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Ola Demkowicz

Bio: Ola Demkowicz is an academic researcher from University of Manchester. The author has contributed to research in topics: Mental health & Medicine. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 11 publications receiving 33 citations.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Two unanticipated practices, validation and motivation, appeared to be of particular value to teachers, although these are not currently a prominent feature in existing coaching models, which provides implications for improving the development of socially valid coaching models for UK schools.
Abstract: There has been increased interest in recent years regarding the utility of imported universal prevention and promotion (P&P) programmes in UK schools, many of which have a coaching model attached. However, there have been relatively few studies exploring the cultural transferability and social validity of these models, even though evidence suggests that these factors are important to the successful implementation of the programmes, and thus the achievement of the intended outcomes. The aim of the current study was to explore the coaching practices that teachers report experiencing, and to further understanding of the perceived benefits of these coaching practices to teachers. The sample consisted of 33 teachers implementing one of two universal, school-based P&P programmes, Good Behavior Game and Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies as part of large-scale, randomised controlled trials. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data were analysed thematically utilising a hybrid approach. Teachers typically reported engaging in six distinct practices with their coaches. While the majority of these practices were in line with coaching literature, there were some discrepancies between intended coaching practices and teachers’ reports. The coaching practices were generally perceived to be acceptable to teachers. Two unanticipated practices, validation and motivation, appeared to be of particular value to teachers, although these are not currently a prominent feature in existing coaching models. The findings provide implications for improving the development of socially valid coaching models for UK schools.

17 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The way that children and young people perceive and experience completing mental health and wellbeing measures, with a specific focus on completion in a school context, is explored in order to inform future measure and research design.
Abstract: In recent years there has been growing interest in child and adolescent mental health and wellbeing, alongside increasing emphasis on schools as a crucial site for research and intervention. This has coincided with an increased use of self-report mental health and wellbeing measures in research with this population, including in school-based research projects. We set out to explore the way that children and young people perceive and experience completing mental health and wellbeing measures, with a specific focus on completion in a school context, in order to inform future measure and research design. We conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 133 participants aged 8–16 years following their completion of mental health and wellbeing measures as part of school-based research programmes, using thematic analysis to identify patterns of experience. We identified six themes: Reflecting on emotions during completion; the importance of anonymity; understanding what is going to happen; ease of responding to items; level of demand; and interacting with the measure format. Our findings offer greater insight into children and young people’s perceptions and experiences in reporting on their mental health and wellbeing. Such understanding can be used to support more ethical and robust data collection procedures in child and adolescent mental health research, both for data quality and ethical purposes. We offer several practical recommendations for researchers, including facilitating this in a school context.

14 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors examined early adolescents' perspectives on and experiences of coping with the problems, difficult situations, and feelings that can arise in daily life in England, and found that early adolescents cope with difficult situations and feelings in their daily life.
Abstract: The aim of our study was to examine early adolescents’ perspectives on and experiences of coping with the problems, difficult situations, and feelings that can arise in daily life in England. Our s...

14 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the swift response of mental health research funders and institutions, service providers, and academics enabled progress toward understanding the mental health consequences.
Abstract: In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the swift response of mental health research funders and institutions, service providers, and academics enabled progress toward understanding the mental health consequences. Nevertheless, there remains an urgent need to understand the true extent of the short- and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, necessitating ongoing research. Although the speed with which mental health researchers have mobilized to respond to the pandemic so far is to be commended, there are valid concerns as to whether speed may have compromised the quality of our work. As the pandemic continues to evolve, we must take time to reflect on our initial research response and collectively consider how we can use this to strengthen ensuing COVID-19 mental health research and our response to future crises. Here, we offer our reflections as members of the UK mental health research community to discuss the continuing progress and persisting challenges of our COVID-19 response, which we hope can encourage reflection and discussion among the wider research community. We conclude that (1) Fragmentation in our infrastructure has challenged the efficient, effective and equitable deployment of resources, (2) In responding quickly, we may have overlooked the role of experts by experience, (3) Robust and open methods may have been compromised by speedy responses, and (4) This pandemic may exacerbate existing issues of inequality in our workforce.

