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The road less traveled: personal development for school-aged youth

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The road less traveled: personal development for school-aged youth

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Content © 2020 STACY PIPES-JOYNER
The Road Less Traveled:
Personal Development for School-Aged Youth
by
Stacy Y . Pipes-Joyner
A Doctoral Capstone Project Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE SUZANNE DWORAK-PECK SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF SOCIAL WORK
May 2020
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Acknowledgment:
To the Universe that provided me the energy and the mental fortitude to complete this mission, I thank you. To my late mother Mary,
who was the embodiment of grace under fire, I hope I made you proud; To my children, Elijah and Jaired, who let me fly and
encouraged me daily without any complaint, thank you; For my close friends and family, for continued encouragement and for lending
me your shoulders to cry on; And for my loving husband and best friend Noel, who’s care and comfort sustained me throughout this
process and beyond. I am forever grateful. This work represents the countless hours of dedicated research, collaboration and input
from many professionals and educators across several disciplines. Your contribution to my work is also greatly appreciated.

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Executive Summary
Within Grand Challenge of Ensuring the Healthy Development of All Youth lies the intractable “wicked” problem of the poor
mental health and poor personal development of school children in the United States. The pressure for students to academically and
socially succeed in school has dramatically increased, as societal norms and expectations surrounding morals and values, socio-
economic status and gender roles continue to be the gauge by which people are measured as being successes or failures. The purpose
of this innovation is to mitigate these norms and expectations and to level the playing field so that all children can identify their talents
and harness their self-worth to be used for the greater good.
PUSH LLC. is a for-profit agency which provides in-school personal development to high school students. The program’s
curriculum utilizes both computer-based learning and virtual reality technology, providing students with an engaging and enriching
learning experience. The program is a 32-week course that is administered on school campuses by licensed professionals in the social
work and education fields.
The pressure for students to academically and socially succeed in school has dramatically increased, as societal norms and
expectations surrounding morals and values, socio-economic status and gender roles continue to be the gauge by which people are
measured as being successes or failures. The purpose of this program is to mitigate these norms and expectations and to level the
playing field so that all children can identify their talents and strengths and use them for the greater good.
Current attempts to address the problem of poor mental health in school children have fallen short; as federal funding cuts to
mental health programs in schools and in communities continue to increase year after year. Adding to the problem is the lack of
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training for schoolteachers and administrators on the subject of childhood mental health, which greatly limits the proper diagnosis and
treatment of students who show signs of having mental health issues. Consequently, nearly 20% of children and adolescents
worldwide have a mental disorder, the majority of which are undiagnosed or treated.
The implementation timeline for piloting the program is two years; during which, the company will select and conduct
research on a particular school district. The research will include community demographics (student population, socio-economic
status, high school graduation rates etc.), as well as current personal/professional development programs (if any) that are available to
district students. An Executive Summary will be provided to the district school board which will include a summary of the course
curriculum as well as the cost for services. After meeting with the board and signing the contract agreement, the board will identify a
high school wherein which to conduct the pilot, at which time the PUSH team will randomly select participants who meet certain
criteria. The selected participants and their families will be notified by mail to attend an informational meeting prior to the start of the
following school year.
Program evaluations will occur both at the beginning and end of the pilot; they will consist of several different program
assessments that will measure the program’s overall effectiveness on improving the mental health status of high school students and
their readiness for life post-graduation. The results of the evaluations will be presented to the district’s school board at the end of the
pilot. At which time, negotiations for furthering the program within the district will be conducted.
The initial startup cost for the two-year pilot is $1 million. This amount is based on the cost of salaries, creating the course
curriculum, buying equipment such as laptops, VR goggles and headsets as well as office rental space. The total revenue is $1.2
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million; with the majority revenue being generated from school contracts and the remaining from government and startup business
grants. This revenue amount also includes a 10% indirect cost contingency.
Profitability and Sustainability are potentially high, as the ultimate goal is to offer the program to nation’s 13 thousand school
districts in addition to Child Welfare Agencies and Juvenile Justice systems. The program’s mission is for every school-aged child in
the nation to be nurtured, guided and supported into becoming socially well-rounded human beings, and the PUSH team is dedicated
to ensuring that this mission is accomplished.

Conceptual Framework:
It is estimated that one out of every five children have a diagnosable emotional, behavioral or mental health disorder, and one
out of ten children have a mental health issue that is severe enough to impair how they function at home, school or in the community
(Kessler, 2005). For school children living with mental health issues, it is a constant struggle to find and maintain a school/home life
balance that is manageable; as each requires a level of focus and commitment that children with mental health disorders struggle to
attain.
Youth with emotional and behavioral disorders also have the worst graduation rate of all students with disabilities. Nationally,
only 40 percent of students with emotional, behavioral and mental health disorders graduate from high school, compared to the
national average of 84 percent (U.S. Department of Education, 2018). Additionally, over 50% of students with emotional and
behavioral disabilities ages 14 and older, drop out of high school. This is the highest dropout rate of any disability group (U.S.
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Department of Education, 2018). Without having the appropriate support systems in place, these school children are often mislabeled
as being troubled or defiant and are oftentimes subjected to disciplinary actions due to their behavior.
In order for the problem of poor mental health in school children to be solved, the way in which society perceives and
addresses childhood mental health must drastically change. For this change to occur, there has to be a clear understanding of the
problem’s origin and the contributing factors that continue to hold the problem in place.

