Bereavement and Trauma: Curriculum Basics, Resources, Networking

Michael J. Stevens, PhD, DHC!Illinois State University, USA!

!Third IUPsyS capacity-building workshop on Advanced In-Field Training and Curriculum Development for Academic Programs in Bereavement, Tbilisi, Georgia, October 3-7, 2011.!

Bereavement and Trauma:

Curriculum Basics, Resources, Networking

2

Organization"1. Curricular issues to consider before

proceeding!

2. Overview of curriculum development and design!

3. Strategic planning related to curriculum development!

4. Resources and networking in support of curriculum development!

3

Issues to Consider"Many assumptions about coping with loss are unsupported and interventions for grief are often not needed. What, then, is the purpose of a bereavement curriculum?!!

Given available resources and support, what are the objectives of a bereavement curriculum, how can they be achieved, and how can they be measured?!!

Because grief is a situated phenomenon, how should local realities (e.g., history, culture) be addressed to ensure a contextually relevant curriculum?!!

Does the relative neglect of bereavement in the psychology curriculum suggest difficult challenges? If so, what are these challenges and can they be overcome?!!!!!!

4

Definitions"Curriculum!!

All of the experiences offered by an institution that are designed to advance student learning (macro: degree, sequence; micro: course, module)!!

Curriculum development model!!

A conceptual framework for understanding the curriculum accompanied by a plan for its structure, implementation, and evaluation!!

Curriculum design!!

An arrangement of curricular elements!

5

Curriculum Development Model"Elements of the curriculum derive from inter-related sources of information and from an underlying rationale and set of values. !!

6

Curriculum Design"Curricular elements and their linkages!!!!!!

7

Curriculum Design Elements"

Aims!!Value-based statements that describe the aspirational outcomes of education and training!!

Goals!!Purposive statements about expected accomplishments as a result of education and training!!

Objectives!!Concrete, measureable statements of what learners will know and can do as a result of education and training!!Aims, goals, and objectives should be consistent

8

Curriculum Design Elements"

Content!!Attitudes, knowledge, and skills related to an area of study that are identified and transmitted in order to fulfill curricular aims, goals, and objectives, and arranged to build upon each other!!Selection criteria!!Significant, useful, efficient, appropriate breadth and depth, balanced, motivational!!Organization!!Continuity, sequence, integration

9

Curriculum Design Elements"

Learning activities!!Diverse means of transmitting content to maximize aims, goals, and objectives, as well as for communicating to others how to implement content; inseparable from content!!Materials and methods should be operationalized to provide instructors with best practices for achieving outcomes, yet be general enough to allow flexibility in how to engage learners.

10

Curriculum Design Elements"

Evaluation!!Assessment of how well the curriculum, as designed and implemented, is producing expected and desired aims, goals, and objectives!!Value dimensions!!Intrinsic, instrumental, decision-oriented!!Approaches!!Learner achievement and curriculum (document) validity!Formative and summative evaluation!Mixed methods!!

11

Levels of Strategic Analysis"

Agents - people who perceive, decide, and act!!Learners, instructors, administrators!Institutions, professional organizations, government!!Structures - conditions that constrain or empower!!Course, program, certification/licensure!Department, school, university!Economics, politics, culture!!System - the totality of interactive dynamics!!Within level and between levels!!

12

Curriculum Development Obstacles"

Agents!!

Time constraints and difficulties in implementation!Competing commitments and demands!!

Structure!

Scarcity of funds and conflicting agendas!Inertia and low incentives!!

System!

Underdeveloped expertise and involvement!Inadequate horizontal and vertical connectivity!

13

Strategic Planning"Strategic outcomes rest on the interplay of agents, structures, and system connectivity and dynamism.!!

Strategic plans should target powerful agents and structures, enhance their connectivity, and energize the system.!!Caution!!

Anticipate unintended effects (e.g., “butterfly”, “blowback”)!Tailor subsequent interactions to emergent conditions!!

14

General References"Courtois, C.A., & Gold, S.N. (2009). The need for inclusion of

psychological trauma in the professional curriculum: A call to action. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 1(1), 3-23.!

!

Oliva, P. (2008). Developing the curriculum (7th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.!

!

Salli, S., et al. (2011). EFPA and work on disaster, crisis, and trauma psychology. European Psychologist, 16(2), 141-148.!

!

Stroebe, M.S., et al. (Eds.). (2001). Handbook of bereavement research: Consequences, coping, and care. Washington, DC: APA.!

!

Weine, S., et al. (2002). Guidelines for international training in mental health and psychosocial interventions for trauma exposed populations in clinical and community settings. Psychiatry, 65(2), 156-164.

15

EFPA Resources"http://disaster.efpa.eu/resources/!http://disaster.efpa.eu/recent-reports/!!

Field Manual for Mental Health and Human Service Workers in Major Disasters!!

IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Situations!!

Lessons Learned in Psychosocial Care after Disaster!!

Psychology in Humanitarian Assistance!!

Psychosocial Support in Situations of Mass Emergency!

16

EFPA on Disaster, Crisis, Trauma"http://disaster.efpa.eu/information!!

The Task Force on Crisis and Disaster Psychology was charged with how best to educate and train psychologists and to identify steps for member associations and countries to develop this field.!!

Recommended training content (EUR-OPA):!!

Psychological first-aid for survivors!Early intervention outreach to the bereaved!Screening at-risk groups!Culturally appropriate longer-term follow-up for the impaired!Approaches targeting children and other vulnerable groups!

17

EFPA Recommendations"Standing Committee on Crisis and Disaster Psychology curriculum recommendations to member associations, recognizing the autonomy, instructor expertise, and resources of universities:!!