10 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors investigated the factor structure, internal consistency, and known-groups validity of the 4-item perceived stress scale in a large sample of 29,388 English adolescents, and found that the factor structures and internal consistency of the four-item stress scale were consistent with known groups.
Abstract: . This study investigated the factor structure, internal consistency, and known-groups validity of the 4-item Perceived Stress Scale in a large sample of 29,388 English adolescents. Results...

7 citations


Cited by
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17 Oct 2011
TL;DR: In this article, the authors review the evidence and the gaps in the published work in terms of prevalence, risk and protective factors, and interventions to prevent and treat childhood and adolescent mental health problems.
Abstract: This article suggests that while mental health problems affect 10—20% of children and adolescents worldwide, the mental health needs of children and adolescents are neglected, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. The authors review the evidence and the gaps in the published work in terms of prevalence, risk and protective factors, and interventions to prevent and treat childhood and adolescent mental health problems.

1,088 citations

01 Dec 2003
TL;DR: In this article, mental health issues often co-occur with other problems such as substance abuse, and they can take an enormous toll on individuals and impact a college or university in many ways.
Abstract: Mental health issues often co-occur with other problems such as substance abuse, and they can take an enormous toll on individuals and impact a college or university in many ways. There are staff and departments both onand off-campus who are concerned about the well-being of students and the impact of mental health issues, so partnerships around mental health promotion and suicide prevention make good sense.

983 citations

12 Jan 2010

247 citations

Posted Content
01 Jan 2015
TL;DR: In this paper, a quantile regression of LPPLS signals is proposed to diagnose financial bubbles by combining the many quantile regressions with a multi-scale analysis, which aggregates and consolidates the obtained ensembles of scenarios.
Abstract: We augment the existing literature using the Log-Periodic Power Law Singular (LPPLS) structures in the log-price dynamics to diagnose financial bubbles by providing three main innovations. First, we introduce the quantile regression to the LPPLS detection problem. This allows us to disentangle (at least partially) the genuine LPPLS signal and the a priori unknown complicated residuals. Second, we propose to combine the many quantile regressions with a multi-scale analysis, which aggregates and consolidates the obtained ensembles of scenarios. Third, we define and implement the so-called DS LPPLS Confidence\textsuperscript{TM} and Trust\textsuperscript{TM} indicators that enrich considerably the diagnostic of bubbles. Using extensive synthetic signals, a detailed analysis of the "S\&P 500 1987" bubble and the application to 16 historical bubbles, we show that the quantile regression of LPPLS signals contributes useful early warning signals. The comparison between the constructed signals and the price development in these 16 historical bubbles demonstrates their significant predictive ability around the real critical time when the burst/rally occurs.

111 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of children and adolescents is multifaceted and substantial, and positive coping strategies with family and social support may be important to achieving better outcomes.
Abstract: Objective: Mental health problems among children and adolescents are increasingly observed during the outbreak of COVID-19, leading to significant healthcare concerns. Survey studies provide unique opportunities for research during this pandemic, while there are no existing systematic reviews in this setting. The objective was to summarize existing survey studies addressing the effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents. Methods: For this systematic review, we performed an electronic search in multiple databases from December 2019 to December 2020. The quality appraisal of the included studies was performed with the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Qualitative Checklist. Because of the high methodological heterogeneity between studies, a narrative synthesis of the qualitative data was used. Results: In total, 35 survey studies with 65,508 participants, ranging from 4 to 19 years of age, are included in this review. Anxiety (28%), depression (23%), loneliness (5%), stress (5%), fear (5%), tension (3%), anger (3%), fatigue (3%), confusion (3%), and worry (3%) were the most common mental health issues reported. Children and adolescents with psychiatric and/or developmental disorders, such as severe obesity, chronic lung disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cystic fibrosis, and obsessive-compulsive disorders, were especially vulnerable to the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Age, gender, psychological quality, and negative coping strategies were identified as risk factors for the development of mental health problems. Social and family support, along with a positive coping style, was associated with better outcomes. Conclusion: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of children and adolescents is multifaceted and substantial. Survey studies regarding child and adolescent mental health amid COVID-19 indicated that anxiety, depression, loneliness, stress, and tension are the most observed symptoms. Positive coping strategies with family and social support may be important to achieving better outcomes. Due to limited available evidence, more well-designed studies in this area are urgently needed.

55 citations