disorders in the Russian North
Emotional and behavioural disorders are related to the child’s central nervous system neurobiological and functional features, the aetiology and pathogenesis of which are integrated. Therefore, the Institute staff focuses on neuro- and psycho-physiological methods in the research of these disorders (Deputat et al.
2013, 45–55). The Institute is successful in applying for different grants. The results of the research into emotional and behavioural disorders are presented in numerous publications, including the publication list of the Russian State Commission for Academic Titles, methodological recommendations, study guides and monographs. The Institute staff members regularly take part in different conferences in Russia and overseas.
Since 2005 we have been running special course programmes such as Behavioural disorders of children and teenagers, a professional training programme for educational and rehabilitation organisations staff – ADHD, Tourette’s and Asperger’s syndromes. These programmes cover both modern views of aetiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and the results of the Institute research into the issue, analysis of extensive experience in assisting children with emotional and behavioural disorders and their families.
Since 2007 the Arkhangelsk Region Ministry of Education and Science has been commissioning the Institute professional courses for educational
organizations staff. At present more than 70 specialists from the Arkhangelsk Region and Nenets Autonomous Okrug educational organizations have received knowledge about contemporary methods of diagnosing and treating emotional and behavioural disorders. Professional courses are part of the international project implemented with partners from Norway. After completing the professional courses learners are awarded with a state certificate of professional training (72 academic hours) and an international certificate in accordance with the Bologna process provisions.
Research and education activities are closely connected with practical support given to children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Effective rehabilitation and treatment of children depends on the efforts of various specialists – doctors, teachers, psychologists, as well as on a wide range of non-medical technologies and the active involvement of the family and social environment into achieving positive results.
At present a psychologist, a psychotherapist, a pediatrician, a neurologist, a special education teacher and a speech pathologist work in the Centre. Children with emotional and behavioral disorders are supported in accordance with international acts in the sphere of children’s rights, federal laws, decrees of the RF President, resolutions and regulations of the RF Government, decisions of the Arkhangelsk Region Ministries, the Statute of NArFU named after M.V. Lomonosov, the Statute of Biomedical Research Institute and the Statute of Sodeystvie Centre. The Centre is financed by the regional budget within the framework of the state contract
between NArFU and the Arkhangelsk Region Ministry of Education and Science, which makes highly professional special assistance free and available to all children in the Region.
Every year around one thousand children have a check-up in the Sodeystvie Centre (more than 700 of them for the first time). Many children undergo diagnosis and rehabilitation activities.
Teachers visit the Centre too in order to coordinate work and rehabilitation measures in concrete cases. Apart from consulting, diagnosing and rehabilitating work, the Centre deals with the child’s family and social environment, family and group therapy, courses and seminars for teachers and parents. (Gribanov &
Pankov 2010, 4-8.)
At present the Biomedical Research Institute has significant research experience in the sphere of diagnosing and rehabilitating support of children and teenagers with different educational needs, as well as with emotional and behavioral disorders; experience in applying results to the practice of regional schools in Arkhangelsk, Severodvinsk, Novodvinsk towns. Such work is done to a lesser degree in municipalities, therefore, children living in remote northern areas have a limited access to special diagnosing and rehabilitating assistance.
Establishing a regional network of children’s distant consulting is relevant both in theoretical and practical terms and corresponds to the development priority of NArFU named after M.V.
Lomonosov: «Northern (polar) medicine and health care». Implementing the research-based model of the distant consulting regional network for children with emotional and behavioral disorders
in the remote areas of the Northern Arctic region will have results that can be disseminated in other Russian regions.
We have developed a model of a distant consulting regional network for children with emotional and behavioral disorders.
It consists of two resource centres and regional psychological, medical and pedagogical commissions in the municipalities. (Pankov 2013, 30–38.)
Participants of the distant consulting network are a resource centre in the Biomedical Research Institute – Sodeystvie Centre of a child’s development competences, staff of NArFU developmental physiology and health care science department; the resource centre of the central psychological, medical and pedagogical commission; regional commissions in municipalities; parents, caregivers, legal representatives of the child with special educational needs.
