Resilience and Coping Intervention for Children in Universal, Selective, and Indicated Populations

摘要

Importance: Strengthening resilience and using effective coping skills are common goals parents, teachers, and mental health and health professionals have for children and adolescents. The implementation of the Resilience and Coping Intervention (RCI) is explored as it is applied in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) model of prevention programs in universal, selective, and indicated populations. Observations: RCI was implemented by trained professionals in a universal population of approximately 6400 children following the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing; in a selective population of children in an after-school program in a high poverty and crime neighborhood; and in an indicated population in a clinical outpatient setting with children and their family members. The authors describe the discussion format of RCI and guidelines for its use. Children who participate in RCI discussion sessions are taught to manage their emotions and behavior to cope with difficult life situations. Conclusions and Relevance: Evidence from published studies indicate that children profit from participating in the structured RCI discussion process. Pediatric, adolescent medicine, or family physicians may implement RCI in their practice settings to educate patients about coping with difficult issues and to screen for possible mental health problems.