Infuse disaster-crisis-trauma (DCT) psychology into courses!Design a separate DCT psychology course!!

Quality standards for DCT training - 4 content levels!!

Psychological first-aid!Psychosocial support and services!Special expertise in DCT psychology!Risk mitigation and public preparedness!

18

ISTSS Training Guidelines"www.istss.org/TeachingTrauma.htm!!

Curriculum design should be informed by!!

Individual and collective needs and strengths!Scientific and clinical knowledge!Diverse sociocultural perspectives!Dialogue among different stakeholders!!

Curricular aims, goals, objectives!!

Integration of cultural dimensions!Coordinated preparation and entry into complex settings!Management of acute and chronic risks and challenges!

19

ISTSS Training Guidelines"www.istss.org/TeachingTrauma.htm!!

Curriculum content and evaluation!!

Relationship and communication skills!Assessment of needs/problems and their severity!Cost-effective interventions, modalities, settings!Individual, group, and community problem-solving!Understanding the local context and vulnerable groups!Interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral consultation!Ongoing supervision!Strategies for self-care!Evaluation of training process, outcomes, and impact!!

20

Networking Opportunities"International Teaching of Psychology Network (InterTOP Network - http://interteachpsy.org/Main/HomePage) !!

Dedicated to the professional development of psychology instructors and scholars through conferences, publications, access to resources, and the exchange of ideas and information!

PSYCHGLOBAL (www.jiscmail.ac.uk/PSYCHGLOBAL) !!

An InterTOP listserv for psychology educators and trainers at all levels. Subscribers can post messages, browse archives, access stored files, engage in real-time discussion, and schedule online meetings.!

21

Networking Opportunities"

Higher Education Academy Psychology Network (www.pnarchive.org/s.php?p=1) !!

The Network works with instructors, departments, and professional organizations to develop collaborative networks and improve learning in tertiary psychology education.!!

Discussion list ([email protected])!Bibliography, resource, and teaching-practice databases!Guides and reports (e.g., problem-based learning)!!

22

Networking Opportunities"Social Psychology Network (www.socialpsychology.org/)!!

The Social Psychology Network is one of the largest Internet sites dedicated to psychological research and teaching, with more than 20,000 links related to psychology.! !

Searchable resource databases of textbooks, course syllabi, lecture notes, classroom activities, demonstrations, assignments and projects, and teaching tips!!

Professional Discussion Forum - visitors engage in online discussions and locate colleagues with common interests!!

Links to free psychology-related blogs, podcasts, RSS feeds!

23

Networking Opportunities"Association for Psychological Science (APS)!(www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/members/teaching)!!

The Teaching Fund supports nonrenewable small grants (< $5,000) to launch new projects. Proposals may be collaborative and international, and should advance communication and development among psychology instructors (e.g., regional teaching conferences). !!

Video collection including interviews with leading researchers, presentations, and discussions of journal articles for classroom use!!

Teaching Tips archive!!

APS on Facebook!!

24

Networking Opportunities"Office of Teaching Resources in Psychology (www.teachpsych.org/otrp/index.php) !!

Develops and distributes teaching materials and provides services to psychology instructors at all levels on behalf of the APA Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP)!!

Mentoring services for courses, topics, methods!Department consulting services (curriculum development) !Project syllabus (guidelines and exemplary samples)!Teaching resources (e.g., best practices)!ToPIX - a Wiki idea exchange!PsychTeacher discussion list!STP blog and STP on Facebook!

25

Networking Opportunities"APA Division of Trauma Psychology (www.apatraumadivision.org/index.php) !!

The Education and Training Committee compiles information on resources for educators.!!

Graduate programs with a trauma psychology emphasis!Undergraduate and graduate course syllabi!Tips for educating students about trauma!Full-text trauma archive!Research Wiki to facilitate information exchange!Other relevant committees!

!Collaborative Endeavors, International !

26

Grant Funding"Erasmus Mundus!(http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/index_en.php)!!

Action 1 supports cooperation between higher educational institutions and academics in Europe and third countries with the purpose to create poles of excellence. Joint academic programs are designed and implemented by a consortium of universities. Scholarships and fellowships are open to students and academics. Programs include required study and research in at least two universities, and award double, multiple, or joint degrees. !

27

Grant Funding"Tempus (http://eacea.ec.europa.tempus)!!

Action 1 supports joint projects at the institutional level between EU universities and institutions in partner countries and between partner-country institutions. Themes for joint projects include curriculum development and improving links between higher education and society.!!

‘National Projects' should benefit the partner country and focus on national priorities set by the Ministry of Education for that country.!!

'Multi-Country Projects’ should benefit more than one partner country. They focus on shared priorities within a specific region. They also can address a national priority common to each partner country.!!

28

Grant Funding"APA Office of International Affairs!(www.apa.org/international/programs/index.aspx)!!

Small Grants for the Program Development of National Psychology Organizations!Funds ($500-$1,500) support the development of national psychology associations and educational/training programs organized by national psychology organizations. Preference is given to organizations representing psychologists in their country or region.!!

International Scientific Meeting Support Award !Funds support activities tied to scientific meetings (planning, expenses, travel). Preference is given to international organizations and organizations in transitional and developing countries. !

29

THANK YOU!"

30

Supervised Small Group Work"

1. Develop a strategy for introducing a course or program related to bereavement/trauma at your university; be sure to focus on how to reduce opposition and increase support.!

2. Design a plan to start and strengthen a national or a regional network that supports training in bereavement/trauma research and practice.!