Mental health promotions in schools : cross-cultural narratives and perspectives

The narratives of the children and young people, school teachers and school leaders, parents and carers, policy makers and service managers, and mental health workers and professionals, presented in this book, should provide an invaluable resource for all those involved in mental health promotion in school. The insights drawn from these direct field experiences may help to inform policy and good practice and serve as an inspiration to schools in their efforts to introduce and promote mental health for their communities. Most of the chapters present original research carried out in schools, services, universities and other contexts across different cultures. Through various qualitative studies carried out in different cultural contexts, Mental Health Promotion in Schools provides a platform for children, teachers, school leaders, parents, professionals, policy makers and teacher educators, to express their views on what works and does not work in mental health promotion in school. In our continued quest for evidence based research, we may tend to underestimate the value and significance of capturing the views and experiences of those most directly involved in mental health promotion, such as children and young people, school teachers and parents/carers, in seeking to enhance policy and practice in the area. This book should be of particular interest to those involved in mental health promotion in school at practice, training and research levels and we are sure that among these chapters, they will discover many new and stimulating insights into the promotion of mental health in such complex systems as schools. “This is a timely book since mental health difficulties among children and young people are on the increase across the world. The editors, Carmel Cefai and Paul Cooper, are passionate about the crucial role to be played by schools in creating safe spaces in which to learn, develop and socialise. They have spent many years in the development of creative initiatives for the promotion of emotional health and well-being amongst young people. The editors bring an international perspective to the issue of mental health and youth and show how important it is to collaborate and share expertise and knowledge. Cefai and Cooper have assembled an impressive range of authors to share their knowledge and to show how initiatives can be adapted to a range of cultural contexts.” – Helen Cowie, Professor, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, UK ADVANCE PRAISE FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION IN SCHOOLS......Page 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS......Page 8 PART 1:INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ISSUES......Page 10 1. LISTENING TO VOICES ACROSS SPACES......Page 11 REFERENCES......Page 17 APPROACHES TO SEBD INTERVENTION......Page 19 Teacher–Student Relationships......Page 20 Teacher Management of Physical Conditions in the Classroom......Page 21 Behavioural Programmes......Page 22 Applications of Mindfulness Training......Page 24 Systemic Interventions......Page 25 REFERENCES......Page 26 PART 2:STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES......Page 30 INTRODUCTION......Page 31 Interventions for Mental Health Promotion......Page 33 Curriculum Frameworks......Page 34 Conceptual Frameworks for Promoting Wellbeing and Mental Health in Schools......Page 36 Academic Achievement......Page 39 Bullying......Page 40 RESEARCH QUESTIONS......Page 41 Questionnaire Items......Page 42 RESULTS......Page 44 DISCUSSION......Page 50 Recommendations for Practice......Page 51 Limitations......Page 52 REFERENCES......Page 53 INTRODUCTION......Page 59 METHODOLOGY......Page 60 FINDINGS......Page 61 Support Systems......Page 62 Leisure Time and Activities......Page 63 Enhancing School Experience......Page 65 Bullying and Safety......Page 67 DISCUSSION......Page 69 REFERENCES......Page 72 METHODOLOGY......Page 74 Quantitative Analysis......Page 76 Qualitative Analysis......Page 79 DISCUSSION......Page 84 REFERENCES......Page 86 Data Analysis......Page 87 METHODOLOGY......Page 89 The School......Page 90 Activity Based Approach......Page 92 The Relationship Process......Page 95 Adult Trajectory: Resilience and Self-Actualisation......Page 97 CONCLUSION......Page 98 REFERENCES......Page 99 PART 3:TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES......Page 100 INTRODUCTION......Page 101 METHODOLOGY......Page 102 Participants......Page 103 A Whole School Approach to Wellbeing......Page 104 Classroom Practices and Processes......Page 108 Teacher Competencies and Education......Page 112 Strengths and Challenges......Page 113 DISCUSSION......Page 114 NOTES......Page 118 REFERENCES......Page 119 INTRODUCTION......Page 122 Schools......Page 124 Data Collection......Page 125 Ethical Considerations......Page 126 RESULTS......Page 127 Programme Implementation......Page 129 Students’ Wellbeing......Page 135 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE......Page 137 REFERENCES......Page 138 BACKGROUND......Page 141 Research Question......Page 146 A Local Champion Is not Enough......Page 147 Staff Professional Education Must Be Continuous......Page 148 Evaluation and Review Must Proceed throughout the Life of the Program......Page 149 DISCUSSION......Page 150 CONCLUSION......Page 151 REFERENCES......Page 152 INTRODUCTION......Page 156 Instrument......Page 158 Approaches to Mental Health......Page 159 Course Content and Structure......Page 162 Pedagogy and Assessment......Page 164 Student Teachers’ Own Mental Health and Wellbeing......Page 165 Strengths......Page 166 Needs and Challenges......Page 167 DISCUSSION......Page 171 An Expanded Framework of Professional Education......Page 173 REFERENCES......Page 175 PART 4: PARENTS’/CARERS’ AND OTHERSTAKEHOLDERS’ PERSPECTIVES......Page 177 KIDSMATTER......Page 178 What Does Collaboration Look Like?......Page 180 Why Is Collaboration Important?......Page 183 Results......Page 184 Method......Page 186 Results......Page 187 CONCLUSION......Page 188 REFERENCES......Page 190 INTRODUCTION......Page 193 PARENT/CARER ENGAGEMENT ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESSFUL MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION IN SCHOOLS......Page 194 PARENTAL PERSPECTIVES ON ENGAGEMENT INSCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH......Page 195 HOW BEST TO COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS......Page 197 PARENTS/CARERS TOO CAN INITIATE COLLABORATION......Page 198 CONCLUSION......Page 199 REFERENCES......Page 200 INTRODUCTION......Page 202 Over-Crowded Curriculum......Page 205 Staff Resistance......Page 207 Collaboration......Page 208 Threats to Program Integrity......Page 209 LESSONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS......Page 212 CONCLUSION......Page 213 REFERENCES......Page 214 INTRODUCTION......Page 216 Sampling......Page 218 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION......Page 219 CONCLUSION......Page 225 REFERENCES......Page 226 PART 5:CONCLUSION......Page 229 THE VALUE OF NARRATIVES AND PERSPECTIVES......Page 230 THE VALUE OF LARGE SCALE QUANTITATIVERESEARCH APPROACHES......Page 232 FINAL REFLECTION......Page 233 REFERENCES......Page 234 ABOUT THE AUTHORS......Page 235 INDEX......Page 239