PEACE

It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.

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What is stress? • Stress is the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change

STRESS????? YOURS • Stress Symptoms – Physical – Emotional – Behavioral • Stress Triggers – Outer – Inner

CHILDREN • Stress Symptoms

– Physical – Emotional – Behavioral • Stress Triggers – Outer – Inner 3

Signs of Possible Stress in Young Children

Accident proneness Hitting Anger Kicking Fidgity Behavior Insomnia Appetite Loss Stuttering Baby Talk Indigestion Bed-wetting Stomach Aches Extreme shyness

Thumb sucking Biting Pounding Heart Crying Spells Grinding Teeth Detachment Fingernail Biting Excessive Aggressiveness Respiratory Tract Illness Excessive Laziness Tattling & Whining Tense muscles Difficulty with transitions

The

Stress Response occurs Every Time the brain and body perceives a threat!

When the Stress Response Turns ON our brain starts to release over 1,400 chemicals and 30 different hormones that flood our whole body and help us if we are having a real emergency.

This is the Stress Response which activates the fight-flight response.

Stress sets off a Rapid Response Alarm to every part of the body

Fight--Flight Response Heart Beats faster Pupils dialate

Blood flows to major muscles

Increased muscle tension Hands get cold Pilo-erector response

Increased Arousal

Digestive system slows down Breathing quickens (or holding of breath and breath becomes more shallow)

Coldness and sweating

Imbalance Triggered by Stress affects the functioning of the Autonomic Nervous System: Two parts of the ANS when working in concert create homeostasis They must be in BALANCE for us to feel good. • Sympathetic nervous system• Signals arousal • Gives energy for self preservation • Associated with analytical and sequential functioning of the left hemisphere of the brain (you can’t think as well when you are stressed) • Activates fight-flight responsewith resultant physiological symptoms

Parasympathetic nervous system• Promotes inhibition, rest, pleasurable feelings • When activated: heart rate ,blood pressure, breathing slow down, digestion is activated, muscles relax • Associated with the right hemisphere of the brain, receptive, integrative, awareness ( better memory retrieval, clearer thinking, more creative “ah-ha” thinking is possible)

Stress is an over-activation of the sympathetic arm of the ANS

The Gas

Sympathetic nervous system-

Activates Fight/Flight

The Brakes

Para-sympathetic nervous system-

Promotes rest and restoration, relaxation, conservation of bodily energy by causing your vital organs to “rest’ when they are not on duty.

Revs up metabolism to deal with challenges. Mobilizes the body’s reserves so that you can protect and defend yourself. We get stuck with our foot on the gas!

When in balance it is like being on cruise control

Left brain is compartmentalized, separates and divides

Right brain is open and connects, is relaxed, creative and playful. It is more receptive and less analytical, but more intuitive and connected to feeling. When we are relaxed both parts of our brain function at their best. Stress causes us to be limited in brain function. 9

The simplest and fastest way to regulate the autonomic nervous system to prevent stress, or to bring it back into balance when we have been stressed is to focus on the breath---We begin with the breath--Breathe in slowly through the nose all the way down to the belly and breathe out through the mouth. *Bunny Breath *Peace Breath

Just THINKING about a stressful event can trigger the stress response! • Whatever the stimulus, the body’s response is the same following a well documented cascade of nervous and hormonal activity with the inbuilt safety mechanism of making the external and internal environment safe and returning the body to a stable condition • If the homeostatic state is not restored, the stress response occurs. This drives the chemical pathways, designed only for brief periods of activity to exhaustion!

Why Imagery Works

• Our bodies do not discriminate between sensory images in the mind and what we call reality. • We activate both parts of the brain and use more of our natural innate resources.

Lemon Visualization

Toxic Stress and Emotional Problems Social Isolation

Experiences of discrimination

Inadequate resources Exposure to violence

Stress

Chaotic neighborhoods Financial Strain

Job insecurity or job strain

Chronic Distress (range of severity)

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KRE Kids Resiliency Education

Stress Vulnerable versus Stress Resilient We range from being…. Stress Vulnerable

Low threshold for perceiving threat, vigilant, sensitive to “danger cues”, ruminate/worry, defensive, defeatist TO Stress Resilient

High threshold for perceiving threat, sensitive to “safety cues”, optimistic, problem solvers, confident

Early Experiences Affect Vulnerability to StressM. Gunner (Institute for Child Development: University of MN)

Brain circuits that regulate stress vulnerability are immature at birth These circuits develop during childhood The early years contribute in important ways to the shaping of the brain’s stress system Children who are genetically predisposed to stress vulnerability are most sensitive to early shaping of the brain’s stress systems Differences in stress vulnerability have been shown to be important for school success 18

Do Variations in Care Shape Stress Vulnerability?

