https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/103773 2026-04-11T11:37:41Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/97728 Title: Editorial [International Journal of Emotional Education, 14(1)] Abstract: One of the main factors which has led to the rise of children’s and young persons’ voice has been the drive towards a rights based approach to children’s education, development and well-being. As children’s rights became increasingly recognized, the rights-based approach as a conceptual framework for children’s development has become more frequently recognized in policy, practice and research. This movement has been supported by evidence from developmental sciences, clearly showing that as ‘unique insiders’, children and adolescents possess knowledge and experiences which differ from those of adults, and that their perspectives on their learning, behaviour, and well-being provide a more adequate understanding of their development and needs to be taken actively into consideration. In the first paper in this edition, Pound and Sime-Schoutenb (UK) undertake a systematic review of co-production in relation to the mental health and wellbeing of care leavers. This is an under researched area with scarce research on the experiences of care leavers and their mental health and well-being needs. The authors reported that co-production can have a positive impact on care leavers’ mental health and well-being, but that it needs to take account of various considerations for it to be effective. [excerpt] 2022-06-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/97727 Title: A systematic review of the principles of co-production in relation to the mental health and wellbeing of care leavers Authors: Pound, Megan; Sims-Schouten, Wendy Abstract: This paper reviews prior applications of co-production principles and their potential impact on the mental health and wellbeing of care leavers. There is minimal research available on care leaver narratives of their experiences and consequent mental health and wellbeing needs. This paper explores the relevance of different, sometimes opposed, approaches to co-production, the knowledge which can be gained about the mental health and wellbeing needs of care leavers, and finally the potential for lifelong learning through co-production with care leavers. A systematic review was selected to draw conclusions about how the method of co-production could improve awareness of and provisions for care leaver mental health and wellbeing. This review included 14 sources with a total of 541 participants. Following a rigorous systematic review on these themes, conclusions were drawn suggesting that co-production involving care experienced individuals, whilst faced with a range of considerations to ensure success, can have largely positive impacts on care leaver mental health and wellbeing and is therefore a recommended methodology. 2022-06-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/97726 Title: Exploring relations among social-emotional and character development targets : character virtue, social-emotional learning skills, and positive purpose Authors: Hatchimonji, Danielle R.; Vaid, Esha; Linsky, Arielle C. V.; Nayman, Sam J.; Yuan, May; MacDonnell, Marisa; Elias, Maurice J. Abstract: In the current study, we sought to understand relations among the key intervention targets of social-emotional and character development (SECD) interventions: character virtues, Positive Purpose, and social-emotional learning (SEL). Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students (n = 1011, ages 11 to 16, M = 12.94, SD = 1.00) from five urban middle schools in the mid-Atlantic US completed self-report surveys containing measures of five supporting character virtues (diligence, gratitude, forgiveness, future-mindedness, and generosity) and Positive Purpose. Teachers rated students’ social-emotional strengths. Hierarchical regressions found a constellation of five character virtues was associated with Purpose and SEL, thereby providing empirical support for the framework for SECD interventions. Exploratory analyses found higher student-reported virtues were associated with a steeper increase in teacher ratings of SEL for males and White students, compared to female students and students of color. The current study contributes to both SEL and character education research by demonstrating positive associations among SEL, character, and Positive Purpose in the context of mid-Atlantic US urban middle schools. Future directions for research include examining how these SECD intervention targets and relations among them develop over time, the ability of SECD interventions to cultivate these skills and virtues, and how differences in teacher ratings by student race/ethnicity and sex may occur. 2022-06-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/97722 Title: Predicting sense of classroom community from foreign language enjoyment and anxiety in an English as a foreign language classroom Authors: Alberth Abstract: Whereas the role of anxiety and enjoyment in predicting learning outcomes is well documented in the literature, the role of these two emotion dimensions in predicting perceived sense of classroom community is rarely discussed in the literature despite the fact that classroom community serves as a good predictor of learning outcomes. Conducted in a sociocultural context which is under-represented in the international literature, the present study was designed to predict participants’ perceived sense of classroom community based on their reported enjoyment and anxiety scores. A total of 402 senior high school students (male: 153, female: 249) participated in the study. Participants were invited to complete the questionnaires measuring foreign language enjoyment, foreign language anxiety, and perceived sense of classroom community. Multiple regression analysis indicated that foreign language classroom anxiety and enjoyment concurrently explained 39% of the total variance in sense of classroom community. Foreign language enjoyment turned out to be a stronger positive predictor, whereas anxiety was a negative predictor. Both variables were significant predictors for sense of classroom community regardless of gender. Whereas males and females were comparable in terms of perceived sense of classroom community and foreign language enjoyment, females were more anxious than males. 2022-06-01T00:00:00Z