Theoretical and Practical Implications of Culture on Crisis

1. Theoretical and Practical Implications of Culture on Crisis September 22nd, 2008

2. Importance • Crisis is part of a domain/standard that NASP advocates school psychologists be trained. • Both APA and NASP recognize the critical importance of being able to provide services in a multicultural environment • Crises by nature tend to overwhelm local organizations and require outside resources. • As an outside resource, you need to be able to competently function and evaluate cultural influences quickly and efficiently

3. Importance (2) • If you are part of the organization it is critical to inform outside personnel as to community norms • Crises differ from other areas of service delivery where these are addressed in two important aspects • A crisis may limit an individual’s ability to access the support of their culture. • A crisis may present an existential challenge for the individual.

4. Dimensions of Culture • Ethnicity • Language • Income • Acculturation • Religion • Hierarchy

5. School Dimensions • Urban/Metro/Suburban/Rural • Level of school (ES, MS, HS, K-12) • Specialization • Status in regards to NCLB (may help appreciate pre-morbid functioning)

6. Diversity Summary

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10. Individual Dimensions • Majority status • Peer group • Disability status • Gender • Sexual Orientation

11. Developmental Level • In addition to appreciating the cultural characteristics of a school, community, and individual it is fundamental to understand the developmental level of the persons you are working with as well.

12. Fitting it into a Crisis • Depending upon your relationship to the organization in crisis you will have a varying degree of familiarity with the community • You need to be aware that your anticipated knowledge and/or the reported description of the community may not be accurate or helpful.

13. Fit (2) • As we have already mentioned, crisis may challenge the vary nature of an individuals relationship to their community. • It also may cause ripples within the community

14. Anatomy of a crisis • Event occurs • Some response is attempted • Response systems are overwhelmed • School’s primary mission is disrupted • Outside resources are contacted • Resources enter

15. Goal • Primary goal of any crisis intervention is to restore the organization (organism) to pre-crisis level of functioning. (Wiger & Harowski, 2003)

16. Process • Arrest deterioration of the function of the organization/organism • Determine pre-level of functioning • Develop intervention/support plan • Implement plan • Evaluate and continue support until restoration occurs or support no longer permitted

17. Arrest Deterioration • This is the most immediate stage and typically involves the highest number of responders. • Critical to reach all groups and assess how the needs may differ. • Determine if there are pre-existing problems that may place groups at high risk for further deterioration (gang wars, suicide clusters etc)

18. Evaluating Pre-Level of Functioning • AYP • Discipline referrals • Grades • Attendance • Accessing Support Services

19. Develop Intervention Support Plan • How impacted the school is by the crisis will help you determine the support necessary for your plan. • Culture may play into this as you identify that typical strategies need to be modified (families may not respond well to one gender or another) • Check with local stakeholders (administrators)

20. Implement Your Plan • As you are implementing your intervention be aware of unanticipated results and opportunities. • You may find that an otherwise innocuous intervention instigates a hostile reaction.

21. Evaluate and Continue Support • One aspect of crisis services that can be very beneficial is that it can allow for an introduction of services to otherwise underserved populations.

22. Self-Evaluation • How did your interaction provide you information about the school, culture, and community?

23. Scenario A • School has a student death due to gang violence in the community. The school is largely African American with a growing Hispanic population. The school is mostly lower SES. It is on the watch list. • You are asked to talk with an Hispanic student who witnessed the shooting. • You are asked to talk with the parent who is African American and has two other children at the same school.

24. Scenario B • 8th grade student in a rural community killed in a car crash. Two other students were severely injured as well. The community is largely blue-collar and has recently had a plant closing. • The school is very successful. • You are asked to talk to the high school students. The students were not at fault but the car accident was caused by an unlicensed and possibly illegal immigrant parent who was driving another vehicle.

25. Feedback • It is always critical to try and exit a crisis situation with the expectation of future prevention efforts on the campus. • After being thankful from a crisis and having developed intense personal relationships with stakeholders this may be the best time (within a few weeks) for you to ask about further services.