Future Action Against Bullying

Today I will finish discussing the academic journal article, “The causes and nature of bullying and social exclusion in schools” by Maria el Mar Badia Martin. Badia Martin states that “existing research gives a number of pointers as to how to improve intervention effectiveness [against bullying] in the future.” As a result, on this occasion I will discuss the future of school bullying, including topics that, according to Badia Martin, should be focused on when creating strategies against school bullying.

Badia Martin states that presently “anti-bullying materials often emphasize the more obvious physical and direct verbal forms [of bullying].” As a result, Badia Martin believes that more attention should be paid to “girls bullying, […rumor]-spreading, and social exclusion.” In my opinion, focusing on indirect forms of bullying, such as rumor spreading, will continue to increase in importance. As technology advances, this type of bullying is becoming more prevalent and increasingly easier to commit. Thus bullying committed through technology and social media is bound to increase. As a result, I believe researchers should work on creating strategies that aim to prevent bullying committed through the use of technology and social media, before it becomes a huge problem.

In a previous blog, I expressed my belief that researchers should focus on creating anti-bullying strategies aimed at transforming “Neutral Outsiders” into “Defenders”. Badia Martin seems to share this belief because she expresses that “peer support schemes can aim to turn ‘bystanders’ into ‘defenders’.” Badia Martin also states that “since roles take time to get established, starting anti-bullying work early, including, for example, awareness raising and assertiveness training in infant and junior schools, may be important.” In other words, Badia Martin believes that anti-bullying strategies should be implemented at an early age. This statement seems to support a claim I made  in a previous blog in which I stated that the way to stop a problem, such as bullying, is to prevent it from ever developing and occurring.

The text notes that although “teachers have good knowledge about some aspects of bullying [, they…] do not feel fully equipped to tackle it." In fact, the text states that “since 1996, several successful legal actions have been taken by pupils or their parents against schools in which they were persistently bullied.” As a result, I believe that strategies aimed at reducing school bullying should focus on ensuring that teachers are equipped with adequate strategies and methods for addressing school bullying. Badia Martin seems to share my opinion because she states that a challenge “is to ensure that school policies form a sound base for further action, informed by the continuing research on the issue.” The text states that although “some schools now have an anti-bullying policy; […] there is no clear evidence that the quality or content of [the] anti-bullying policies, in themselves, predict [victimization] rates."

Badia Martin acknowledges that “schools have a vital role in reducing bullying.” However, Badia Martin also notes that “wider society; parenting skills and [behaviors]; portrayals of violence in the mass media; and attitudes to aggression, bullying, and violence in society, the workplace (including among teachers), and the local community,” also have an influence in reducing bullying.  In my opinion, this is an important idea to keep in mind. As previously stated, in another blog, there is no “clear cut solution” or “one-size-fits-all solution” that will be able to get rid of school bullying in its entirety because each school has its own unique context. As a result, each school  will need to create its own unique strategy that works at effectively diminishing school bullying. Keeping Badia Martin's aforementioned characteristics in mind will ultimately help researchers develop effective strategies for reducing school bullying.

Common Misconceptions about Individuals with Autism

You might have heard about a neighbor who hasn't spoken a word since the age of three. Or maybe you learned someone in your math class has autism. Although an estimated 1 in 110 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, because it is a spectrum, each person will face different challenges. DoSomething.org talked to Autism Speaks, the nation's largest autism science and advocacy group, in order to debunk common myths about autism.

