Middle Years Development Instrument The © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership Middle Years Development Instrument

KEY MESSAGES: Experiences in the middle years, ages 6 to 12, have critical and long lasting effects and are a powerful predictor of adolescent adjustment and success.  It is important to understand and have information on how children are doing at this stage of their development. The MDI is a self-report questionnaire completed by children in Grade 4 and Grade 7. The questionnaire includes questions related to the five areas of development that are strongly linked to well-being, health and academic achievement. The MDI was developed by a UBC research team led by Dr. Kim Schonert-Reichl in collaboration with United Way of the Lower Mainland based on a study of over 1,400 children in school districts in Metro Vancouver. The Results of this study are available in the report “Middle Childhood Inside and Out: The Psychological and Social Worlds of Canadian Children Aged 9-12” http://earlylearning.ubc.ca/media/publications/uwlm_middle_childhood_full_report_2011.pdf Based on this study, a Technical Committee of researchers from UBC, graduate students and staff from the Vancouver School Board and the United Way created a survey that could be used at a population level. Considerable input was provided also by children, parents, teachers and community groups working with children in their middle years. Questions were assembled from surveys previously used and validated with children. FURTHER READING: Middle Childhood Inside and Out: The Psychological and Social Worlds of Canadian Children Aged 9-12 http://earlylearning.ubc.ca/media/publications/uwlm_middle_childhood_full_report_2011.pdf http://earlylearning.ubc.ca/media/publications/fact_sheet_mdi_2013.pdf © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership A self-report questionnaire completed by children in Grade 4 and Grade 7 measuring areas of development strongly linked to well-being, health and academic achievement.

TIMELINE OF DEVELOPMENT Birth Adolescence Early Childhood Middle Childhood KEY MESSAGES: Much research exists on the significance of the early years and adolescence, yet less is known about middle childhood – the years from 6 to 12. Previously, it was believed that the middle years were a “latency period,” where children were generally alright and not much was going on. We now know that a number of critical changes occur during these years: cognitively children become more self-aware and more aware of others, socially children’s social worlds begin expanding and peers become more important, and physically children are entering puberty at a much younger age. What happens during the middle years sets children up for how they handle adolescence and adulthood. http://earlylearning.ubc.ca/media/publications/fact_sheet_mdi_2013.pdf © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership TIMELINE OF DEVELOPMENT

Social & Emotional Learning Core Competencies KEY MESSAGES: The Core Competencies or Social and Emotional Learning include: Self-management: managing emotions and behaviours to achieve one’s goals Self-awareness: recognizing one’s emotions and values as well as one’s strengths and limitations Social awareness: showing understanding and empathy for others Relationship skills: forming positive relationships, working in teams, dealing effectively with conflict Responsible decision-making: Making ethical, constructive choices about personal and social behaviour FURTHER READING: The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) is an organization that advances the development of academic, social and emotional competencies for all students. http://www.casel.org/ © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership

compared to Population-based Health Survey Early Years (Kindergarten) Middle Years (Gr 4 & Gr 7) Teacher Report Child Self Report KEY MESSAGES: As with the EDI, the MDI is a population-based survey Tells us only about groups, neighbourhoods or broader geographic regions. Allows us to see population trends in children’s well-being Not used to evaluate teachers or schools Children fill out the survey themselves at school, it is administered by teachers or a principal. The MDI measures developmental assets with a focus of the promotion of resiliency and protective factors. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership Measures developmental progress Measures developmental assets

MDI Focus Development of the “Whole Child” Perspectives of children Relationships are seen as central Multiple contexts KEY MESSAGES: Development of the “Whole Child” across multiple aspects of development Perspectives of children Relationships with peers and adults are seen as central Spans multiple contexts, including home, school and community http://earlylearning.ubc.ca/media/publications/fact_sheet_mdi_2013.pdf © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership

Upholding the Rights of the Child Article 12: Children have a right to give their opinion and be listened to by the adults around them KEY MESSAGES: The self-report nature of the MDI upholds Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership

3 1 4 2 5 5 Dimensions of the MDI School Experiences Social and Emotional Development 1 Physical Health & Well-Being 4 KEY MESSAGES: There are five dimensions on the MDI. Social and emotional development, including optimism, self-esteem, happiness, empathy, and prosocial behaviour, sadness and worries. Connectedness to adults and peers. School experiences including belonging, victimization, academic concept and school climate. Physical health and well-being including overall health, body image, mealtime and sleep experiences. Use of after school time measuring involvement in after school activities, unstructured activities and what children wish to be doing. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership Connectedness 2 5 Use of After-School Time

Well-Being Indicators Optimism Self-esteem Happiness Overall Health KEY MESSAGES: Well-being consists of 5 measures: Optimism (Noam & Goldstein, 1998) Self-esteem (SWLS-C; Gadermann, Schonert-Reichl, & Zumbo, 2010) Happiness (Marsh, 1988) Overall Health (McCreary Centre Society, 2009) Absence of sadness (Kusche et al., 1988) © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership Absence of Sadness