Historical overview of the study of Childhood Mental Health:
In the early part of the 20
th
century, a group of influential and socially concerned women on the board of directors of Jane
Addam’s Hull House were shocked by juvenile delinquency, and wanted to understand its origin, prevention and treatment. These
pioneering women were approximately 90 years ahead of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's decision to accept violence
as a public health problem. In 1909, the women created the Juvenile Psychopathic Institute and hired a neurologist, William Healy,
M.D., to be its first director (Showalter, 2003).
The perspective of the settlement house's board of directors ensured that attention would be paid to the social factors, attitudes
and motivations of children who had been labeled as menaces to society. To accomplish these broad evaluations and treatment
strategies, Healy formed teams composed of a neuropsychiatrist, a psychologist and a social worker. This approach became the
template used by most child guidance clinics for most of the 20th century and is currently in use today.
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Child psychiatry's roots became implanted in the community, rather than in medical schools, and colleagues were more likely
to be teachers, judges, social workers and social scientists, rather than physicians. What the women of Hull House discovered is that
mental health issues in young people were usually associated with other existing factors such as poverty and abuse, and that no
specific service provider could effectively address every issue. The researchers determined that true, long-lasting change would
require a team comprised of several disciplines to assess and treat youth mental illness.
Over the past century, the field of children's mental health has borrowed policy from child welfare, juvenile justice, special
education, and adult mental health, in attempts to form a comprehensive policy for addressing childhood mental health disorders.
These attempts however have been inadequate in scope and follow-through, as each of the involved disciplines failed to recognize
their roles when assessing and referring children for mental health services (Lourie and Hernandez, 2003). Until a comprehensive
policy is forged, children's mental health services will remain informal, incomplete, and fragmented, making it difficult for children
with mental health problems and their families to receive appropriate services ( Lourie and Hernandez, 2003).
Current Factors Surrounding the Mental Health State of America’s School Children:
Mental disorders among children and adolescents are described as serious changes in the way they typically learn, behave, or
handle their emotions, which cause distress and problems getting through the day (Center for Disease Control, 2018). It is estimated
that 10–20% of children and adolescents worldwide have mental health problems of some type, and that manifestations such as
attention deficits, cognitive disturbances, lack of motivation, and negative mood all adversely affect scholastic development (Shulte-
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Korne, 2016). Alarmingly, only a small percentage of children, particularly those who meet the criteria for severe emotional disorders,
are actually being treated (World Health Organization, 2018).
Some of the factors surrounding mental health issues in school children include limited access to services, exposure to trauma, adult
ignorance/avoidance and stigma. The following is a brief overview of each factor:
Access to Services:
Socioeconomic factors such as poverty have a significant impact on a parent’s ability to obtain necessary treatment
interventions for their children. Poverty is a common experience for many children and families in the United States. Children
younger than the age of 18 are disproportionately affected, making up 33% of all people in the country who are living at or below the
poverty line (Hodgkinson et al, 2017). Poverty has been consistently linked with poor health and increased risk for psychological
disorders in children and adults that can persist across the life span. In 2014, 20% of all children lived in low-income households and
ten percent lived in “persistent poverty” (spending at least half their childhood being poor); putting them at greater risk for adverse
outcomes throughout their lives (DeNavas, 2015).Despite their high need for mental health services, children and families living in
poverty are least likely to be connected with high-quality mental health care.
Traumatic experiences:
Researchers have uncovered a direct correlation between adverse childhood trauma and overall health and wellbeing.
Traumatic stress affects the psycho-social, and physiological development of children, which can in turn disrupt learning and
academic achievement (Porshe et al, 2011). In the mid-1990’s the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Kaiser Permanente
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conducted a research experiment to determine the cause of the alarming increase in the number of younger adults contracting life-
threatening diseases. The Adverse Childhood Experience Survey (ACES), consists of 10 questions about various types of adverse
trauma one may have experienced as a child. The study exposed a direct link between early childhood trauma experiences and seven
of the ten deadliest diseases (Centers for Disease Control, 2019).
In a recent Ted Talk, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, pediatrician and co-founder of the Center for Youth Wellness located in
Northern California, stated that in high doses, exposure to stress inducing events affects brain development, the immune system,
hormonal systems and even how one’s DNA is read and transcribed (Burke Harris, 2015). She went on to state that people who are
exposed in high doses of trauma have triple the lifetime risk of heart disease and lung cancer, and a 20-year decrease in life
expectancy. (Burke, 2015). Prolonged or untreated exposure to childhood trauma leads to stress-management systems that establish
relatively lower thresholds for responsiveness that persist across life spans (Porshe et al, 2011). Consequently, this exposure increases
the risk of stress-related disease and cognitive impairment well into the adult years.
Parental ignorance/Avoidance:
Parents of children with mental health disorders have a difficult time facing their child's mental decline as it hits, often in the
child's late teens or early 20s. Avoidance and ignorance combine to blind parents, who may hope their child’s unusual or abnormal
behavior is a stage that will pass. Yet even when parents are able to see the problem, there is still the difficult question of what to do
about it (Steller, 2013). A primary reason that childhood mental illness frequently goes undiagnosed is that, often, parents are reluctant
to draw attention to their child’s condition. Parents may be afraid that if their child is diagnosed as mentally ill, he or she may be
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labeled in a way that adversely affects the child’s current and future life. Secondly, parents may worry that they themselves will be
labeled by others as being the main cause of their child’s psychiatric difficulties (Hosier, 2016).
Stigma:
A historical definition of stigma refers to a discrediting characteristic that renders someone flawed, degraded, or inferior in the
eyes of others (Crocker, Major & Steele, 1998). Stigma is seen not as a physical mark or characteristic but rather as an attribute that
results in widespread social disapproval (Bos et al, 2013). The stigma surrounding mental health is especially paralyzing for children
and adolescents who may suffer from it. According to a report from the Stanford Center for Youth and Well-Being (2016), Stigma
associated with mental health issues is also a major barrier for youth suffering from depression, anxiety and other problems, making
them reluctant to talk about the issues or seek out help. The report goes on to state that some of the parents interviewed stated that they
think children are ashamed to admit they are anxious or depressed; as these are considered signs of weakness. Some of the teens stated
that they feel their parents either “do not believe in” mental illness, have the expectation that teens can make themselves better or
believe it is an excuse for underachieving. Studies have also noted that between 12-26 percent of parents reported not wanting or
needing help, or being unwilling to seek help for a child’s depression (Shapiro, 2018).
There needs to be a paradigm shift in the ways in which childhood mental health is addressed in this country. No single entity
should be held solely responsible for ensuring positive mental health development in children; it requires a collaborative effort from
parents, health practitioners, educators, community leaders and policymakers to provide resources that effectively screen for existing
mental health issues and educate on ways in which to prevent the development of new ones.
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Behaviors which constitute poor mental health in school children:
Poor mental health in school children can be attributed to many factors such as untreated mental illnesses, traumatic
experiences and poverty. What makes these factors prevalent are the behaviors that those who are directly involved continue to
perpetuate time and time again. This section seeks to identify key individuals and government sectors related to poor mental health in
school children, and the behaviors that hold the attributed factors in place.
School Children:
• One in five children ages 13-18 have or will have some type of mental illness and 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness
begin by age 14. (NAMI, 2019).

