Resourceful Adolescent Program (RAP-A)

1. Resourceful Adolescent Program (RAP-A) Lorraine Cushing-Kléber Queensland University of Technology, School of Psychology Resourceful Adolescent Programs Psychologist, NorthPsychLindfield

2. http://www.rap.qut.edu.au/programs/rap-a.jsp

3. The “ordinary magic” of resilience Anne Masten (2001) • Think about a time when you managed a difficult situation really well….. What personal strengths did you draw on? What coping skills helped you? What interpersonal factors helped you to manage this situation?

4. Ordinary magic of resilience Resilience is the way we adapt positively to stress, life problems and negative events Resilience is in all of us, it’s not magic, we can all bounce back

5. The RAP Model

6. Adolescent Depression & Anxiety

7. Why Prevent Adolescent Depression and promote coping skills?

8. Mental Health Intervention Spectrum for Mental Disorders treatment case identification maintenance indicated standard treatment prevention compliance with long term treatment selective universal after care & rehabilitation (Mrazek & Haggarty, 1994)

9. Why Do We Need RAP-A? 1) Need a program for prevention of adolescent depression that targets interpersonal factors which are of paramount importance in adolescent depression 2) Need a program for prevention of adolescent depression that is developmentally informed 3) Need a program for prevention of adolescent depression that is integrative in theoretical approach 4) Need a program for prevention of adolescent depression that can engage and retain a wide adolescent population.

10. Why Do We Need To Include Parents?(link between adolescent and parent needs) Adolescent Well-being Parenting Skills Developmental Knowledge Parent Well-being

11. Major Teenage Issues Identity & Self-esteem Independence & Attachment

12. Step Into My Shoes Likes Strengths Interests Hopes Hobbies Friends Dislikes Dress

13. What is the RAP Model in the Adolescent Program?

14. RAP Metaphor House of Bricks

15. Two General Aims of RAP-A To increase resilience by (1) minimising risk factors (2) building protective factors • identifying & strengthening existing assets & resources • developing new strategies & techniques that will increase coping ability

16. Six Specific Aims of RAP-A • personal strengths • keeping calm • cognitive restructuring • problem-solving • support networks • interpersonal problem-solving and keeping the peace

17. How RAP Works • Integrative CBT approach used to build resilience and prevent depression by: • Promoting positive coping skills; and • Maintenance of a sense of self in face of stressful/difficult circumstances. • Targets individual & environmental protective factors: Contextual Protective Factors (e.g., Social support) Family Protective Factors (e.g., Family harmony) Individual Protective Factors (e.g., Cognitive style, affect regulation & interpersonal style, self esteem)

18. RAP-A Program Content: 6 Aims

19. Parents Are People Too! What Makes Teenagers Tick? Promoting Positive Family Relationships! What can parents do? existing strengths & resources the needs of teenagers promoting self-esteem and supporting independence with attachment we do our best parenting when we are calm preventing, managing, & moving on from conflict promoting family harmony

20. RAP-A Sessions

21. Building a Healthy Self-Esteem I’m OK. I’m building on my strengths.

22. The RAP Model Our body clues and our self-talk affect the way we feel and behave.

23. The RAP Model

24. RAP-A Session 4Keeping Calm Be a detective. Find your body clues and keep calm. • Watch DVD “Tom needs a project partner” • Discuss DVD and focus on concept of body clues • Introduce concept of being a detective to identify our body clues • Discuss “My stress indicators” • Discuss ways to calm our bodies down • Conduct “Fold your arms” activity • Practise Relaxation Techniques • Identify calming strategies using Keep Calm Bricks

25. STRESS ! What Causes Me Stress? work home other relationships

26. Being Calm As A Parent How am I more effective as a parent when I am calm compared with when I am stressed?

28. Finding Solutions to Problems There are solutions to my problems. Learning how to solve problems!

29. Identifying & Accessing Support Networks There is always help at hand. • Discuss concept of personal support • Generate and discuss list of personal support people for the good times • Generate and discuss list of personal support people for the difficult times • Conduct “Name Your Bandages” activity • Complete Support Network Bricks

30. Seeing ThingsDifferently

31. Keeping & Making the Peace Keep the peace and make the peace. • Discuss the main things parents & teenagers disagree about • Conduct interpersonal conflict role play • Discuss and debrief the role play • Conduct interpersonal role play for keeping the peace • Conduct role play with scripts for teenagers and parents • Discuss & debrief the role plays • Conduct “positive reminiscence” activity • Review Keep the Peace Bricks

32. Dealing with Conflict Positively take time out to stay calm decide if conflict is worth it listen openly remember no-one’s perfect win/win give & take tell them you love them & give them a hug problem solve together admit responsibility & say sorry

33. My Strengths as Parent (1) What are my strengths as a parent? (2) What are the things about my teenager that I’m proud of? (3) What are the ways I have contributed to the things that I’m proud of?

34. RAP-A Sessions

35. Resourceful Adolescent Program (RAP-A) Lorraine Cushing-Kléber Queensland University Of Technology, RAP programs Psychologist at NorthPsychLindfieldLorraine@northpsych.com.au