1. 1. People with autism don't want friends. If someone in your class has autism, she probably struggles with social skills, which may make it difficult to interact with peers. She might seem shy or unfriendly, but that's just because she is unable communicate her desire for relationships the same way you do.
2. 2. People with autism can't feel or express any emotion—happy or sad. Autism doesn't make an individual unable to feel the emotions you feel, it just makes the person communicate emotions (and perceive your expressions) in different ways.
3. 3. People with autism can't understand the emotions of others. Autism often affects an individual's ability to understand unspoken interpersonal communication, so someone with autism might not detect sadness based solely on one's body language or sarcasm in one's tone of voice. But, when emotions are communicated more directly, people with autism are much more likely to feel empathy and compassion for others.
4. 4. People with autism are intellectually disabled. Often times, autism brings with it just as many exceptional abilities as limitations. Many people with autism have normal to high IQs and some may excel at math, music or another pursuit.
5. 5. People with autism are just like Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning its characteristics vary significantly from person to person. Knowing one person with autism means just that—knowing one person with autism. His or her capabilities and limitations are no indication of the capabilities and limitations of another person with autism.
6. 6. People who display qualities that may be typical of a person with autism are just odd and will grow out of it. Autism stems from biological conditions that affect brain development and, for many individuals, is a life long condition.
7. 7. People with autism will have autism forever. Recent research has shown that children with autism can make enough improvement after intensive early intervention to "test out" of the autism diagnosis. This is more evidence for the importance of addressing autism when the first signs appear.
8. 8. Autism is just a brain disorder. Research has shown that many people with autism also have gastro-intestinal disorders, food sensitivities, and many allergies.
9. 9. Autism is caused by bad parenting. In the 1950s, a theory called the "refrigerator mother hypothesis" arose suggesting that autism was caused by mothers who lacked emotional warmth. This has long been disproved.
10. 10. The prevalence of autism has been steadily increasing for the last 40 years. The rate of autism has increased by 600% in the last 20 years. In 1975, an estimated 1 in 1,500 had autism. In 2009, an estimated 1 in 110 had an autism spectrum disorder.
11. 11. Therapies for people with autism are covered by insurance. Most insurance companies exclude autism from the coverage plan and only half of the 50 states currently require coverage for treatments of autism spectrum disorders.

Sources:
Autism Speaks 

Can Autism be seen as an Advantage?

Autistic people should not be stigmatised for their condition but have their abilities recognised, scientists have said Autism can be an advantage in giving people exceptional memories and visual skills, according to their research.

By seeing autism's differences as defects, researchers are failing to fully understand the condition, claims Dr Laurent Mottron, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal.

They can remember information they read weeks ago, and often outshine others in non-verbal intelligence tests, it was found.

They often outperform others in auditory and visual tests, and are less likely to misremember facts. In one test by Mottron, which involved completing a visual pattern, people with autism finished 40 per cent faster than those without the condition. 'It's time to start thinking of autism as an advantage in some spheres, not a cross to bear,' Dr Mottron wrote in an article published yesterday in science journal Nature.

He said unusual activity in autistic people's brains should be seen as 'evidence simply of their alternative, yet sometimes successful, brain organisation.'

Dr Mottron said he did not want to underplay the challenges of autism, adding: 'One out of 10 autistics cannot speak, nine out of 10 have no regular job and four out of five autistic adults are still dependent on their parents.'But people with autism can make significant contributions to society in the right environment, he said.

2Vital skills: Adults with autism can excel in jobs in laboratories

Several people with autism work in Dr Mottron's lab, and one researcher in particular, Michelle Dawson, made major contributions to the lab's understanding of the condition.

Intellectual disability may be over-estimated among people with autism because researchers use inappropriate tests, Mottron said. 

'In measuring the intelligence of a person with a hearing impairment, we wouldn't hesitate to eliminate components of the test that can’t be explained using sign language; why shouldn’t we do the same for autistics?'

'I no longer believe that intellectual disability is intrinsic to autism,' he added. 'To estimate the true rate, scientists should use only those tests that require no verbal explanation. 'But Rajesh Kana, an assistant professor in the department of psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, warned that autism should still be thought of as a disorder.

He said that people with severe autism have problems functioning in their day-to-day lives, and even people with milder autism can fall victim to deception, because of their limited ability to understand when someone is lying.

Coping Strategies for Bullying and Their Effectiveness

In today’s blog I will discuss bullying coping strategies presented within “The causes and nature of bullying and social exclusion in schools” by Maria el Mar Badia Martin. According to Badia Martin, the success of bullying coping strategies “varies and is age dependent and gender dependent.” However, one consensus that seems to be reached by various studies is that “non-assertive [coping] strategies such as crying are less successful than ignoring or seeking help.” What Badia Martin seems to highlight is that the success of bullying coping strategies varies by school. In other words, a bullying coping strategy that works within one school does not necessarily mean that it will be equally effective or successful within another school. The text seems to support my interpretation because it states that “the success of [students] seeking help [for bullying] will depend on the school context.”

