https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/103768 2026-04-28T21:15:01Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/85633 Title: Climate change and social-emotional wellbeing in children and young people Abstract: 2021 may be remembered as the year of global warming and climate change not only because the landmark UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) and the Glasgow Climate Pact, but also because of the extreme weather patterns experienced by countries across the globe. The impact of climate change on physical, health, social and emotional wellbeing is becoming an increasing matter of concern as people struggle with unprecedented extreme weather patterns and dark forecasts for the years to come. [excerpt] 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/85632 Title: Editorial [International Journal of Emotional Education, 13(2)] Abstract: There is increasing interest in both research and practice in the use of meditative practices such as guided reflection and mindfulness in reducing stress and anxiety amongst both children and adults, but their acceptability as a mainstream intervention with school students appears to have generated little research interest. In the first paper, Kimble et al. (USA) examined the acceptability of bilingual guided meditation and its components (music, positive suggestions) to second language learners and their teachers in a culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged school setting. This qualitative study indicated that both music and guided meditation were acceptable to the teachers as well as the majority of the students, the latter particularly valuing the calming effects of the meditation music. [excerpt] 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/85631 Title: Evaluation of the Georgia Elementary School Climate Survey for elementary school children Authors: Martinelli, Victor; Raykov, Milosh Abstract: School climate is a vital aspect of school life that influences students’ emotional well- being, social relations and academic achievement. Therefore, educators need to monitor school climate to nurture good interpersonal relations and students’ positive experiences in school. To achieve this objective, educators and psychosocial support services in schools need valid and reliable instruments to measure and monitor school climate. A review of the instruments for measuring school climate shows that they are available in several countries, but their application in these diverse settings requires evaluation and adaptation to the different conditions where they are being implemented. This study is part of a larger international project that examines the use of the Georgia Elementary School Climate Survey across many countries. The project includes students’, parents’, and educators’ perceptions of school climate and aims to address the existing shortage of valid instruments of this important indicator of school life in Maltese educational settings. This study was based on responses from 592 children from five primary schools and focused on evaluating an adapted version of the Georgia Elementary School Climate Survey for primary school children. The study indicates that the slightly adapted scale has a good structure and acceptable internal consistency, indicating that the scale can be used in school practice. Based on the analysis of the items in the questionnaire, the study provides some suggestions for further development of this scale to respond better to the local educational setting. 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/85630 Title: Acceptability of bilingual guided meditation with second language learners in a culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged school setting Authors: Kimble, Edward; Li, Chieh; Kruger, Louis J.; Cai, Qinghong; Bivens, Alexander Abstract: High school students experience considerable stress and anxiety. Meditative practices have been found to reduce stress and anxiety, but research has neglected the acceptability of these practices for adolescents. Bilingual guided meditation (BGM) has been shown to be both acceptable and effective in reducing stress and anxiety for second language (L2) learners in college, but its acceptability for culturally diverse high school students is unknown. The current study investigated acceptability of BGM and its components (music, positive suggestion) with L2 learners in a diverse and low-income high-school setting. Qualitative feedback and content analysis were used to investigate the acceptability of the intervention among 99 student and 5 teacher participants. Results indicate that both music and guided meditation were acceptable to the majority of the students and all of their teachers. Students particularly valued the perceived calming effects of the meditation music. Implications for future research and practice are discussed. 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z