Key Assets Supportive Adult Relationships Positive Peer Relationships Proper Nutrition and Sleep KEY MESSAGES: The 5 measures of well-being are related to the presence of 5 key assets: Supportive adult relationships Positive peer relationships Proper nutrition and sleep Positive school experiences Participation in after-school activities © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership Positive School Experiences Participation in After- School Activities

MDI 2009/10 Participation 3,032 KEY MESSAGES: The MDI has grown over the years from a pilot in the Vancouver School District in 2009/10 to being implemented across 23 school districts in BC with over 23,000 children in Grade 4 and Grade 7. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership

MDI 2010/11 Participation 3,032 2,000 KEY MESSAGES: The MDI has grown over the years from a pilot in the Vancouver School District in 2009/10 to being implemented across 23 school districts in BC with over 23,000 children in Grade 4 and Grade 7. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership

MDI 2011/12 Participation 3,032 2,000 1,642 KEY MESSAGES: The MDI has grown over the years from a pilot in the Vancouver School District in 2009/10 to being implemented across 23 school districts in BC with over 23,000 children in Grade 4 and Grade 7. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership

MDI 2012/13 Participation 3,032 2,000 1,642 9,913 KEY MESSAGES: The MDI has grown over the years from a pilot in the Vancouver School District in 2009/10 to being implemented across 23 school districts in BC with over 23,000 children in Grade 4 and Grade 7. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership

MDI 2013/14 Participation 3,032 2,000 1,642 9,913 7,122 KEY MESSAGES: The MDI has grown over the years from a pilot in the Vancouver School District in 2009/10 to being implemented across 23 school districts in BC with over 23,000 children in Grade 4 and Grade 7. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership

MDI 2013/14 Participation 3,032 2,000 1,642 9,913 7,122 Total to date: KEY MESSAGES: The MDI has grown over the years from a pilot in the Vancouver School District in 2009/10 to being implemented across 23 school districts in BC with over 23,000 children in Grade 4 and Grade 7. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership 23,709 18,400 Gr. 4 students 5,309 Gr 7 students

MDI 2010/11 2012/13 2013/14 2009/10 2011/12 23 SD Participation 3,032 2,000 1,642 9,913 7,122 23 SD Total to date: KEY MESSAGES: The MDI has grown over the years from a pilot in the Vancouver School District in 2009/10 to being implemented across 23 school districts in BC with over 23,000 children in Grade 4 and Grade 7. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership 23 SD Gr. 4 MDI 7 SD Gr 4 & 7 MDI

Gr. 4 School Districts Gr. 7 School Districts 09/10 1 3,032 10/11 2 2,000 11/12 7 1,642 12/13 15 (7,113) 1 (2,800) 9,913 13/14 13 (4,613) 6 (2,509) 7,122 KEY MESSAGES: The MDI has grown over the years from a pilot in the Vancouver School District in 2009/10 to being implemented across 23 school districts in BC with over 23,000 children in Grade 4 and Grade 7. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership

MDI Well-Being Index Dimensions of Well-Being: Optimism Happiness 51% Thriving 27% Low Well-Being 23% Medium Dimensions of Well-Being: Optimism Happiness Self-esteem General health Sadness (reverse-scored) KEY MESSAGES: The MDI creates an index of children’s overall well-being. Thriving indicates the proportion of children who had high scores on at least 4 dimensions of well-being. Medium-high well-being indicates the proportion of children who had no low scores, but less than 4 high scores. Low well-being indicates the proportion of children who had at least 1 low score on any of the 5 dimensions. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership

MDI Assets Index Adult Relationships After School Activities Peer Nutrition and Sleep KEY MESSAGES: The MDI also reports on the presence of key assets in children’s lives using a puzzle piece indicator. The darkest brown always indicates the “richest soil” – or where the asset is most present. The lightest brown indicates “the desert” where the asset is least present. Please note: The assets index has been calculated differently in different reports. Please check with the MDI Coordinator (mdi@help.ubc.ca) for an explanation of how the assets index was calculated for your community. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership 20

Assets and Well-Being across B.C. Grade 4 data, 2013-14 KEY MESSAGES: One of the key findings from MDI results is that children’s health and well-being is directly related to the presence of assets they perceive in their lives. As children report a greater number of assets present in their lives, they are also more likely to report experiencing well-being. © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership

Peer social inclusion, pro-social behaviour Child and Adolescent Pathways to Well-Being in Adulthood: A 32-Year Longitudinal Study CHILD SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS ADOLESCENT SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS ADULT WELL-BEING Peer social inclusion, pro-social behaviour Quality of attachments, participation in activities, competence, life satisfaction Sense of meaning, social engagement, positive coping, pro-social values KEY MESSAGES: A study in New Zealand of child and adolescent social connectedness and later well-being found that indicators of well-being in adulthood were better explained by social connectedness than academic competence. Olsson, C. A. et al., 2013 © 2014 Human Early Learning Partnership