Badia Martin states that an “important part of school context appears to be the existence of peer support systems,” which can encourage students to seek for help from “peer supporters, teachers or others.” According to the text, “there has been [a] growing interest in peer support and mediation as an approach to bullying.” However, the text acknowledges that “more evaluation research is needed [on the success of the aforementioned approach.]" In addition, the text points out several problems that can arise with peer support systems, “due to […] hostility to peer helpers from other pupils; difficulties in recruiting boys as peer supporters; issues of power sharing with staff; and ensuring sufficient time and resources for proper implementation.” The text notes that, so far, evaluations of peer support methods suggest “clear benefits for the peer supporters themselves, and general improvement of the school climate; but specific benefits for victims of bullying remain to be proven.” In fact, “evaluations of active listening/counseling-based approaches [have] found that the majority of peer supporters [report] benefits arising from the interpersonal skills and teamwork acquired in training;” users of peer support systems report that “peer supporters [offer] helpful interventions;” and most pupils and teachers believe that “the service [of active listening/counseling-based approaches is] having [a positive] impact on the school as a whole.”

While I agree that the support and guidance offered by peer support systems can be extremely beneficial to victims of bullying, I believe that the existence of peer support systems is not enough. In essence, I think it is a mistake if researchers and educators believe that the creation of peer support systems is the answer to diminishing bullying. In my opinion, an important question researchers should focus on is: How can schools encourage victims of bullying to use bullying coping strategies, such as peer support systems. What good is it if schools have peer support systems, but the victims of bullying refuse to use them?

A Day in the LIfe of a Student with Autism

This video shows a day in the life of several students with Autism that attend the Elija School. It really gives a sense of the way these students need to live and learn differently and how they can be accommodated in the classroom.

Article on the Currently Rising Rate of Autism in the USA

http://www.northjersey.com/news/health/special_needs/autism0323.html

Researchers are constantly trying to figure out why New Jersey has a very high rising rate of Autism. Are they alone or are all the other states skyrocketing as well? The article above shares many insights.

