental duty. • A child's cooperation, if received, is great. However, it is possible and even necessary to conduct VC when the child objects and protests! • One of our goals is to teach the parent to have calm and persistent responses and remain vigilant! “I know it’s not within my power to control you and your behavior, but it is my parental duty to look after you and I will not give up on you!"

20. Applying VC while keeping the child’s right for privacy and trust How can VC coexist with the teenager's need for privacy? How can it coexist with the need to trust the child? • The right to receive trust and privacy is not unlimited or unconditioned. • Privacy is an important value – but the child's safety is more valuable! • Conditioned trust: VC is a flexible process that becomes tighter or looser according to the amount of risk or distress.

21. Long-term Vigilant Care • VC is not a focused or temporary solution to a specific problem. • It is a constant parental position, in which the parent shifts flexibly according to need. • Preparations for long term VC: • The parent should prepper himself to constantly keep a watchful eye, actively resist risky behaviors and peruse VC. • It is most likely that the changes in the child's state will be very gradual and will require continues efforts and tolerance.

22. The way we present the three levels of Vigilant Care to parents -Open attention- • What is open attention VC and why is it important? • In what situation do we use it? • How do we use it? • Interest and involvement in the child's life. • creating more routine contact with the child. • Elaborating on scenarios for potentially problematic events: describing the way the situation is likely to take place. marking potential problems. possible reactions in order to stay out of trouble.

23. Role playing - scenarios for potentially problematic events   “Your child is about to leave for a routine friends gathering. You are worried that during the gathering your child will be presented with an offer to engage in an illegal activity (stealing, driving a car, drugs, alcohol…). You are interested in "preparing" him for this situation by establishing with him a possible scenariofor this event”. • The parents are divided to groups of three – one parent, one supporterand one child. Each parents choses to exercise a situation most relevant in his own home.

24. Open dialogue • Two main types: - Open conversation regarding everyday subjects. - Open conversation regarding potential risk factors. • Ways to establish an open dialogue with the child: • Time and place. • Listen patiently. Do Not interrogate, threaten or lecture. • Parent's sharing. • Directive questions or opening lines: “lately I have noticed that you tend to come back moody from school. It’s important for me to know what you are going through”. • Potential challenges and ways for dealing with them • Practice and role playing • “Home work“.

25. -Focused attention- • What is focused attention and why is it important? • In what situations do we use it? examples for warning signals? • How do we use it? - Asking direct questions on the worrying subject - establishing rules and boundaries. • Examples and active role playing • “Home work“: • detect two warning signals that requires focused attention. • Tell your child that you are worried and will look closely. • conduct a focused conversation about the worrying behavior.

26. guidelines for applying focused conversation before the conversation: • Define the information you would like to receive. • Decide what are your positions and boundaries. • Prepare yourself for different chain of events. • Tell the child that you plan on looking closely. • Choose a proper time for a calm conversation. During the conversation: • Avoid escalation. • Avoid threats and lectures. • Don’t except vague answers. • Explain to the child what are you asking.

27. -Active protection- • What is active protection and why is it important? The highest level of VC –parents resist to dangerous behaviors. One sided action! Does not depend on the child's consent! • In what situations do we use it? examples for warning signals? • Potential challenges • Exercise: Identify 3 risk behaviors of your child, that requires actions. • Clinical example and a discussion: what were the warning signs in this case ? How did the parent deal with things? Do you agree? What works for you and what is more challenging for you as a parent? • Parents learn and exercise two basic active protection tools.

28. The traffic light metaphoridentify warning signals and decide what level of VC is relevant Active protection actual risk! Focused attention Initial warning signals. Open attention Routinely, no signs for trouble.

29. The pilot study

30. Is the VC model compatible for this population? Is our intervention relevant? Acceptable? Applicable? • 36 parents participated In the pilot study. • Two treatment groups - VC group intervention - before\after\follow-up. • Two matching control groups - "treatment as usual“ – before\after. • Mixed method design – quantitative and qualitative research methods.

31. Main results parents who participated in the VC group therapy showed: • increase in parental anchoring (Structure, parental presence, social support, self-control) • decrease in parental helplessness • increase in vigilant care • increase in child spontaneous disclosure • increase in parental involvement and attempt to achieve information

32. Treatment vs control group 1: • statistically significant rise in parental anchoring in the treatment group alone (p<.05). • First group • statistically significant rise (p<.05) • second group • marginally significant rise (p<.1)

33. Treatment vs control group 1: • statistically significant rise in parental knowledge in the treatment group alone (p<.05). • First group • Not statistically significant rise • second group • marginally significant rise (p<.1)

34. Qualitative results Parent's reaction was very positive: • Very good feedbacks on the content and setting • very meaningful experience in being a part of a group • The intervention had a lot of meaningful contribution: - the parents received new information and practical tools - increase in self-control - more involvement and VC at home - more communication and cooperation with the spouse - positive change in family atmosphere and child's behavior • Most parents spontaneously shared a feeling of meaningful change, achievement and satisfaction!

35. Pilot study’s conclusions • In a preliminary manner the proposed intervention has been found efficient. • It seemed there is essential need for this kind of intervention in the clinical field we have tested, and the proposed intervention is compatible for answering this need. • meaningful evidence to the intervention’s compatibility and efficiency in this population: • improvement showed in both Qualitativeand quantitative results. • No drop out ! • Future challenges and plans…

36. Thank you for your attention! Zohar lotringer zoharlot8@gmail.com