• One in five school children are bullied in school or cyberbullied via text messages and social media (National Center for
Educational Statistics, 2019)

• There were over 750,000 documented of incidents of school violence during the 2013-2014 school year (National Center for
Educational Statistics, 2019)

• Suicide is now the 3
rd
leading cause of death in youth ages 10-24 (CDC, 2019).

• In 2018, there were 82 school shooting incidents in the United States, where the median age range of the shooters was between
16 and 20 years old (American Journal of Public Health, 2018.

These statistics regarding school children paint a grim picture of their current mental health state and the failures on behalf of
those responsible for intervening. The behaviors are oftentimes the result of untreated preexisting conditions that the child is not
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equipped to control on their own. The negative behaviors that are exhibited by school children can be attributed to unaddressed mental
health issues, a lack of preventative in-school resources and desensitization to traumatic experiences by society as a whole.
Parents:
The majority of America’s children under the of age 18 live in two-parent/two-income households, and roughly 30 percent of
children are being raised by single parents who work multiple jobs (United States Census Bureau, 2016). Gone are days when parents
(mostly the mother) were the primary source of teaching children morals, values and assisting with cultivating their personalities and
interpersonal skills. Today, there is very little time for parents to engage in their children’s personal development; which means that
children, more often than not, are left to figure things out on their own. Growing numbers of mothers and fathers are expecting schools
to teach their children the difference between right and wrong, acceptable levels of behavior and social norms (Patton, 2013). If it is
the parent’s expectation for their children to turn out as well-balanced individuals, then they must be equally involved in the process of
preparing their children for the real world. Consequently, not doing so can result in yielding the exact opposite outcome.
Schools:
School districts nationwide have been forced to cut hundreds of school counseling positions due to budget cuts (Griffin and
Farris, 2010). In addition to cutting counselor positions, schools are also being forced to decrease or eliminate other mental health
services that were once readily available to students. In 2008, researchers predicted that within the next decade, funding for school
counseling and other mental health programs would drastically decrease nationwide (Dorgan, 2008). In 2018, that prediction
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manifested 635,000 to 1.1 million students across the nation losing access to learning centers and other after-school supervised
enrichment programs (Department of Education, 2018).
Teachers nationwide are dealing with crowded classrooms; the average class size in Los Angeles County for example, is 27
students to one teacher (National Center for Education Statistics, 2019). These factors are what prompted the Los Angeles County
Unified School District teacher’s union to go on strike in 2019 for the first time in 30 years. School counselors and mental health
providers Los Angeles County are also feeling the brunt of extremely large caseloads, averaging 637 students to one counselor, and
1192 students to one mental health provider (kidsdata.org, 2019) School social workers in Los Angeles County have the most
concerning ratio as they are assigned 5787 students to one worker (kidsdata.org, 2019).
Government Officials:
In the days following the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High school shooting in Parkland Florida, President Trump acknowledged
that the shooter suffered from mental illness and expressed the need for more mental health services for children. His 2018 fiscal
budget included an additional $1 million-dollar boost to the Children’s Mental Health Services program (CMHS), which brought the
program’s total budget for the year to $120 million (National Public Radio, 2019). Recipients use these funds to create networks that
provide fully comprehensive care that includes effective collaboration between child- and youth-serving systems such as juvenile
justice, child welfare, and education (Department of Health and Human Services, 2019).
The 2019 fiscal year budget, however, included a $17 billion dollar decrease in funding for the Department of Health and
Human Services, which is a 21% decrease since 2017 (Mental Health America, 2019). Of that amount, over $600 million dollars were
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cut from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which is the agency within the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services that oversees CMHS (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2019).
As a result, it is highly likely that the budget cuts sustained by SAMHSA will greatly affect the amount of funds allocated to
the CMHS program, leaving thousands of children at risk of having little to no access to mental health services.
Poor mental health encompasses more than just clinical or formal diagnoses of disorders or behaviors; it can also include an
individual’s poor personal development; where misguided and/or false perceptions of the world coexists with the lack of means in
which to successfully navigate through it. For children, the positive cultivation of their perception of the world is critical to their
overall growth and development, as it will serve as the very foundation for their adult lives. Sadly, not enough is being done to bring
awareness to the poor personal development of children and consequently, their cycle of frustration, doubt and uncertainty continues
to persist.
Current Attempts to Address the Problem of Poor Mental Health of School Children:
Public policy for In-School Mental Health/Personal Development Programs:
It is federally mandated that all U.S. schools are to have mental health services readily available to every student, regardless of
their socioeconomic status (U.S. Department of Education, 2018). Likewise, the No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law in 2002,
emphasized accountability, particularly for academic achievement and increased use of scientifically-based programs and teaching
methods, and it stressed the need to ensure “student access to quality mental health care by developing innovative programs to link the
local school system with the local mental health system” (U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary
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Education 2018). Amid sharply rising rates of teen suicide and adolescent mental illness, two states have enacted laws that for the first
time require public schools to include mental health education in its basic curriculum.
In 2018, New York and Virginia became the first states in the nation to add mental health awareness to its daily instruction;
New York offering it to grades kindergarten through 12th, and Virginia offering it to ninth and 10th grades (National Alliance on
Mental Illness, 2018). While these initiatives are necessary steps in the right direction, the probability of a student voluntarily
participating in traditional in-school mental health services is low, as many are either afraid of the stigma attached to mental health or
intimidated by the idea of them needing mental health services. Furthermore, the fact that only two states in the nation thus far have
enacted mandates for mental health curriculum in schools shows that society as a whole still does not consider children’s mental
health as a priority.
Mental Health Services in Child Welfare:
In Los Angeles County, home to the largest child welfare agency in the nation, a class-action lawsuit titled “Katie A.”, was
filed against the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) on behalf of California foster youth and children at risk of out-
of-home placement. The lawsuit highlighted the need for significant reform of the system’s assessment and delivery of mental health
services to foster youth (United Advocates for Children and Families, 2018).
In leu of rendering a monetary penalty, the presiding judge ordered a settlement with the Department which required a
complete overhaul of the county’s policy and procedures surrounding children’s mental health. DCFS began diligently working
alongside the Department of Mental Health (DMH) in order to devise a system that would not only adhere to the court settlement
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guidelines but would effectively address the mental health needs of foster and at-risk youth. Today, the estimated 35,000 children and
adolescents with open cases with the Department now have immediate access to mental health services and are closely monitored not
only during their time in foster care but after reunification occurs with their respective families until the case is closed.
Community Personal Development Programs:
Programs within the community such as the Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the YMCA are well known for
providing children and adolescents with enriching experiences to assist with overall personal development as well as positive social
interaction. However, these programs are notorious for having long waitlists due to their popularity and can also be costly for families,
especially those who live at or below the poverty line (Sangha, 2013).
Religion can also play a key role in the positive development of children and adolescents, as it emphasizes caring for your
fellow man and encourages the pursuit of a moral and just lifestyle. However, many religions, especially those found in Westernized
Civilizations, have strict rules and expectations which prohibit many of the issues and lifestyle choices that today’s youth face,
particularly sexual orientation and gender roles (Mathras et al, 2016).
There is certainly enough empirical evidence to suggest that these types of school and community-based programs are effective
and have impacted the lives of the children and adolescents who have the opportunity to participate in them. The dilemma, however, is
that most school-age children either do not have the means or the access to take advantage of them, or there is a social barrier that
prevents them from being allowed to participate in these programs.

