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Improving Educational Outcomes for Students Exposed to Violence: the CBITS Program

Improving Educational Outcomes for Students Exposed to Violence: the CBITS Program . Marleen Wong, Ph.D., Director Crisis Counseling and Intervention Services Los Angeles Unified School District LAUSD/RAND/UCLA Trauma Services Adaptation Center for Schools and Communities

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Improving Educational Outcomes for Students Exposed to Violence: the CBITS Program

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  1. Improving Educational Outcomes for Students Exposed to Violence: the CBITS Program Marleen Wong, Ph.D., DirectorCrisis Counseling and Intervention Services Los Angeles Unified School District LAUSD/RAND/UCLA Trauma Services Adaptation Center for Schools and Communities National Child Traumatic Stress Network/SAMHSA

  2. How does violence exposure impact learning? q  Decreased IQ and reading ability (Delaney-Black et al., 2003) q  Lower grade-point average (Hurt et al., 2001) q More days of school absence (Hurt et al., 2001) q  Decreased rates of high school graduation (Grogger, 1997) q  Increased expulsions and suspensions (LAUSD Survey)

  3. THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP? The negative effects of trauma exposure may explain one aspect of the bleak reality that African American and Latino students continue to trail far behind their Caucasian peers in schools, such as higher drop out rates from high school after generations of education “reform”.

  4. How does distress from violence affect students in the classroom? • Decline in classroom performance from • Inability to concentrate • Flashbacks, preoccupation with trauma • Avoidance of school and other places • Development of other behavioral and emotional problems • Substance abuse • Aggression • Depression

  5. Which students are at greatest risk for violence exposure? • Ethnic minorities (90% in LAUSD) • Lower socio-economic status (73% in LAUSD on free or reduced lunch program) • Older children • Early conduct problems • Living in urban areas or in areas of high poverty and crime • Males

  6. Why a Program for Traumatized Students? One night several years ago, I saw men shootingat each other, people running to hide. I was scaredand I thought I was going to die. After this happened, I started to have nightmares. I felt scared all the time. I couldn’t concentrate in class like before. I had thoughts that something bad could happen to me. I started to get in a lot of fights at school and with my brothers. Martin, 6th grader

  7. Why a Program for Traumatized Students? One night several years ago, I saw men shootingat each other, people running to hide. I was scaredand I thought I was going to die. After this happened, I started to have nightmares. I felt scared all the time. I couldn’t concentrate in class like before. I had thoughts that something bad could happen to me. I started to get in a lot of fights at schooland with my brothers. Martin, 6th grader

  8. What can be done for students exposed to violence? • Early detection of violence exposure and associated distress • Teaching students skills to cope better with distress and to learn social problem solving skills • Informing teachers and parents how they can support these students in the classroom and at home

  9. Results of a school-wide screening of LAUSD 6th graders Type ofexposurereported Knife or gun involved Victimization Witnessed violence 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

  10. Screening also identified many children with clinical symptoms Type ofexposurereported Symptoms

  11. Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Trauma in Schools: The CBITS Program • 10 child group therapy sessions for trauma symptoms • 1-3 individual child sessions for exposure to trauma memory and treatment planning • Parent sessions on education about trauma, parenting support • A teacher in-service includes education about detecting and supporting traumatized students in the classroom

  12. Key Program Components • Educating students about trauma and common symptoms • Relaxation training and fear thermometer • Cognitive therapy • Learning to face the trauma • Building skills to get along with others

  13. CBITS tailored for delivery in schools • CBITS can be provided by school-based clinicians • Short training (2 days maximum) • Ongoing supervision can be provided • Easy to follow treatment manual with handouts for students • CBITS is feasible within schools • Sessions occur during one class period • Can be flexible with school schedule • Minimal burden on teachers • Easy identification of students for the program • Short screening questionnaire filled out by students

  14. CBITS developed for multicultural communities • CBITS has been delivered to immigrant and non-immigrant communities in LAUSD • CBITS has been delivered in multiple languages • CBITS program is flexible to meet the needs of students and families from diverse backgrounds

  15. Program evaluation overview 61 students receive program immediately 159 students eligible for program 769 students screened for eligibility 126 students randomly assigned 65 students to receive program later

  16. Treatment improves trauma symptoms Immediate CBITS group Delayed group Received CBITS Observation 30 25 AveragePTSDsymptomsscore 20 15 10 5 0 Before program 3-monthassessment 6-monthassessment Stein et al., JAMA 2003

  17. Improvement in symptoms lasts Immediate CBITS group Delayed group Received CBITS Observation 30 25 AveragePTSDsymptomsscore 20 15 10 5 0 Before program 3-monthassessment 6-monthassessment Stein et al., JAMA 2003

  18. Parents report children doing better Immediate CBITS group Delayed group Received CBITS Observation 25 20 Averagepsychosocialimpairmentscore 15 10 5 0 Before program 3-monthassessment 6-monthassessment Stein et al., JAMA 2003

  19. Improvement in functioning lasts Immediate CBITS group Delayed group Received CBITS Observation 25 20 Averagepsychosocialimpairmentscore 15 10 5 0 Before program 3-monthassessment 6-monthassessment Stein et al., JAMA 2003

  20. Grades and classroom behavior improved • As trauma symptoms decreased, grades improved • Teachers reported fewer classroom learning problems after program • U.S. Department of Education has identified CBITS as a program that meets the standards of NCLB

  21. Recommendations: The President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health • Bring Science to School Services • Train school psychologists, social workers and counselors in effects of trauma and trauma interventions • Include teacher pre-service education on trauma and learning • Build the knowledge base for the treatment of trauma • Insist on outcome measures after crisis interventions • Expand and enhance school-based mental health programs • Organize existing school and community resources into integrated school mental health services

  22. Further reading Jaycox, L. (2004). Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools. Longmont, CO: Sopris West Educational Services. Jaycox, L.H., Stein, B., Kataoka, S., Wong, M., Fink, A., Escudera, P. & Zaragoza, C. (2002). Violence exposure, PTSD, and depressive symptoms among recent immigrant school children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 41(9): 1104-1110. Kataoka, S., Stein, B. D., Jaycox, L. H., Wong, M., Escudero, P., Tu, W., Zaragoza, C. & Fink, A. (2003). Effectiveness of a school-based mental health program for traumatized Latino immigrant children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 42(3):311-318. Stein, B.D., Jaycox, L.H., Kataoka, S., Rhodes, H. & Vestal, K. (2003) Prevalence of child and adolescent exposure to community violence. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review,6(4):247-264.

  23. Further reading Stein, B.D., Jaycox, L.H., Kataoka, S.H., Wong, M., Tu, W., Elliott, M.N. & Fink, A. (2003). A mental health intervention for schoolchildren exposed to violence: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 290(5): 603-11. Stein, B., Kataoka, S., Jaycox, L., Wong, M., Fink, A., Escudero, P. & Zaragoza, C. (2002). Theoretical basis and program design of a school based mental health intervention for traumatized immigrant children: A collaborative research partnership. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 29(3), 318-326. Stein, B. D., Kataoka, S., Jaycox, L.H., Steiger, E.M., Wong, M., Fink, A., Escudero, P., Zaragoza, C. (2003). The Mental Health for Immigrants Project: Program design and participatory research in the real world. In: M.D. Weist, S. Evans, N. Lever (Eds) Handbook of School Mental Health: Advancing Practice and Research. (pp. 179-190). New York: Kluwer Academic/ Plenum Publishers.

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