(Maternal Stress & Preschooler’s Cortisol Levels Essex et al (2003), Bio. Psychiatry)

Work by Marilyn Essex and colleagues in Wisconsin studied several hundred families with brand new babies; they followed the family until child was in first grade Examined many things, including how stressed the mother was in her life Maternal stress is known to decrease her sensitivity and responsiveness to her children 19

Stress vulnerability can LEAD TO long term

anxiety

We form coping patterns as children that can become life long and that can be less than optimal. Anxiety is considered a learnable reaction. Anxiety is internalized memory aroused by fear. Anxiety interferes with learning, problem solving abilities, self concept and can result in behavior problems, feeling a lack of mastery in the world, as well as contribute to health problems.

Stress Hormones • Affect areas of the brain involved in learning and memory • Affect areas of the brain involved in emotions and self-control • Children who are stress reactive are at greater risk for behavior problems and school failure

Babies and young children are constantly picking up stress from their environment, the adults and older children around them. They are stressed by what they see on TV and what they hear. They have difficulty filtering out information. They are stressed by major and minor changes and have difficulty with transitions. Children don’t have the language to describe what they are feeling.

RESEARCH INDICATES: There are numerous differences between children who do and do not handle stress effectively. Children who manage stress well tend to have good self-esteem, a sense of humor, a perception of control over their lives, consistent-cohesive family structure, open communication, warm supportive relationships with adults, and receive recognition for their achievements, but are aware that who they are is about more than what they achieve.

The Key lies in finding ways to create resiliency for children at risk because of extraordinary stress filled lives.

Teaching stress reduction skills are skills that will last a life time.

In the first three years of life, the number of synaptic connections in a young child’s brain doubles to approximately 1,000 trillion.

•A child’s brain is not mature at birth. •A child’s brain is changed by experience. •The timing of experiences can be important. (windows of opportunity)—the pre-school years are the window of opportunity to teach self-regulation skills •Relationships strongly influence social and emotional functioning.

•Progressive Relaxation •Intentional Movement •Body Awareness-Inside Pre-School Self-Regulation Skill Building

and Out—All parts of our body has a job to do and is VERY Smart •Guided Imagery •Music •Story Telling •Breathing Exercises •Awareness of emotions (Emotional Intelligence)

Child friendly Explanation

When your body is nervous and scared

RESPONSE • • • • •

It gets the jitters and has trouble settling down Your heart beats faster Your breathing gets faster Your hands get cold-your body gets hot Your tummy feels funny (some kids say like butterflies are inside it) or hurtingstomachaches • Your muscles get tense and you can’t think very well

What kind of thoughts do you think and what else happens to your body?

Auto Genie

Exercise

• Be sure children can identify these body parts. (arms, legs, shoulders, head, tummy) • Instruct children to listen to your voice and repeat phrases inside their mind, as they form a picture of that part of their body relaxing. (Target 5 areas of the body and repeat 3-5 times) • My arms are warm and relaxed • My legs are quiet and still • My shoulders are soft and relaxed • My head is cool and soft like jello • My tummy is warm and soft 27

Emotional Literacy and Communication The INABILITY to identify and express feelings and communicate them-

Is One of the Biggest Stress Triggers and The ABILITY to do so Can Be One of the Biggest Stress Relievers 28 28

Emotional Literacy-is the ability to identify understand, and express emotions in a healthy way.

• • • • • • • • • •

Children with a strong foundation in Emotional Literacy have been found to: tolerate frustration better are better able to self-regulate get into fewer fights engage in less destructive behavior are healthier are less lonely are less impulsive better at self-regulation are more focused have greater academic achievement

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Why are Mind-Body Skills Important for Children? • Children who know themselves have inner resources that can be tapped into whenever they need them. • They will feel more confidence in making healthy choices. • They will manage emotions and stress and feel more competent in problem solving. • They will be better at managing all feelings, including anger and know how the mind and body work together. • We live in an a world of increasing stressors that are more difficult for even the best intentioned parents to be able to protect their children from.