48 Random Interesting Facts about Autism

1. Eugen Bleuler (1857-1939), a Swiss psychiatrist, first termed “autism” but applied it to adult schizophrenia. In 1943, the term was redefined by Leo Kanner (1894-1981) who dissociated autism from schizophrenia to create the modern understanding of the disorder.
2. Autism affects one in every 150 children born in the United States.
3. If one identical twin is diagnosed with autism, the other twin has about 90% chance of develop an autistic disorder.
4. Mutations on chromosome 16 have been tied to autism. The glitch is in a DNA region that contains “morpheus” genes, or genes which historically have changed very rapidly as humans evolved. In other words, the same method that helped evolve human intelligence may contribute to autism.
5. There is no blood test, no scan, and no image that can detect autism. Diagnosis relies on behavioral observation and screening.
6. “Naughty Auties” is a virtual resource center for those with autism.
7. Environmental factors that could trigger predisposed genes to mutate and cause autism are vast and could include certain drugs, chemicals, heavy metal exposure, antibiotics, extensive television viewing, flame retardant, or infections during pregnancy.
8. A study suggests that counties with higher precipitation levels have higher autism rates.
9. A study from three states suggests that counties with higher precipitation levels have higher autism rates. Higher precipitation rates might carry more pollutants, decreased vitamin D levels, and increased television watching that could trigger autism.
10. Across a mere 10-year period—1993-2003—statistics from the U.S. Department of Education revealed a 657% increase in the nationwide rate of autism. Researchers debate whether autism rates are increasing or if broadening definitions of autism allow more people to be diagnosed.
11. Autism is more common than childhood cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined.
12. Researchers have found that the area of the brain called the amygdala was on average 13% larger in young children with autism compared with children without autism.
13. More and more doctors and researchers are referring to autism as autisms, because each child’s case is different, as are each child’s causes and treatments.
14. In 1998, a theory emerged that the MMR vaccine caused autism. Specifically, the theory argued that the vaccine lingered in the gut, causing gastrointestinal problems which led to autism. This very small study was discredited and debunked. In fact, while the rate of MMR vaccinates has remained constant, the rate of autism diagnoses has continued to soar.
15. The Obama administration earmarked $211 million for autism research. The president also advocates universal screening for all infants for autism disorders, as well as re-screening for all 2-year-olds.
16. Approximately 67 million people worldwide are affected by autism.
17. Any child younger than 3 years of age with developmental delays qualifies to receive services through Early Intervention, a government-mandated program that provides services to eligible children. Services are free and may include speech and language instruction as well as occupational and physical therapy.
18. In 2008, several autistic children from different families were linked to a single sperm donor called “Donor X.”
19. Many scholars believe autism is a combination of genetic vulnerability that is triggered by some kind of social or toxic influence.
20. One in 10 extremely premature infants tested positive for autism. Children who are born more than three months early have double the expected rate of autism.
21. Other disabilities that fall within the Autism Spectrum category include Asperger’s syndrome, PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified), Rett Syndrome, and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.
22. Autism is the fastest growing disability in the United States
23. As early as infancy, a baby can begin to show the three hallmark features of autism: communication challenges, impaired social interactions, and repetitive behavior.
24. Many children with autism have a reduced sensitivity to pain but may be extra sensitive to sound, touch, or other sensory stimulation—which may contribute to a reluctance to being cuddled or hugged.
25. Children with autism may experience coexisting conditions, such as fragile X-syndrome, epileptic seizures, tuberous sclerosis, Tourette syndrome, learning disabilities, and ADD.
26. Scientists are unclear as to why about 20% to 30% of autistic children develop epilepsy by the time they reach adulthood.
27. Girls with autistic symptoms may be suffering from Rett Syndrome. The syndrome affects mainly females, because male fetuses with the disorder rarely survive to term. Development is typical until 6-18 months, when language and motor milestones are lost.
28. Scientists suggest that people with autism may have abnormal levels of serotonin or other neurotransmitters in the brain, which may have resulted in the disruption of normal brain development early in fetal development.
29. Research suggests that having an older father may increase a child’s risk of autism. Children born to men 40 years old or older were almost six times more likely to have an autism spectrum disorder than those born to men younger than 30 years old. Maternal age seems to have little effect on autism risk.
30. Researchers recommend autistic testing if a baby doesn’t babble or coo by 12 months, doesn’t point or wave by 12 months, doesn’t say single words by 16 months, doesn’t say two-word phrases by 24 months, or loses previously acquired language or social skills at any age.
31. Chelation therapy, which removes mercury from the body, is a popular alternative treatment for autism, though it has not been proven to be a safe or effective treatment.
32. In families with one autistic child, the risk of having a second child with the disorder is approximately 5%, or one in 20. This is greater than the risk for the general population.
33. Some cases of autism may be associated with a family history of manic depression.
34. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are guaranteed free, appropriate public education under federal laws.
35. Though children with autism have higher rates of constipation and eating issues (such as repetitive eating), they do not have a higher incidence of gastrointestinal problems than other children, quelling a decade-long controversy.
36. Autism was initially called “Early Infantile Autism” or “Kanner’s Syndrome.”
37. Autism was added as a special education in 1991 and now is the sixth most common classified disability in the U.S.
38. Boys are diagnosed with autism more than girls
39. In the United States, one in 98 boys are diagnosed with autism, and 24,000 people are diagnosed with autism for the first time every year.
40. Researchers are unclear why boys are diagnosed with autism more than girls, but some think that the problem lies with the X chromosome, of which boys only have one.
41. Scholars and parents debate whether autism is a disability or whether it should be considered merely a different kind of personality.
42. Divorce rates are high in families with an autistic child. Researchers suggest reducing stress by ensuring an autistic child receives appropriate health care, setting aside time for a spouse, and creating a support system with other families of children with autism.
43. Mothers who have autoimmune diseases such as type1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and celiac disease have up to three times a greater risk for having a child with autism.
44. Children who are born underweight or premature may have a higher risk for autism.
45. From the Greek autos meaning “self,” autism literally means “alone.”
46. According to the Journal of the American Association of Pediatrics, mothers of autistic children maintain remarkable strengths in creating parent-child relationships and social support.
47. Researchers have noted that infants who had early accelerated head growth were at risk for autism.
48. Dogs have been shown to improve autistic children’s quality of life, independence, and safety. The presence of a trained dog can reduce aggressive behavior, calm the child, and serve as a link to the child’s community.

http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/09/21_autism.html