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Problems of Practice and Solution/Innovation:
Assessing the Problem of Poor Mental Health in School Children from Stakeholder Perspectives:
Students:
The nation’s school children are the targeted group of individuals who will be directly impacted by the proposed innovation.
An estimated 52.7 million children and adolescents nationwide attend school each year (U.S. Department of Education, 2018). The
vast majority of students have little to no access to programs dedicated to their healthy development. In 2016, a Healthy Mind Study
was conducted by a team of researchers in the state of Michigan. In a study of 4,000 high school students, it was determined that 31%
of those surveyed reported having depression, 11% had thoughts of suicide, 21% reported self-injury, 47% attached negative stigmas
to mental health problems, and 51% reported being prescribed therapy or medication for diagnosed conditions (Healthy Mind
Network, 2016).
A female student in Maryland was interviewed about her experience in school in terms of her mental health. The student stated
that in the third grade, after transferring to a different school, she developed an eating disorder and became depressed. The student
went on to state that in the span of a few months, she went from being on the honor roll to failing every subject; and that the other
children started calling her names. She began cutting herself with a razor every day. Once in high school, the student disclosed to a
school therapist that she wanted to die, and she was then hospitalized. The student stated that during her time in school, not a single
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teacher, principal or therapist asked her the simple question “What’s wrong.” Had they done this, she stated, she would have told
them, and perhaps things in her life would be different (National Public Radio, 2016).
Parents:
In a recent national poll conducted by Mott Children’s Hospital in Michigan, 77 percent of parents felt most uncertain around
whether schools can identify and assist a student with a mental health problem (Health Day, 2017). The poll also found that about 3 in
5 parents believed that a school nurse is on duty at their child’s school five days a week, when in fact fewer than half of U.S. schools
have full-time nurses and counselors on staff (the National Association of School Nurses, 2018). Parents also struggle with the stigma
associated with mental health issues, and oftentimes avoid talking to their children about the issues surrounding mental health, even
when there are signs that their child may be suffering from them.
In a recent phone interview, Tracy W., a mother of a 16-year-old girl, disclosed that her daughter attempted suicide on three
different occasions before she was made aware of their being a problem. She stated “I thought I did everything right, I made sure my
daughter attended the best schools and was given opportunities that I only dreamed of as a kid, but even all of this wasn’t enough.
Looking back, there were signs (that something was wrong) but I guess I thought that she was just hormonal, and it would pass. To
think I could have lost her, it changed everything for me. I wish I could go back and ask her what was wrong.” (Tracy W. personal
communication September 20, 2018). It is safe to suggest that the majority of parents in this country desire for their children to
succeed, yet many feel ill-equipped to provide their children with the tools and information needed to help them achieve their goals.
Teachers:
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Teachers and school athletic coaches many of whom are also educators are in an ideal position to identify when their students
or athletes are having difficulty, because they spend so much quality time with them. They often can notice social withdrawal, a
decrease in academic or social performance, mood swings or lack of motivation before others do. However, not all teachers and
coaches who are faced with teenagers who have mental health disorders know how to act (Gonzales, 2018).
Andrea T. is a teacher in Riverside California. She expressed concern during a phone interview stating that, in her opinion,
teachers are not equipped to handle students with mental health issues in schools. “Our classrooms are filled with kids from all
different walks of life; some are happy, and some are struggling. As much as I would love to take the time to figure out what is going
on with those that are struggling, the reality is I simply don’t have the time or training to do so. If/when a child starts acting up, I have
no choice but to send them to the office; it’s really the only recourse that most of us teachers have” (Andrea T. personal
communication, September 30, 2018).
Teachers have expressed their discontent with the way in which the educational system pressures them to achieve and maintain
high academic learning objectives, while grossly neglecting the social and mental health needs that students exhibit on a daily basis.
While teachers recognize the vital importance of having a personal development course in public schools, many of them fear it would
be a further burden to their already rigid daily curriculum.
Introduction of the Innovation:
There are personal development programs already in existence that have been effective in addressing the mental health needs
of students who had the opportunity to participate in them. In-school and community-based programs strive to give young people an
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opportunity to find meaning and purpose beyond the classroom. The major shortcoming of these programs, however, is that not every
child has the means or the access to take advantage of them.
Rather than reinvent the wheel, the proposed innovation will build upon the existing foundation of programs that are currently
being provided in select schools and community-based programs the proposed innovation will build upon the existing foundation of
programs that are currently being provided in select schools. Only, this innovation is designed to begin with the intended goal of being
readily available to every school-aged child in the country. Since it has been estimated that children spend an average of six hours per
day in school (not including extracurricular activities) (National Center for Education Statistics, 2018), it seems only fitting for
personal development programs to be a part of a student’s daily schedule.
Preparing Us for Social Harmony (PUSH), is an in-school computer-based program designed to aid in the positive mental and
personal development of school-aged children. The program will be offered to students, grades 9 through 12 (for the purpose of this
proposal however, the target population is 11
th
grade students), and is designed to coincide with a student’s overall academic journey.
The mission of PUSH is to provide every school-aged child in the nation with an enriching, fun and interactive learning experience
that will guide them into becoming socially well-rounded human beings. The program will aim to teach children to be resilient during
challenging times, to learn how to collaborate with their peers and with their communities, in an effort to promote positive changes
within society. Students will also learn about the importance of self-care and doing their part to take care of the earth.
The other and most important aspect of PUSH is how the program will be administered. The program’s curriculum is designed
to be embedded in a software program called the School-based Kinetic Interactive Life-Learning System (SKILLS), which could be
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accessed through both desktop computer activities and Virtual Reality (VR) simulations (computer-simulations of an environment that
imitates a physical presence in real or imagined worlds where users navigate through a realistic or unrealistic digital representation of
themselves called an avatar -Mirelman et al., 2010; Seth et al., 2011). The VR simulations will allow students to navigate through
social situations an immersive experience that is both educational and engaging. As previously stated, the intended goal is for the
program’s curriculum to be developed into a software program called SKILLS. Until the software is created, however the curriculum
has been compiled into a program manual which team members can utilized to facilitate the curriculum in a classroom setting.