The process of cooperation between all participants of the distant consulting regional network for children with emotional and behavioral disorders will involve preparing and harmonising the following: a child’s individual educational route; guidelines for specialists in children’s psychological, medical and pedagogical support; guidelines for a child’s parents. Major research and practical results achieved by the Sodeystvie Centre of a child’s development competences will be later published in methodological recommendations, articles in reviewed Russian or international journals, scientific papers collections and conference materials.
The North poses the entire formation of the child’s functional systems to stricter requirements, especially when it comes to oxygen consumption and transportation. The climate and the environment of the European North add to the functional load on the growing body, causing many of its functional systems to adjust themselves and ultimately brining them into a cardinally new state of being adapted – a process that takes a certain biosocial price to pay.
The ages, which are described as most weather-sensitive and which involve re-tuning of the functional status of blood circulation system, are 8, 10 and 14–16 for boys and 7, 11 and 13–15 for girls. Social risk factors are able to largely modify the degree to which northern children are able to adapt themselves to climate and environment, as they deteriorate children’s health.
Sensorial deprivation and hard depressive disorders can proceed during the polar night. The solar radiation that is increasing during the polar day can initiate nerve excitation, acrimony and then hyper alertness and nervous prostration, increase in arterial pressure, changes in all body systems.
Photoperiodical violations impact not only the general human well-being, his physical and mental activity but also the adaptive capacity to ever-changing environmental conditions.
The regulation of the schoolchildren’s balanced diet, study hours, physical activity and rest makes it possible to adapt to the extreme circumpolar conditions and to preserve health and high working efficiency.
Recently, more and more educators are displaying interest in health issues. Teachers realize that there is dependence between health levels and quality of education. They arrange health-improving activities at schools. When enhancing the structure and content of the general curricula, it is necessary that dedicated child functional development monitoring centers be established to keep track of the health levels in primary and senior school children. One of these centers is the Sodeystvie Child Development Competency Centeras part of the NArFU Institute of Medical and Biological Research.
References
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Deputat I.S., Dzhos Ju.S., Pankov M.N., Starceva L.F., Rysina N.N. & Sidorova E.Ju. 2013.
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Gribanov A.V. & Danilova R.I. 1994. Obshhaja harakteristika klimato-geograficheskih uslovij Russkogo Severa i adaptivnyh reakcij cheloveka v holodnoj klimaticheskoj zone (obzor). [General characteristics of climatic and geographical conditions of the Russian North and human adaptive responses in cold climate zone (review)]. Sever. Deti.
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This article sets out to analyze how hardships of life, type of family, employment status, and coping strategies are related to life satisfaction and school performance. Particular attention is given to whether type of family, employment status, and coping strategies serve as protecting factors while encountering hardships. The article focuses on country-wise differences and similarities between the countries. A special attention is also given to explanations for differences and similarities.
Introduction
In the first part of the article relevant research on the relationships of family structure and socio-economic status (SES) to life events, stress, life satisfaction, and school performance is presented.
The parts played by bullying and coping are also analyzed in relation to stress and life satisfaction.
Bjarnason et al. (2012) studied life satisfaction in different family structures
in 36 western societies. They found that children living with both biological parents or in joint physical custody reported higher levels of life satisfaction than did children in other family structures. Family affluence had a positive impact on life satisfaction.
Glascock, Andersen, Labriola, Rasmussen and Hansen (2013) conducted a study of the relationship that negative life events and coping with them had with perceived stress among Danish adolescents. Both negative life events and perceived stress decreased along with household income. Higher household income was indicative of higher active coping and lower avoidance coping. High perceived stress was predicted by many negative life events, high avoidance coping, and low active coping. The associations of coping with stress were more pronounced for girls. Chandler, Million and Shermis (1985) also found a significant relationship between SES and life events. Children from families from lower SES groups had more events. Singh, Soni, Gill and Kaur (1991) found a positive association between stressful family events and somatic complaints among Raimo Rajala