Supporting peer support. Problems and perspectives of individual, social, and organizational interventions to build resilience in schools

Sonderegger, P (Peter)¹, Steinebach, C (Christoph)^2
1Department of Public Schools, Canton Bern, Sulgeneckstrasse 70, CH 3005, Bern
², ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, School of Applied Psychology,, Pfinsgtweidstrasse 96, CH 8037, Zürich

 

Submission type

Oral only

Scheduled

Room 118, 11-07-2019, 13:30 - 15:00

Keywords

Positive Peer Culture, Mindfulness, Self Efficacy, Mental Health, Generosity, Health Promotion, Peers

Summary

Research on positive attitudes and emotions suggest that mindfulness-based interventions enhance positive qualities such as empathy and well-being. Evaluations of interventions targeting pro-social behavior show sustainable effects on self-efficacy and resilience. In addition, peer-related interventions seem to be more sustainable as they meet basic needs and interests of the adolescents. For this interventions following the concept of “Positive Peer Culture” (PPC), an approach developed by H. Vorrath and L.K. Brendtro in the 1980th seems to be most promising. Over a year we implemented PPC for adolescents in a school (N=482 with 295 adolescents in the intervention group). During group meetings the young people were taught and encouraged to help each other within their class. After the project started, the young people were asked about the class climate, attitudes, and selected personality traits. The survey was repeated at the end of the project (10 months).

Using the bio-psycho-social model research results highlight the core variables and basic mechanisms of emotional and behavioral change as a result of the meetings. They show that discussing needs, emotions, and searching for solutions in the group meetings are helpful to strengthen the positive interrelation between top-down and bottom-up processes of emotional control.

Auteurs