• They can use their imaginations to create a healthy future. • They will understand how to take responsibility in preventing stress and intervene when stress is present in their lives. • They will know how to focus on the attitude and skills for handling difficult situations with: • Self-control • Self-responsibility • Self-confidence

St. Stephen’s Human Services and CEED partnership Tracy Bradfield, U of MN John Hoch, U of MN Susan Roedl, St. Stephen’s

Childcare Characteristics • Licensed childcares • Willing to do 16 hour training and participate in research • Located in inner city Minneapolis neighborhoods • At least half of the families earn less than 100% of the poverty guidelines • Primarily children of color • Primarily staff of color

Research Goals (1) Determine whether the KRE program affects children’s stress levels. (2) Determine whether KRE affects children’s understanding of emotion. (3) Assess effect of KRE on teacher’s behavior toward children. (4) Determine whether KRE affects teacher stress.

Study Purpose: Find out what works; what needs to be re-visited. • Pilot the current research methodology to inform larger scale studies. This includes: – Methods for partnering with early care centers. – Explaining research and obtaining consent in a way that respects research participants. – Evaluating the feasibility of implementing the necessary research components given a number of barriers. – Ability to target essential behaviors. – Ability to compile the data to make conclusions.

Research Methods CHILDREN

• POSA Checklist • Face recognition • Cortisol measurements

TEACHERS

• Positive vs corrective statements in the classroom • Cortisol measurements

Preschool Observational Scale of Anxiety (POSA) Glennon & Weisz (1978). Beep timer with earphone set to 30 second intervals. If behavior occurs in interval mark occurrence on data sheet.

Emotion Identification Task: Child Measure • Full screen pictures of faces showing emotion. • 28 faces shown – Ethnicity and gender balanced across emotions – 3 sets of faces so kids couldn’t memorize the faces and emotions on next time they did the task. • Children given practice faces and choices to match to face.

How does this person feel? •

Face images used from MacBrain Face Stimulus. Please contact Nim Tottenham at [email protected] for more information concerning the stimulus set.

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Recorded: correct response, time until response, what child said if incorrect

Direct Observation of Positive vs. Negative Statements

The Role of CortisolThe Major Stress Hormone •Balanced levels of Cortisol are essential

function properly (the stress hormone).

for the body to

•Chronically elevated levels have demonstrated correlation with impairment of: immune function, reduction of proper glucose use, reduce muscle mass, inhibit skin regeneration, increase fat, impair memory and learning, destroy brain cells, cause anxiety and sleep problems, and damage stomach, kidneys, and heart.

(Childre&Martin,1999)

Cortisol is measured by collecting small samples of children’s saliva. Children (& teachers) dip cotton dental rolls in unsweetened kool-aide. We call it, “the tasting game”

How we measured cortisol levels. Child Cortisol samples: • At school arrival pre-intervention 3 days. • At school arrival during intervention 3 days. • Immediately before and after relaxation procedure. 1x. • One week after intervention ended for 3 days.

Teacher Cortisol samples: • Cortisol measured 3x/week throughout baseline and intervention.

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During the early years the stress system is under strong social regulation. Children’s stress levels do not rise in settings where they receive a lot of attention, support, and guidance from the care provider, but do rise when they don’t. Gunnar Lab, ICD, U of MN

For more info: http://cehd.umn.edu/Pubs/ResearchWorks/Gunnar.html

Courtesy of the Erikson Institute, Chicago

Research by the Erickson Institute in Chicago has found that involved, attentive child care providers and babysitters can buffer young children from stress hormones.

Research Design: Multiple Baseline • Stagger the start of the intervention. • Measure all participants before the first participant gets the intervention. • If there is an effect, you SHOULD see that no one’s data changes until the intervention starts.

Structural Barriers • • • •

Consent Process Fidelity of Implementation Teacher turnover; Program closing Children’s irregular attendance

Possible Process Barriers • Teacher’s beliefs about program. • Baseline levels of stress in children and staff.

Anecdotal Results: Teacher and Parent Report • Teachers report learning skills that benefitted relationships in and outside of work. • Teachers report calmer classrooms. • Parents report seeing positive changes in their children.

Preliminary Evaluation Results • Cortisol samples are currently being processed. • Compiling results from observational measures and checklists.

Ideas for Future Studies • Recruit a different sample: attempt to show effects with children and programs with less process and structural barriers. • Revise evaluation methods to more clearly match the KRE methodology. • Lobby legislators to increase funding for early care and education programs to remove some of the structural barriers.