Program Structure, Methodology and Action Components:
PUSH is a 32-week program that is designed to run concurrently with a school district’s academic calendar. During the
summer, parents of selected students will receive an invitation to attend an informational meeting that will be held during student
enrollment. The meeting will be hosted by PUSH team members and will provide parents with a detailed overview of the program and
the desired outcomes. Parents will also be given the opportunity to review some of the course curriculum and experience a VR
simulation and will also be given the opportunity to ask questions. At the end of the meeting, parents will then be asked to fill out the
parent questionnaire and to read and sign the Parental Consent Form.
Program Evaluation:
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Upon implementation of the program, students will be given the Byrne and Reinhart Adolescent Stress Questionnaire in
addition to the Mindfulness Mindset Assessment. The ASQ is a 48-item questionnaire that is divided into 10 sub-categories covering
various potential stressors for youth. In terms of Reliability, The ASQ has been translated in over 5 different languages and
administered to thousands of adolescents worldwide since its origin in 1994. In the most recent version (2017) All Cronbach's alphas
values were above .70, except for factor 10 (coefficient of .50). The value of alpha for the total score was .95. The correlation between
scores on the first administration of the ASQ-S and scores at retest were significantly higher than .70 for all factors, with the exception
of factor 10 (coefficient of .63). For the total score, the test–retest correlation was .84 (Lima et al, 2017).
For Validity, All ASQ factor scores related positively with the Student Stress Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and
the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, and negatively with the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Three criterion measures (anxiety,
depression and self-esteem) were used to test for concurrent criterion validity of the ASQ. These three measures correlated strongly
and in the expected directions with one another. All ten dimensions of the adolescent stress questionnaire correlated significantly and
in the expected directions with criterion measures (Lima et al, 2017). In addition to the ASQ, students will also participate in seven
different assessments throughout the program (please see the attached program manual in the appendix).
Current evidence of program effectiveness:
During the fall semester of the 2019-2020 school year, the PUSH team was given the opportunity to measure the effect(s) of
mindfulness practices with a selected group of high achieving 11
th
grade students. The team was requested to conduct a four-month
pilot of the program’s Mindfulness module with 100 juniors at Ramona High School’s Health Care Academy in Riverside, California.
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The chosen area of focus was the students’ current stress level, and how the use of meditation and other mindfulness techniques could
aid in reducing the stress and anxiety that the students were experiencing.
The students were given the Mindfulness Mindset Assessment (MMA) both at baseline and at the pilot’s conclusion. The
MMA is a 20-item questionnaire which measures the students’ overall stress levels as well as their understanding of mindfulness. Each
item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale; the MMA was created by the PUSH team and therefore no comparison data is currently
available. Figure A shows the results of the question “My current stress level is high” after being answered at baseline (figure A, left)
and at the pilot’s conclusion (figure A, right). The results show a significant decrease in the students’ stress levels after the 16-week
pilot:

Figure A: My current stress level is high.

