Managing Frustration in Children (MFC): Promoting Emotion Regulation
Emotion regulation is an important developmental process that governs how emotions are activated, expressed, and managed. Children process and regulate emotions differently and when these emotions lead to maladaptive emotional states and behaviors their emotions are considered to be dysregulated and children have difficulty coping with distress (Cole, et al., 2004). When emotionally dysregulated, children may have difficulties engaging appropriately with family members, other adults, and friends, and are more prone to experiencing “meltdowns” (Dickstein & Leibenluft, 2006). The Managing Frustration for Children (MFC) is an evidence-based (Rosen at al., 2019) group program designed to teach children the necessary skills to control and regulate their emotions, cope with emotional distress, and reduce the impact of negative emotions on their behavior. For further information, please contact Dr. Kathleen Everson ([email protected])
Cole, P. M., Martin, S. E., & Dennis, T. A. (2004). Emotion regulation as a scientific construct: Methodological challenges and directions for child development research. Child development, 75(2), 317-333.
Dickstein, D. P., & Leibenluft, E. (2006). Emotion regulation in children and adolescents: Boundaries between normalcy and bipolar disorder. Development and psychopathology, 18(4), 1105-1131.
Rosen, P. J., Leaberry, K. D., Slaughter, K., Fogleman, N. D., Walerius, D. M., Loren, R. E., & Epstein, J. N. (2019). Managing Frustration for Children (MFC) group intervention for ADHD: An open trial of a novel group intervention for deficient emotion regulation. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 26(3), 522-534.
Excessive Internet & Gaming Skills Group
There are many positives from the major advancements in technology over the last 20 years, but these advantages have also led to some challenges and a population that is at greatest risk for problematic technology usage are adolescents. The term "internet use disorders" (IUD) has been used to describe behaviors that are problematic or addictive in nature. The most commonly used applications among adolescents are gaming and social networks but may also be seen in shopping, gambling. or pornography addictions. Approximately 7% of youth meet criteria for a generalized internet addiction (GIA) and 2.5% for an internet gaming disorder (IGD), but many more youth demonstrate problematic usage that has an impact on their health, mental health, and socialization. The PROTECT intervention is an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral group-based approach for students who are at-risk for developing internet use disorder or are already experiencing consequences as a function of their usage. The program runs for 8 weeks and there is a weekly 15 minute consultation with parents/guardians. For further information, please contact Dr. Mark Terjesen ([email protected])
Lindenberg, K., Kindt, S., & Szász-Janocha, C. (2022). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy–based intervention in preventing gaming disorder and unspecified internet use disorder in adolescents: A cluster randomized clinical trial. JAMA network open, 5(2), e2148995-e2148995.
Lindenberg, K., Kindt, S., & Szász-Janocha, C. (2020). Internet addiction in adolescents: The PROTECT program for evidence-based prevention and treatment. Springer Nature.
Lozano-Blasco, R., Latorre-Martínez, M., & Cortés-Pascual, A. (2022). Screen addicts: A meta-analysis of internet addiction in adolescence. Children and Youth Services Review, 135, 106373.
Pan, Y. C., Chiu, Y. C., & Lin, Y. H. (2020). Systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiology of internet addiction. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 118, 612-622.
Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment (COPE) Group for ages 12 - 15
Depression and anxiety are two of the most common mental health concerns experienced by adolescents (Merikangas & Burstein, 2010). Following the COVID-19 pandemic, about 25% and 20% of adolescents currently experience clinical levels of depression and anxiety, respectively. This means that 1 in 4 adolescents are experiencing high levels of sadness, loneliness, loss of energy and/or appetite, uncontrollable worry, and chronic hyperarousal (Racine, McArthur, Cooke, 2021). The COPE (Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment) program uses evidence-based techniques to help adolescents understand the relationship between problematic thought, emotion and behavior patterns, and teaches a menu of coping skills to help teens better regulate, and improve, their mindset and mood. This is a group therapy program that runs for 7-weeks. Group therapy is often helpful for adolescents as it may foster normalization of one's problems and cohesion through shared support and experiences. Group formats may also enhance learning and outcomes as teens can often learn from each other via open discussion, role-play, and functioning as each other's "co-therapists" (Thimm & Antonsen, 2014). For more information, please contact Dr. Michelle Kirkland ([email protected])
Merikangas KR , Burstein M , et al. (2010). Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in U.S. adolescents: results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication—Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A). J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 49(10):980-989. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2010.05.017
Racine, N., McArthur, B.A., & Cooke, J. E., et al. (2021). Global prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents during COVID-19: A meta-analysis. Journal of American Medical Association.
Thimm, J., & Antonsen, L. (2014). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral group therapy for depression in routine practice. BMC Psychiatry. 14:292 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-244X/14/292