Business Structure:
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24
PUSH will be a for-profit business entity, operating as a legal liability corporation (LLC) that will be managed by one to two
members/investors during its initial “start-up” phase. During this time, all structural, financial and operational decisions will be made
by the Executive team. As the LLC expands, the members will add a management team to oversee day-to-day operations while the
Executive team retains their authority in making organizational decisions.
Staffing:
The initial administrative team will consist of the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating officer, a Licensed Clinical Social
Worker and an administrative assistant. The desired management team will have strong knowledge and/or experience with business
operations, budgeting and finance structure and a shared vision of PUSH’s mission and core values. Salaried employees will possess
degrees and licensure specific to their areas of expertise and will have demonstrated experience in their respected fields.
Another innovative factor about PUSH is that the program does not require any teacher participation. Although teachers will be
encouraged to apply many of the program’s skills and techniques to their daily lesson plans, they will not, however, be involved in any
in-class activities. This is to allow extra time for catching up with things such as grading assignments, returning phone calls and emails
or to simply have a break. PUSH will have a licensed social worker in each session, as well as college interns who will assist with
activities and group sessions. The ideal interns will be Bachelor or Master level students who are studying education or social work
and their participation in the program will count towards the required hours needed for graduation.

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Program Budget:
The estimated cost for program implementation (initial data collecting and research, curriculum development, equipment, a
designated office space, on-site trainings and informational meetings and salaries for a small administrative team), will be roughly
$1.1 million. The initial major source of revenue will be in the form of school district contracts; however, the team will apply for
startup and federal education grants. The projected revenue income for the two-year pilot is $594,842 per year of operation. The
budget is formatted in the standard line-item process and coincides with a school district’s fiscal year cycle, which begins July 1
st
and
ends June 30
th
. (see attached budget in the appendix).
Program Phases/Steps to Program Implementation:
The following Implementation plan theoretically takes place over a two-year period:
Organizational Awareness and Approval- 2019/2020
• Research and Identify a diverse school within a chosen District wherein which to pilot the program
• Apply for grant funding (small business and government educational grants)
• Gather and analyze school district data (current academic records, mental health and student advocacy services,)
• Gather and analyze community demographics
• Select Board Members, Hire Staff
• Identify key stakeholders, community leaders and school administrators (Auspices)
• Attend school district and city council meetings to obtain buy-in and build rapport
• Obtain Approval of curriculum, policy and implementation plan from Board Members

Documents and Materials Procurement- Summer/2020
• Develop the SKILLS in-school curriculum and software
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• Purchase VR Goggles, laptops and headsets
• Secure an office location
• Develop student assessments and surveys.
• Develop parent surveys.
• Develop training and communication materials for staff and community members

Communication Plan: Winter/2020
• Draft executive letter for the School District Superintendent detailing the programs mission and requesting permission
to pilot.
• Publish articles for the school district newsletter
• Speak before the district school board
• Create and distribute brochures to disperse to schools within the chosen district
• Create e-mails and send to the PUSH team daily.
• Create a social media platform for project PUSH
• Identify and set up quarterly briefings for external stakeholders and staff

Education & Training Plan: Spring/2021
• Schedule curriculum training sessions for interns and field work staff.
• Schedule presentations with various groups within the school district, such as the school board members, executive
team and teaching/administrative staff.
• Schedule meetings with district mental health providers, school social workers and educators.
• Attend meetings, seminars and trainings on VR and AR technology

Roll Out – “Go Live” Fall/2021
• Have a staff in service to test the prototype and curriculum
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• Check with Executive and Management teams to address any possible questions/issues that may have arisen.
• Finalize program location logistics; inspect designated rooms; ensure computers are secure and running properly
• Coordinate parent/teacher meetings to prepare and educate them for the pilot launch
• Make sure that all classrooms are well stocked with educational and implementation materials for their staff.

Follow-up and Evaluation-Summer/2022
• Assign a point person for questions/issues during implementation
• Conduct mid and end-of-year assessments with all participants
• Conduct informal oral surveys to determine staff knowledge and experience
• Provide assessments and surveys to data analysis personnel
• Meet with entire staff to go over data findings and create action plan to implement changes
• Communicate progress/findings to board members, stakeholders and funders

Evidence Supporting the Need for Personal Development Courses in Public Schools:
In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shootings there has been increased recognition of the need to expand mental health
services to America’s youth (e.g., Cowan & Vallincourt, 2013; Interdisciplinary Group on Preventing School and Community
Violence, 2013). Yet, the high number of children with unmet mental health needs, in addition to the limited resources available to
provide assistance (Nastasi, 2004), continues to be recognized as an unresolved issue associated with the Children’s Mental Health
Services System of Care cross-agency model (Kataoka, Zhang, & Wells, 2002; Stroul, Blau, & Friedman, 2010). Despite substantial
federally- funded efforts over the past 20 years, there has been severely limited progress made to increase the continuum of mental
FINAL CAPSTONE PROPOSAL STACY PIPES-JOYNER
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health services for youth (Kutash, Duchnowski, & Lynn, 2006), which necessitates a change in the paradigm that organizes how
mental health services are provided, particularly in school settings (Dowdy et al, 2015).
Historically, school psychological services have been based on the medical model paradigm with services primarily focused on
the treatment of individual problems, rather than population-based and preventive services (Gutkin, 2012). Such an antiquated and
reactionary approach to service delivery is not sustainable, particularly when resource-restricted economic conditions prevail;
furthermore, it is also inconsistent with current prevention and multitiered models of service delivery (Kutash et al., 2006; Radcliff &
Cooper, 2013).
Population-based service delivery models, including multitiered systems of support (MTSS) and response-to-intervention
(RTI), rely on data to inform prevention and intervention activities to promote the psychological well-being of all students (Doll &
Cummings, 2008). However, the data currently collected in the majority of schools are insufficient to achieve this goal, as the mental
health data collected for a particular group of students (i.e. special education) is also used to inform prevention and intervention
activities for the entire student body. Universal screening, however, is a contemporary, alternative approach to collecting data that can
easily be incorporated into existing population-based service delivery framework and is an essential first step to mobilize school-level
resources while also identifying which students might benefit from preventive or early intervention services (Severson, Walker, Hope-
Doolittle, Kratochwill, & Gresham, 2007). Project Push intends to utilize the Universal Screening model as part of its initial
assessment process.
Immediate and Long-Term Impact of the Proposed Innovation:
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29
Confidence and Self-Esteem:
One of the immediate outcomes for students participating in the program is an increase in confidence and self-esteem. Self-
esteem when properly nurtured in the young children can help them cope with stressful situations and respond positively to mentally
challenging and distress events, as well as protects children and adolescents from negative consequences of tough and mentally
challenging affairs (Thoits, 2013.) The VR simulations provided in Project PUSH depict real-life situations in which a student on any
given day may face. Guided with the assistance of their avatar, students will work through scenarios utilizing their deductive reasoning
and problem-solving skills to not only mitigate the problem but also understand the underlying issues that support it.
Reduced Social Isolation:
Reduced Social Isolation is another long-term benefit of Project PUSH. By collaborating with fellow students, faculty and
community leaders, participants in the program will gain a greater sense of belonging. The physical and emotional effects of social
isolation has been deemed by medical professionals and mental health providers as being as deadly to the body as cancer (Lubben et
al, 2015).
Improved social interaction:
The program emphasizes the importance of teamwork and caring for one another, which will aid participants with fostering positive
relationships with their peers, family members and society in general. In Attachment Theory, John Bowlby suggests that models of
attachment and social functioning that are formed early in life may have profound impacts on the ways in which individuals interface
with the social world throughout their lives (Bowlby, 1964).
FINAL CAPSTONE PROPOSAL STACY PIPES-JOYNER
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Improved Academic Outcomes:
Participants in Project PUSH will also have positive academic outcomes. The program’s curriculum is designed to promote
independent thought, by taking real-life situations and placing the desired outcome in hands of the participants. Critical thinking,
problem solving, and focus are key elements of the program’s curriculum that can also be utilized in the classroom. If a child is given
the opportunity to process new information in a way that feels organic and not forced, not only will the new information become
embedded in their minds, but they will feel confident in their abilities to take on greater challenges.
Improved Student Behavior:
Student behaviors will also improve as a result of participating in the program, as participants will learn the value of self-worth.
Through learning about their capabilities, participants will be better prepared for challenges and will feel less inclined to act out in
frustration. The program also encourages participants to celebrate other’s differences rather than attack them; which will minimize
instances of fighting and bullying. Participants will be encouraged to hold each other accountable and to seek meaningful ways to
diffuse problems when they arise. Project PUSH aims to mitigate the attitudes and behaviors that have held the social norms
surrounding poor mental health in children in place. Doing so will allow children from all socio-economic backgrounds to grow into
the lives that they wish to lead. (See the attached logic model in the appendix).

Conclusions, Actions and Implications:
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31
While addressing the needs and potential success of the program is extremely important, it is also necessary to address some of the
potential barriers to implementation:
Parental fear and uncertainty:
The ultimate goal of the PUSH program is for students to graduate from high school with a viable plan for their future. There
are parents, however, who may view the program as intrusive and overstepping familial boundaries, or meddling in their child’s lives.
These feelings are based oftentimes on a parent’s fear of losing control or no longer being needed by their child(ren). A parent's
relationship and caring role with a young person continues to be important, although the relationship will need to be flexible to adapt
to the teenager's changing needs. At this time, there will need to be a gradual change from a more authoritative approach, to a more
collaborative approach (Fuller, 2000). To address this potential barrier, the PUSH team will strive for transparency, by hosting
informational meetings in order to address concerns in real time as well as providing parents with weekly updates on their child(ren)’s
participation in the program.
Teacher Bias/Resistance:
Teachers nationwide are dealing with crowded classrooms; the average class size in Los Angeles County for example, is 27
students to one teacher (National Center for Education Statistics, 2019). This, along with the mounting pressure of achieving high
scores on state testing, makes teachers become extremely hesitant to embracing yet another course curriculum. Teachers have
expressed their discontent with the way in which the educational system pressures them to achieve and maintain high academic
learning objectives, while grossly neglecting the social and mental health needs that students exhibit on a daily basis. While teachers
FINAL CAPSTONE PROPOSAL STACY PIPES-JOYNER
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recognize the vital importance of having a personal development course in public schools, many of them fear it would be a further
burden to their already rigid daily curriculum. Armed with the knowledge of PUSH being administered and facilitated by an outside
team, teachers would not only be more inclined to endorse the use of the program, they may also be open to incorporating some of
PUSH’s activities into their own classroom work.
School Guidance Counselors feeling obsolete:
School counselors, also known as guidance counselors, were first primarily responsible for facilitating career
development. Today, the role of the school counselor is multifaceted and may vary greatly, depending on the requirements of
both the state and each individual school (American School Counselor Association, 2017).
But with the high caseloads that many school-counselors face, it is highly unlikely for every student to receive adequate
guidance. In Los Angeles county public schools, the average ratio for school counselors is 682 students to 1 counselor
(kidsdata.org, 2018). Because PUSH aims to guide and support students on their quests for self-discovery, many counselors may
feel threatened and may opt in favor of not endorsing the program. The PUSH team will hold informational meetings with
school staff, including administrators, teachers and counselors in an effort to establish a collaborative relationship that will
benefit the students and families we serve. During these meetings, the team will discuss confidentiality, mandated reporting and
referrals to outside mental or public health services for students in further need of care.
Reliable Funding Sources:
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As a for-profit entity, funding for PUSH will initially come from in the form of individual contracts with school districts, as
well as from startup grants and awards from federal education programs. Not all school districts, however, will be in favor of
contracting with PUSH for an entire year despite its need, due to their own financial deficits and woes. In these instances, the PUSH
team will offer the option for individual schools and/or districts to buy the program manual for a set fee. Thus, allowing teachers to
incorporate the PUSH curriculum into their daily lessons.
Additionally, because there is little to no evidence to measure the success and longevity of current in-school personal
development programs, there may be concern over the program’s sustainability. As previously stated, the ultimate goal is to make the
program available to all students nationwide. Currently, there are 56.6 million children enrolled in 132,853 schools in 13,588 school
districts in the United State (National Center for Education Statistics, 2019). If the price point for services is set to $25 per student, per
year, the potential revenue is $1.4 Billion, annually. Even if only quarter of the districts opted to participate in the program the
potential annual revenue would be more than a quarter billion dollars. Therefore, because schools will be in existence, the program has
a very high potential for success.
The education that today’s youth currently receives in public schools is primarily centered around academic success, with very
little attention being given to the personal attributes that would ensure good individual health and well-being. Teachers are ill-
equipped to assess and/or identify mental health issues in students, as they are overwhelmed with balancing overcrowded classrooms
and the demand to meet academic objectives.
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PUSH will challenge students to take inventory of their perception of the world and figure out what part of it they wish to
impact; it will also provide students with an enriching self-learning experience that promotes independent thought and strives to
unlock the limitless potential that each child possesses. The program will allow students the opportunity to learn who they are and who
they wish to be by their own terms, and to become invested in cultivating the future lives they wish to live.

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Appendix:

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Program: Project PUSH Logic Model

Inputs
Outputs Outcomes -- Impact
Activities Participation Short Medium Long

Þ

Þ

Þ

Empowerment to pursue
dreams/goals

Formation of new and
long-lasting peer
relationships

Strengthening of family
relationships

Increased Community
involvement

Decrease in teacher stress

Decrease in parental stress

Empirical evidence in
support of computer and
VR technology usage for
mental health issues.

Achievement of life-goals

Mental health issues
addressed and effectively
treated.

Improved physical health
outcomes

Instances of school
violence drastically
decreased

Increased teacher
retention due to lower
stress

Decrease in delinquent
behavior in communities

Statistics on childhood
mental health, student in-
school behavior and
academic achievement.
Results from Surveys and
Interviews

Program Writers
Software Engineers
VR Goggles
VR technology
Search Engine
AI Technology

11
th
grade students,
PUSH staff, teachers,
parents

Develop Program
Guide and Training
Curriculum. Train
Staff on PUSH
curriculum. Conduct
presentations with
parents, educators,
community leaders
and potential
stakeholders

Develop the School-
based Kinetic
Interactive Life
Learning System
(SKILLS) software,
with embedded
PUSH curriculum.
Attach software to
VR technology
(Goggles)

Conduct a test pilot
with students from a
selected school

200+ educators,
community leaders,
parents stakeholders and
PUSH staff receive
training and materials to
learn about the benefits of
VR/AI technology in
preventing and treating
mental health issues and
how to incorporate the
PUSH curriculum into
daily lessons.

100 desktop computers
and VR Goggles are
outfitted with the PUSH
curriculum and
simulations

100 Selected 11
th
grade
students are trained on
the (SKILLS) Software
and participate in Project
PUSH.

Decrease in social
isolation, depression,
anxiety and stress in
students

Decrease in negative
behaviors in school.

Increased confidence and
positive self-esteem in
students

Increased Clarity and
Focus for students in
School

Increased in-class
participation/enthusiasm
to be at school

Academic Improvement
(better grades)

Abstract (if available)

Abstract Within Grand Challenge of Ensuring the Healthy Development of All Youth lies the intractable “wicked” problem of the poor mental health status of school children in the United States. The pressure for students to academically and socially succeed in school has dramatically increased, as societal norms and expectations surrounding morals and values, socio-economic status and gender roles continue to be the gauge by which people are measured as being successes or failures. The purpose of this innovation is to mitigate these norms and expectations and to level the playing field so that all children can identify their talents and harness their self-worth to be used for the greater good. ❧ Current attempts to address the problem of poor mental health in school children have fallen short

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Asset Metadata

Creator Pipes-Joyner, Stacy Yvette (author)

Core Title The road less traveled: personal development for school-aged youth

School Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

Degree Doctor of Social Work

Degree Program Social Work

Publication Date 05/11/2020

Defense Date 04/16/2020

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag life education,life skills,mental health development,mindfulness practices,OAI-PMH Harvest,personal development,self identity,student success,youth preparedness

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Mandersheid, Ronald (committee chair), Blonshine, Rebekah (committee member), Nair, Murali (committee member)

Creator Email pipes@usc.edu,stacy.pipes@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-302402

Unique identifier UC11663770

Identifier etd-PipesJoyne-8481.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-302402 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-PipesJoyne-8481.pdf

Dmrecord 302402

Document Type Capstone project

Rights Pipes-Joyner, Stacy Yvette

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA