Sign in or 
- EasyEdit
-
(what's this?What are these tools?
People just like you can add or edit the content on this site. If you want to try editing, but aren't ready to add to this site, try our demo area.
Read more about editing pages at Wetpaint Central.
) - Report page
Share this
Latest SH Report (Knowledge Matters)
This page contain the latest issue of Knowledge Matters. This page will change once a month. If you want to receive an email notifying you that a new issue has been published here, you need to join this wiki, create a profile and then set the controls within your profile to "watch" this page.
Featuring: Using the Web to Keep Up School Mental Health Research, News, Resources
The eighth Canadian school health conference held in Montreal on November 28-29, 2011 was a great success, with over 700 participants attending. This exciting Canadian and international conference was organized by CASH and three other partners; the Institut nationale de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) and the International School Health Network (ISHN). Over this winter, we have continued our discussion of ecological and systems-based approaches to school health promotion that were a major focus for that conference. Our series of webinars on implementation, capacity and sustainability issues in school mental health promotion has included a discussion and interview on capacity, an overview of a systems-based approach to SH promotion, a research-based model for inter-agency cooperation in SMH, the beginning of a discussion on maintaining fidelity to research-based programs and comprehensive approaches and a discussion of the many topics/issues associated implementation, capacity, sustainability and systems change. For descriptions of these webinars, with links to related documents, go to our Webinar Archives page.
Don’t miss the next three webinars/web meetings in this series:
CASH and ISHN members benefited from a joint, reduced registration fee for the Montreal conference. As ISHN launches its membership drive worldwide, it will be partnering with CASH and similar SH associations in other countries. To benefit from these CASH and ISHN memberships, go to this web page, join ISHN, designate CASH as the partner Go to the ISHN web site for more information; http://www.internationalschoolhealth.org/
The CASH partnership with the International School Health Network is similar to those being established with other organizations such as:
· The American School Health Association
· Schools for Health Europe
· The Australian Health Promoting Schools Association
· The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
· The International Union for Health Promotion and Education
Canadian School Health Knowledge Network News
Highlights of Canadian Research & News Stories from July-September 2011
With our change to a quarterly format for this newsletter, we will be highlighting selected events over the past three months. Go to the archive of monthly postings for all of the items.
Feature Article: Using the Web to Keep Up with School Mental Health Research, News, Resources
By Doug McCall, International School Health Network
One of the most frustrating parts of our working day is trying to keep up with the research, news and new resources. The International School Health Network is developing several partnerships with other organizations working on school mental health to help professionals and agencies to keep up with the deluge of information. The Canadian Association for School Health and its Community of Practice on School Mental Health is one of those partners. This document describes how CoP members can benefit from ISHN-CASH cooperation to keep up to date with school mental health news stories, research, resources and reports.
ISHN members receive a comprehensive monthly report on all research selected from over 175 journals and many news stories, reports and resources identified from over 75 media outlets, over 75 social media sources and regular web searches and alerts. They can choose to receive this information monthly as an attachment to a regular email, weekly by an email alert sending them to a page on the ISHN information service (The School Health Insider) or even daily by following an email listserve-style Twitter account that sends titles with web links. Using that massive flow of information and through partnerships with several SMH organizations, centres and experts around the world, ISHN is co-publishing SMH items in these sharing tools:
The Canadian Association for School Health has been a pioneer since 2006 in the use of webinars and has organized and published the recordings/presentations of over 20 sessions on school mental health issues (See our archive). The use of web meeting technology is enabling us to hear and see speakers from across Canada and around the world. The digital recordings also make it possible for us to view the sessions at our convenience, overcoming time zones and busy schedules.
More recently, we have been experimenting with the use of panel style discussions in “web meetings” that are often supported by draft documents for discussion. In the future, we will be experimenting with informal exchanges where a resource person will be available through an instant messaging space on a designated web site at a designated time in a kind of “office hours” format, answering questions from visitors to that page. Here is a listing of some of the previous webinars on school mental health:
Keep up with the Journals by accessing www.schoolhealthinsider.org (turning into a members only web site this month) The list of journals that ISHN monitors and then posts on web sites such as the SMH CoP section/pages on www.canadianschoolhealth.ca is extensive.
School Mental Health
Mental Health
As well, ISHN monitors these types of journals which often have articles on mental health issues:
Here is what the “clippings look like each week from each journal:
So, join up with colleagues across Canada and around the world through the SMH Community of Practice. To join up for the free, collaborative CoP, simply send an email to dmccall@cash-aces.ca
A Shared SMH Blog Analyzing Trends, Identifying Issues
New low-cost technology is making it possible for several organizations post articles and analyses in a blog format and then simultaneously publishing the latest on all of their web sites.
Over 25 organizations, SMH research journals and SMH knowledge exchange centres are being approached to collaborate in the shared blog displayed below. As they post their articles in the blog, with links back to their own work, the item will appear simultaneously on all participating web sites.
As well, the organizations are being invited to post items to the shared Twitter account, also displayed and updated automatically on the embedded page.
ISHN is receiving an enthusiastic response to the invitation to collaborate in this shared blog, as the organizations realize that they can highlight and share their work with others while still encouraging traffic to their respective web sites.
The Canadian Community of Practice on School Mental Health is a participants in this ongoing knowledge exchange. To keep up with the latest in research, news, reports and analysis, visit this web page in the SMH CoP section of www.canadianschoolhealth.ca
Sharing a Wealth of Information: A Wiki-based Bibliography/Toolbox on School Mental Health
Wikipedia has emerged quickly as a great reference tool for all of us. That same wiki-based editing provides another tool for exchanging information. In this case it is the shared use and ownership of a vast collection of research reviews/articles, educational and planning resources, reports, videos and more. The International school Health Network has over 40 bibliographies/toolboxes in development with a number of partners. The remainder of this report shows how these lists can be used for “quick starts” and preliminary investigations of a specific or broad issue such as school mental health promotion.
The example below uses the extensive Bibliography/Toolbox on School Mental Health to identify recent research reviews. It took us less than a day to go through the bibliography/toolbox, extract the research reviews, go to the abstracts and post them in a document. This article reports briefly on our preliminary findings but the full 90 page report is available on the Canadian School Health web site. The abstracts from the many research reviews are not included in this article but do appear in the full report.
Another use of this Bibliography/Toolbox on School Mental Health is to “quick start” work on specific issues. For example, the bibliography/toolbox was used to prepare a list of resources, research and reports when starting a web summary on Ministry, Agency/School Board, School & Professional Capacity in Mental Health Promotion. The list was also used when preparing a list of readings as background for a webinar on Positive Behavior Support (PBS) programs and resiliency. Watch for another easily started list we are preparing of evaluated and promising SMH programs, also extracted from the collection of such programs found in this Bibliography/Toolbox. We will be publishing that list later in the spring of 2012. University-based knowledge centres, research journals, professional organizations, government agencies and non-governmental organizations can all benefit from this joint collection as can individual researchers, practitioners and others. So, in the spirit of Wikipedia, we ask that you use the editing tools to add items to the list and to use the bibliography/toolbox to start or extend your work.
A Preliminary Listing of Systematic Reviews, Meta-Analyses and Key Research Reports on School Mental Health
Prepared by the Douglas McCall, International School Health Network
This listing of systematic reviews, meta-analyses and research reports has been developed from our regular visits to several web sites devoted to knowledge management and knowledge exchange about better practices in health promotion as well as some selected web sites focused on mental health or school mental health. These include:
These reviews were all posted in the extensive School Mental Health Bibliography/Toolbox which is maintained as part of the World Encyclopedia on School Health, Safety, Equity, Social and Sustainable Development. This wiki-based toolbox is being developed as a joint resource by several knowledge centres around the world which are devoted to school mental health promotion. This listing is updated from a regular monitoring of over 175 research journals, over 75 media outlets and over 75 social media sources that are posted in a Twitter account devoted to School Mental Health by the International School Health Network. The World Encyclopedia uses an outline for these bibliographies/toolboxes that has evolved over the four years of its operation. This outline provides a comprehensive way of collection research, resources and reports in a systematic way.
A Preliminary Analysis
A quick scan of the ISHN/partner wiki-based bibliography generated a significant number of research reviews for further consideration. It is not our intent to provide an in-depth analysis of the reviews here, as this is well beyond the scope of this inquiry demonstrating the power and convenience of the Internet. However, we do provide some preliminary analysis based on some selected articles and documents. This summary is intended as a “quick start” and a demonstration of the value of maintaining an extensive bibliography/toolbox.
Excerpts from recent articles and reports the latest systematic reviews (Wei & Kutcher, 2012, Morrison & Kirby, 2010, Durlak & Weissberg, 2010,Weare & Nind, 2011), have been included as introductions to some of the sub-sections below. We also use an international synthesis (International School Health Network, 2010) gleaned from an analysis of the research and experience gained from decades of work on school-based and school-linked programs addressing health, safety, equity, social and sustainable development. The SMH Bibliography/Toolbox contains many more such articles but this preliminary investigation did not use them for this report.
In starting out, we offer these general observations about the state of school mental health research as listed below:
Note: We have not included a significant number of other research reviews on general school health promotion in this list, many of which refer to mental health as one of the issues that can be addressed and prevented successfully through multi-intervention programs and approaches. As well, we have not discussed the many systematic reviews that have done on drug and alcohol abuse, nor have we included many reviews examining bullying/anti-social behaviours in this list.
Further, we note and question the tendency to group mental health and addictions issues together quite often these days. Although there are strong linkages between addictions and mental health that must be addressed concurrently in treatment, there is an equally strong argument that there should be some separation when we are discussing prevention and promotion. Abuse of substances is not always caused by mental health problems and vice versa. Indeed, we suggest that we urgently need some clarity on the focus and value of mental health as an aspect of overall health. How does MH relate to the long-standing tradition of promoting social and emotional learning in schools? How does our new understanding of mental health and illness contribute to ongoing programs for special needs students, particularly in respect to their inclusion in mainstream education?
Further, the advocates of “safe and caring schools” have articulated what is meant by positive learning and school environments, so what does the new interest in mental health bring to the table? Positive behaviour support programs that support troubled students are also wide-spread in many school systems, as are comprehensive guidance programs. What is the value added by greater consideration of positive mental health, mental health problems, inter-actions between physical health/social problems and mental health and, of course, mental illnesses and disorders?
How wide is the scope of mental health for school-based and school-linked programs? Are schools to pursue “positive mental health” such that all students are expected or offered the opportunity to maximize their emotional health? Or are we aiming at ensuring that all students have the conditions necessary for them to reach what the psychologists would call normal functioning levels? At the other end of the spectrum, to what degree are schools expected to serve students with severe mental disorders and illnesses?
Our final thought prompted by this “quick start” analysis of existing systematic research reviews is focused on the many blank spaces in the table below. Not surprisingly, there are many, many questions not answered by the existing systematic reviews. Our regular monitoring of the research journals tells us that many studies are now being done that help to answer these questions but they have not been synthesized into research reviews. Further, as we learn more about ecological and systems-based approaches to school health promotion, we are realizing that random, controlled trials often do not capture the complexity and multiple, inter-acting factors present in every school, agency, ministry and the multiple systems involved. So, we need new ways of collating and assessing the various studies under new headings and to look at them through new sets of lens. Hopefully, this preliminary report helps us to do that.
Schools and Mental Health: A Categorized Listing of Research Reviews with Commentary
Canada's monthly school health report from the Canadian Association for School Health
Volume 6 Issue 2 (Winter, 2011)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________Volume 6 Issue 2 (Winter, 2011)
Featuring: Using the Web to Keep Up School Mental Health Research, News, Resources
The eighth Canadian school health conference held in Montreal on November 28-29, 2011 was a great success, with over 700 participants attending. This exciting Canadian and international conference was organized by CASH and three other partners; the Institut nationale de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) and the International School Health Network (ISHN). Over this winter, we have continued our discussion of ecological and systems-based approaches to school health promotion that were a major focus for that conference. Our series of webinars on implementation, capacity and sustainability issues in school mental health promotion has included a discussion and interview on capacity, an overview of a systems-based approach to SH promotion, a research-based model for inter-agency cooperation in SMH, the beginning of a discussion on maintaining fidelity to research-based programs and comprehensive approaches and a discussion of the many topics/issues associated implementation, capacity, sustainability and systems change. For descriptions of these webinars, with links to related documents, go to our Webinar Archives page.
Don’t miss the next three webinars/web meetings in this series:
- April 5, 2012 at 7:00 am (Ottawa time) School Mental Health Promotion: Key Topics, Web-based Collaboration in an International Discussion Group, meet participants from over 20 international SMH centres/organizations led by Dr. Stan Kutcher, Sun Life Chair, Adolescent Mental Health, IWK Health Centre, Dalhousie University
- April 16 at 8:00 am (Ottawa time) A Capacity-based Blueprint for School Mental Health Promotion will include participants from several countries discussing Ministry, Agency/School Board, School and Professional Capacities in School Mental Health Promotion
- April 24 at 16:00 (Ottawa time) Dr. Sharon Stephan, Director, Center on School Mental Health, University of Maryland. Laura Brey, Director of Professional Services, National Assembly on School-based Health Care and Linda Anderson, West Virginia Expanded School Mental Health Initiative will discuss The Critical Factors in Inter-Ministry Policy, Collaboration and Leadership in School Mental Health
CASH and ISHN members benefited from a joint, reduced registration fee for the Montreal conference. As ISHN launches its membership drive worldwide, it will be partnering with CASH and similar SH associations in other countries. To benefit from these CASH and ISHN memberships, go to this web page, join ISHN, designate CASH as the partner Go to the ISHN web site for more information; http://www.internationalschoolhealth.org/
The CASH partnership with the International School Health Network is similar to those being established with other organizations such as:
· The American School Health Association
· Schools for Health Europe
· The Australian Health Promoting Schools Association
· The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
· The International Union for Health Promotion and Education
| Don’t miss the National Symposium on Child & Youth Mental Health with its full day on schools and its virtual sessions from different parts of the country…May 31/June 1, 2012. Register here. |
Canadian School Health Knowledge Network News
|
- access to the extensive ISHN research/news/resources clipping service monitoring over 150 journals, over 75 media outlets and over 75 social media sources to bring a constant stream of brief info items with web links. Organizational memberships provide access to SH events for up to 15 employees.
|
Highlights of Canadian Research & News Stories from July-September 2011
With our change to a quarterly format for this newsletter, we will be highlighting selected events over the past three months. Go to the archive of monthly postings for all of the items.
Highlights From October 2011
See all of the postings for October 2012 here | Highlights from November 2011
| Highlights from December 2011
|
Feature Article: Using the Web to Keep Up with School Mental Health Research, News, Resources
By Doug McCall, International School Health Network
One of the most frustrating parts of our working day is trying to keep up with the research, news and new resources. The International School Health Network is developing several partnerships with other organizations working on school mental health to help professionals and agencies to keep up with the deluge of information. The Canadian Association for School Health and its Community of Practice on School Mental Health is one of those partners. This document describes how CoP members can benefit from ISHN-CASH cooperation to keep up to date with school mental health news stories, research, resources and reports.
ISHN members receive a comprehensive monthly report on all research selected from over 175 journals and many news stories, reports and resources identified from over 75 media outlets, over 75 social media sources and regular web searches and alerts. They can choose to receive this information monthly as an attachment to a regular email, weekly by an email alert sending them to a page on the ISHN information service (The School Health Insider) or even daily by following an email listserve-style Twitter account that sends titles with web links. Using that massive flow of information and through partnerships with several SMH organizations, centres and experts around the world, ISHN is co-publishing SMH items in these sharing tools:
- a joint Twitter account posting news/research/reports/resources on school mental health
- a collaborative blog on school mental health co-published by several organizations that can be embedded and updated simultaneously on several web sites as shown here in the Canadian School Health web site
- an extensive wiki-based SMH bibliography/toolbox of research, resources, reports to which practitioners, officials and experts can add items freely and easily. This collection can also be embedded in web sites and updated automatically as shown here.
- a series of Wikipedia style summaries (including recorded webinars, slide presentations, shared bookmarks and more) is being developed by an International Discussion Group led by Dr. Stan Kutcher, scientific advisor to WHO and UNESCO and Sun Life Chair on MH
- Article. Evaluation of Roots of Empathy program reported in School Mental Health journal http://t.co/ufxTOgam
- Article. Evaluation of UK-based secondary Social and Emotional Learning program found no significant effects http://t.co/mZ7vz7Zb
- Articles. The March 2012 Issue of Psychology in Schools is devoted to implementation issues. http://t.co/0BGrcpPP
- Report The Health of Canada’s Young People: a mental health focus (2011) (PHAC) http://t.co/RGeqI2V8
- Academic Achievement, Youth Problems and Schools: Several articles in Issue #1, 2012 of Journal of Research on Adolescence examine the inter-active and mutually reinforcing trajectories of success or failure at school, social adjustments and problems and the local social and economic context.
- Early Adolescence in Several Countries; Articles in Issue #2, 2012 of Journal of Early Adolescence provide a number of comparisons of the early adolescent development in several countries
- A Program Reduces Mental Health Effects of Divorce on Children: An article in Issue #2, 2012 of Journal of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry reports on the positive academic and social impact of the New Beginnings program.
The Canadian Association for School Health has been a pioneer since 2006 in the use of webinars and has organized and published the recordings/presentations of over 20 sessions on school mental health issues (See our archive). The use of web meeting technology is enabling us to hear and see speakers from across Canada and around the world. The digital recordings also make it possible for us to view the sessions at our convenience, overcoming time zones and busy schedules.
More recently, we have been experimenting with the use of panel style discussions in “web meetings” that are often supported by draft documents for discussion. In the future, we will be experimenting with informal exchanges where a resource person will be available through an instant messaging space on a designated web site at a designated time in a kind of “office hours” format, answering questions from visitors to that page. Here is a listing of some of the previous webinars on school mental health:
- February 9, 2012 Implementation, Capacity, Sustainability and Systems Change: A Web Meeting
- February 1, 2012 Complexity, Constant Change & Fidelity to a Developed Program, Practice or Approach in School Health Promotion
- December 8, 2011 Inter-agency Policies, Collaboration & Leadership in School Mental Health
- November 22, 2011 A Systems-based Approach and Systems Thinking in School Health Promotion: A Prerequisite for Integration with and within Education System
- April 28, 2009 Roots of Empathy & a Safe and Caring Schools Related Initiative from Newfoundland
- April 2, 2009 The New Mentality -- Ready...Set...Engage! How to create a dynamic and sustainable network to raise awareness of child and youth mental health issues and reduce the stigma associated with them
- November 13, 2009 YOO magazine: A Health and Mental Health Literacy Program for your School!
- November 6, 2009 Fostering Social-emotional Competence in Children & Youth Promoting Strengths, Reducing Risks
- November 10, 2008 Suicide Risk Prevention Assessment
- October 16, 2008 How schools can build student resiliency through Developmental Assets and Positive Behaviour Support
Keep up with the Journals by accessing www.schoolhealthinsider.org (turning into a members only web site this month) The list of journals that ISHN monitors and then posts on web sites such as the SMH CoP section/pages on www.canadianschoolhealth.ca is extensive.
School Mental Health
· Advances in School Mental Health
· Psychology in the Schools
· School Psychology Quarterly
· Canadian Journal of School Psychology
· School Psychology International
· Professional School Counselling
· School Mental Health
· Educational Psychology in Practice
Mental Health
· International Journal of Mental Health Promotion
· Clinical Psychologist
· Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
· Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
· Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
· Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
· American Psychologist
· Journal of Community Psychology
· Psychiatric Services
· Applied Psychology, Health & Well-being
· Child and Adolescent Mental Health
· Advances in Mental Health
· Journal of Pediatric Psychology
· Psychological Bulletin
· Scandinavian Journal of Psychology
· Mind, Brain, and Education
· Journal of Health & Social Behaviour
· The Counselling Psychologist
· Educational Psychology
· Journal of Canadian Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
· Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health
· Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
· Archives of Suicide Research
· Journal of Personality Disorders
· Schizophrenia Research
· Psychology of Addictive Behaviors
· Journal of Addictive Diseases
· Emotion
· Journal of Affective Disorders
· Journal of Social Psychology
· Community Mental Health
· Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
· Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention
As well, ISHN monitors these types of journals which often have articles on mental health issues:
· fourteen school-focused journals focused on promoting health, safety, and other issues (eg Journal of School Health, Journal of School Violence)
· Thirty-six journals on public health and preventive medicine (eg Public Health Practice, European Journal of Public Health, )
· Thirty-two journals on education (eg Educational Leadership, Teaching & Teacher Education)
· Twenty four journals on child and adolescent development (eg Journal of Adolescent Health, Pediatrics)
· Nine journals on addictions and substance abuse (eg Addictions)
· Eleven journals on nutrition and healthy eating (eg Public Health Nutrition)
· Seven journals on physical activity (eg Journal of Physical Activity and Health)
· Fourteen journals on violence, crime and bullying (eg Journal of Emotional and Behavioural Disorders)
· Twelve journals on accidents and injuries (eg Accident Prevention and Analysis)
· Ten journals on hygiene, infectious diseases and vaccines (eg Vaccines, International Health)
· Four journals on personal, social, moral and religious development (eg Int Journal on Children’s Spirituality)
· Eight journals on family studies and home economics (eg Journal of Family and Child Studies)
· Twelve journals on sexual and reproductive health (eg Sex, Sex Education, Society and Learning)
· Eleven journals on social services, social work and child protection (eg Journal of Social Work)
· Eight journals on sustainable development and environmental education (eg Journal of Environmental Education)
· Ten journals focused on equity, place and community (eg Urban Studies, journal of Children and Poverty)
· Three journals focused on diversity, race and human rights (eg Journal of Aboriginal Health
· Twenty one journals on low income, developing countries (eg International Journal of Educational Development)
· Eight journals from various UN agencies (eg WHO Bulletin, UNESCO, OECD)
Here is what the “clippings look like each week from each journal:
Articles from Issue #1, 2012 of School Mental Health
· Promoting Children’s Prosocial Behaviors in School: Impact of the “Roots of Empathy” Program on the Social and Emotional Competence of School-Aged Children
· The Impact of Working Alliance, Social Validity, and Teacher Burnout on Implementation Fidelity of the Good Behavior Game
· The Modified Depression Scale (MDS): A Brief, No-Cost Assessment Tool to Estimate the Level of Depressive Symptoms in Students and Schools
· Perceived Weight Status Effect on Adolescent Health-Risk Behaviors: Findings from 2007 and 2009 Rhode Island Youth Risk Behavioral Survey
· An Examination of the Scope and Nature of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Online Activities: Implications for School Mental Health Professionals
So, join up with colleagues across Canada and around the world through the SMH Community of Practice. To join up for the free, collaborative CoP, simply send an email to dmccall@cash-aces.ca
A Shared SMH Blog Analyzing Trends, Identifying Issues
New low-cost technology is making it possible for several organizations post articles and analyses in a blog format and then simultaneously publishing the latest on all of their web sites.
Over 25 organizations, SMH research journals and SMH knowledge exchange centres are being approached to collaborate in the shared blog displayed below. As they post their articles in the blog, with links back to their own work, the item will appear simultaneously on all participating web sites.
As well, the organizations are being invited to post items to the shared Twitter account, also displayed and updated automatically on the embedded page.
ISHN is receiving an enthusiastic response to the invitation to collaborate in this shared blog, as the organizations realize that they can highlight and share their work with others while still encouraging traffic to their respective web sites.
The Canadian Community of Practice on School Mental Health is a participants in this ongoing knowledge exchange. To keep up with the latest in research, news, reports and analysis, visit this web page in the SMH CoP section of www.canadianschoolhealth.ca
Embedded Web page on SMH Research, News, Reports and Analysis
Sharing a Wealth of Information: A Wiki-based Bibliography/Toolbox on School Mental Health
Wikipedia has emerged quickly as a great reference tool for all of us. That same wiki-based editing provides another tool for exchanging information. In this case it is the shared use and ownership of a vast collection of research reviews/articles, educational and planning resources, reports, videos and more. The International school Health Network has over 40 bibliographies/toolboxes in development with a number of partners. The remainder of this report shows how these lists can be used for “quick starts” and preliminary investigations of a specific or broad issue such as school mental health promotion.
The example below uses the extensive Bibliography/Toolbox on School Mental Health to identify recent research reviews. It took us less than a day to go through the bibliography/toolbox, extract the research reviews, go to the abstracts and post them in a document. This article reports briefly on our preliminary findings but the full 90 page report is available on the Canadian School Health web site. The abstracts from the many research reviews are not included in this article but do appear in the full report.
Another use of this Bibliography/Toolbox on School Mental Health is to “quick start” work on specific issues. For example, the bibliography/toolbox was used to prepare a list of resources, research and reports when starting a web summary on Ministry, Agency/School Board, School & Professional Capacity in Mental Health Promotion. The list was also used when preparing a list of readings as background for a webinar on Positive Behavior Support (PBS) programs and resiliency. Watch for another easily started list we are preparing of evaluated and promising SMH programs, also extracted from the collection of such programs found in this Bibliography/Toolbox. We will be publishing that list later in the spring of 2012. University-based knowledge centres, research journals, professional organizations, government agencies and non-governmental organizations can all benefit from this joint collection as can individual researchers, practitioners and others. So, in the spirit of Wikipedia, we ask that you use the editing tools to add items to the list and to use the bibliography/toolbox to start or extend your work.
A Preliminary Listing of Systematic Reviews, Meta-Analyses and Key Research Reports on School Mental Health
Prepared by the Douglas McCall, International School Health Network
This listing of systematic reviews, meta-analyses and research reports has been developed from our regular visits to several web sites devoted to knowledge management and knowledge exchange about better practices in health promotion as well as some selected web sites focused on mental health or school mental health. These include:
· www.health-evidence.ca
· New Zealand Health Technology Assessment
· Health Technology Assessment (UK)
· National Institute on Clinical Excellence (UK)
· Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (UK)
· The Guide to Community Prevention Services (USA)
· Cochrane Library (Database of Systematic Reviews)
· IWK Health Centre, Dalhousie University, Canada (Sun Life Chair in Adolescent Mental Health)
· Collaborative on Academic, Social & Emotional Learning (United States)
· Canadian Best Practices Portal (Interventions Linked with Systematic Reviews)
These reviews were all posted in the extensive School Mental Health Bibliography/Toolbox which is maintained as part of the World Encyclopedia on School Health, Safety, Equity, Social and Sustainable Development. This wiki-based toolbox is being developed as a joint resource by several knowledge centres around the world which are devoted to school mental health promotion. This listing is updated from a regular monitoring of over 175 research journals, over 75 media outlets and over 75 social media sources that are posted in a Twitter account devoted to School Mental Health by the International School Health Network. The World Encyclopedia uses an outline for these bibliographies/toolboxes that has evolved over the four years of its operation. This outline provides a comprehensive way of collection research, resources and reports in a systematic way.
A Preliminary Analysis
A quick scan of the ISHN/partner wiki-based bibliography generated a significant number of research reviews for further consideration. It is not our intent to provide an in-depth analysis of the reviews here, as this is well beyond the scope of this inquiry demonstrating the power and convenience of the Internet. However, we do provide some preliminary analysis based on some selected articles and documents. This summary is intended as a “quick start” and a demonstration of the value of maintaining an extensive bibliography/toolbox.
Excerpts from recent articles and reports the latest systematic reviews (Wei & Kutcher, 2012, Morrison & Kirby, 2010, Durlak & Weissberg, 2010,Weare & Nind, 2011), have been included as introductions to some of the sub-sections below. We also use an international synthesis (International School Health Network, 2010) gleaned from an analysis of the research and experience gained from decades of work on school-based and school-linked programs addressing health, safety, equity, social and sustainable development. The SMH Bibliography/Toolbox contains many more such articles but this preliminary investigation did not use them for this report.
In starting out, we offer these general observations about the state of school mental health research as listed below:
- As in other sectors and issues, there is a strong tendency in the research to report on single interventions, usually instruction, because the various factors can be controlled in the research design and process. As a result, multi-intervention approaches and programs have not been well-studied and consequently, do not often appear in systematic research reviews.
- There is a lack of clarity and rigour in many systematic reviews in that they group different kinds of interventions together or report on them as a group in their conclusions in the abstracts or summaries. This tends to group single intervention programs together with multi-intervention programs. As well, the reviews do not differentiate among different types of multi-intervention approaches and programs that include:
o Comprehensive approaches that address multiple issues including mental health, delivering multiple interventions from systems including schools and working from multiple levels within those systems
o Coordinated agency-school programs delivering multiple interventions at the school board and agency level that focus on mental health or aspects of mental health
o Whole school strategies that motivate educators (only) employed in schools to deliver multiple interventions focused on mental health or specific aspects of mental health or mental illnesses
Several reviews combined evaluations of different types of interventions such as universal instructional interventions delivered by teachers with group-based or individual therapy, brief counselling or education programs under the heading of “school-based programs”. Researchers would hardly dare to group all of the interventions delivered in “hospital-based programs” in the same systematic reviews and it is equally inappropriate here. Consequently, given the limitations and confusion noted above, the authors often conclude that results vary widely.
Note: We have not included a significant number of other research reviews on general school health promotion in this list, many of which refer to mental health as one of the issues that can be addressed and prevented successfully through multi-intervention programs and approaches. As well, we have not discussed the many systematic reviews that have done on drug and alcohol abuse, nor have we included many reviews examining bullying/anti-social behaviours in this list.
Further, we note and question the tendency to group mental health and addictions issues together quite often these days. Although there are strong linkages between addictions and mental health that must be addressed concurrently in treatment, there is an equally strong argument that there should be some separation when we are discussing prevention and promotion. Abuse of substances is not always caused by mental health problems and vice versa. Indeed, we suggest that we urgently need some clarity on the focus and value of mental health as an aspect of overall health. How does MH relate to the long-standing tradition of promoting social and emotional learning in schools? How does our new understanding of mental health and illness contribute to ongoing programs for special needs students, particularly in respect to their inclusion in mainstream education?
Further, the advocates of “safe and caring schools” have articulated what is meant by positive learning and school environments, so what does the new interest in mental health bring to the table? Positive behaviour support programs that support troubled students are also wide-spread in many school systems, as are comprehensive guidance programs. What is the value added by greater consideration of positive mental health, mental health problems, inter-actions between physical health/social problems and mental health and, of course, mental illnesses and disorders?
How wide is the scope of mental health for school-based and school-linked programs? Are schools to pursue “positive mental health” such that all students are expected or offered the opportunity to maximize their emotional health? Or are we aiming at ensuring that all students have the conditions necessary for them to reach what the psychologists would call normal functioning levels? At the other end of the spectrum, to what degree are schools expected to serve students with severe mental disorders and illnesses?
Our final thought prompted by this “quick start” analysis of existing systematic research reviews is focused on the many blank spaces in the table below. Not surprisingly, there are many, many questions not answered by the existing systematic reviews. Our regular monitoring of the research journals tells us that many studies are now being done that help to answer these questions but they have not been synthesized into research reviews. Further, as we learn more about ecological and systems-based approaches to school health promotion, we are realizing that random, controlled trials often do not capture the complexity and multiple, inter-acting factors present in every school, agency, ministry and the multiple systems involved. So, we need new ways of collating and assessing the various studies under new headings and to look at them through new sets of lens. Hopefully, this preliminary report helps us to do that.
Schools and Mental Health: A Categorized Listing of Research Reviews with Commentary
Outline of Topics related to SMH (Taken from the ISHN World Encyclopedia) | Systematic Reviews (Taken from SMH Bibliography/Toolbox Monitoring Research Reviews) |
| A. Understanding the Problem | |
| Overview The synthesis done by the International School Health Network (ISHN) of over 25 school-based and school-linked models of child/youth development and prevention/promotion suggests that we should address the needs of the whole child in a positive, principled values-based approach over the life course. We need to understand the health/social problem thoroughly and the impact of the school on the problems. | |
| A-1 Prevalence, Perceptions & Nature of the Problem Among Young People (Including holistic understanding of the problem and comprehensive approaches to program/policy/practice development) Defining Mental Health There appears to be little consensus on what we all mean by mental health, with competition for attention from those promoting one extreme (positive mental health) and those that are still using a treatment model. There is also a very vague understanding of the interactions between MH and other health social problems. Researchers may also be ignoring the middle of the MH continuum that describes MH problems caused by stressful life events such as divorce or loneliness. Meanwhile, the established mental health movement has largely ignored the health issue most closely associated with suicide (homophobic bullying causing teen suicide and self-harm). Power et al (2008) suggest that “there is wide diversity of opinion about definitions of adjustment and mental health in the youth area. Most current opinion (Stewart-Brown, 2002) inclines to a view of positive well-being rather than simply absence of symptoms of psychopathology. Concepts such as emotional literacy are assuming increasing importance (Brackett, 2007). Positive psychological approaches (Seligman, 1998) target a range of social competencies (support-seeking, problem–solving, resiliency, etc.). Weare (2000) views adjustment mainly in social terms. Strength-based psychological approaches (such as that of Mentality) contrast markedly with deficit models, which are often aligned closely with traditional medical diagnostic systems such as DSM IV.” In an effort to clarify things and enable schools to focus on specific issues, the International School Health Network has combined several formal statements and definitions to collect research and resources under four intertwined categories:
Wells et al (2003) suggest that social and emotional skills are not quite the same thing as mental health. The distinction between measures of ‘‘skill’’ and measures of positive mental health or interpersonal behaviour is complex. Lack of problem-solving skills, conflict resolution and negotiating skills is a risk factor for poor relationships with others and for mental health problems. Improvements in these skills are likely to lead to improvements in mental health. However, positive mental health items can be included in skill-based measures, e.g. interpersonal sensitivity in the problem solving measure used by Battistich et al. (1989). They took the view that wholly skill-based measures were not measures of mental health and excluded studies which only measured skills, for example, in a classroom role-play situation. Some of the included studies, however, recorded these sorts of measurements as well as measures of mental health and one of the included studies showed positive results only on one of these skill-based measures. Prevalence of Mental Health Strengths and Problems While there are numerous studies and reports on the prevalence of mental health problems and illnesses and, more recently on the prevalence of individual psychological assets and protective conditions, we did not locate any research reviews or syntheses that identify trends. Consequently, we are left with a basic question left unanswered: Is the mental health of children and youth getting worse or better? | |
| A-2 Specific Individual Strengths, Problems/Risks, Personal Behaviours, Conditions, Chronic/Genetic Factors, Sub-Populations, Stages in Life Course related to the issue (These can be a focus on higher risk populations or particularly important factors relevant to the issue) The ISHN synthesis suggests that programs should address the needs of the whole child (intellectual, social, physical, psychological, emotional) and identify and address all of the health/social/ economic problems, assets, factors and conditions that affect their health, learning and development. The child's development will be affected by several social influences and determinants. There are several behaviour theories to explain the complex interactions that occur among the child, family, neighbourhood, community and the school. Our regular visits to the research review web sites did not locate many research reviews documenting the various individual factors, social influences and social determinants that obviously affect mental health. These factors and conditions include children and youth who are living with a family member with mental illness, child abuse or neglect, who have suffered trauma, bereavement or divorce, who have been adopted, who are obese or who live with another chronic disease or who have higher coping skills/resilience, Remarkably, the only two reviews in this section examined the impact of physical activity on mental health and ignored almost all of the other conditions and factors. Our regular monitoring of various research journals informs us that studies and correlations have been done on the many other aspects of MH but it appears that no systematic reviews have been done to explore their relative impact or significance. | Children/youth Living with a Family Member with a Debilitating Condition or Terminal Illness
|
| Social Influences (Media, Social Media, Parents, Peers, Norms, Beliefs, etc) While many of the research reviews examined in this preliminary list did discuss the effects of different interventions in modifying or helping students to understand various social influences such as parents, peers, social norms and the media, this preliminary investigation did not find any research reviews that used those influences as the lens for their research. | Children/Youth with Higher or lower Numbers of trusted Friends
|
| Social Determinants (Economic status, gender, level of education, etc.) While a few of the research reviews examined in this preliminary work did discuss the effects of different interventions in different social and economic contexts, the current list of systematic research reviews in our bibliography did not find any items that provided comparisons of the mental health of young people in those various circumstances and communities. | Children/Youth living in Economically Depressed Communities
|
| Mental Health Over the Life Course The ISHN Synthesis suggests that programs should be based on a recognition that health and social behaviours, personal health & physical conditions as well as knowledge/attitudes and skills occur and develop over the life course. For mental health, programs should be based on evidence and experience in dealing with these important age-related concepts: o Adolescent Development, The research reviews currently in the SMH bibliography/toolbox do not identify any systematic reviews using these life course/transitions factors. Our monitoring of recent research suggests that brain development and transitions are emerging as important topics but they do not appear to have reached the level of systematic reviews. | Synthesis of studies on life course topics and mental health
|
| A-3 Behavioral Theories that Explain the Issue or Approaches to Promotion/Prevention (These can also include a focus on higher risk populations or particularly important behaviours or conditions relevant to the problem) The ISHN synthesis suggests that there are several behaviour theories to explain the complex interactions that occur among the child, family, neighbourhood, community and the school. A number of behaviour theories are being used to explain how mental health develops, including: Attachment Theory/Connectedness, Family Systems, Health Belief, Multiple Intelligences, Resilience, Social intelligence, Social Learning, Cognitive-Behavioural, Self-Determination, Stages of Change/Transtheoretical, Stigma/Accessing Help, Social Influences and more. However, with a few exceptions (Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy, Social Intelligence/Social Learning), there appear to be few systematic reviews that group interventions in accordance with their such behaviour theories despite the fact that recent controlled trials are using such frameworks more often. | Cognitive Behavior Therapy
|
| B. Impact of the School on the Problem/issue Overview The ISHN synthesis suggests that programs should be based on a clear understanding of the influence of the social and physical environment of the school on the health or social problem being addressed. For Mental Health, the aspects of the school's environment and school practices that need to be addressed include: the physical environment of the school (lighting, air quality, etc.), the social environment (school discipline, staff-student relations, parent involvement, student-student relations, the transitions between levels of schooling, school practices and policies on promoting/failing and recognizing students and other aspects. Interventions should seek to change these factors while recognizing that many of these aspects are embedded in societal, community and family norms. Once again, we note that while there are several recent articles and studies being published on the impact of the “normal” school physical/social environment and school practices on MH, these studies have not yet been grouped in systematic reviews. | Impact of the school social and physical environment and school organization, practices on mental health
|
| B-1 Influence of the School Social Environment on the Problem (This includes student-teacher conduct & relationships, co-curricular and after-school clubs and activities, staff morale, relationships between the school and parents, overall school climate/ethos and more. | |
| B-2 Influence of the School Physical Environment on the Problem (This includes school grounds, transportation routes to school, gymnasia and playgrounds, lighting, proximity to fast-food restaurants, exposure to advertising, municipal parks, busy city streets, high crime areas or natural green areas, access to municipal and other cultural facilities, age of the building, natural light, easy access to and quality of the water) | |
| B-3 Influence of School Organization, Practices (These include age/grade groupings, physical size, location and facilities of the school, age/experience/mobility of the teachers, basic school operations such as transportation/busing, lunches, recesses, and important social rituals in the school such as school assemblies, proms, graduation ceremonies, parent/teacher nights and more.) | |
| B-4 Influence of the School related Transitions (These include transitions from other schools, family/pre-school into primary school, between primary and secondary schools, secondary schools to post-secondary education/training or into the work force.) | |
| C. Effectiveness of Multi-Intervention Approaches, Programs and Strategies on the Problem, Aspects of the Problem This section includes research reviews and studies that specifically report on multi-intervention approaches and programs only. Many research reviews do not differentiate between multi-intervention and single intervention programs. The reviews on individual interventions are reported under Section D (which examines the effect of single intervention programs) (Please note the differences between comprehensive approaches (multi-issue, multi-level, multi-agency programs), coordinated agency-school programs (involving personnel from several agencies and professions in implementation) and whole-school Programs (HPS) involving only school-based personnel) | |
| General Overview (Including reviews that do not specify which interventions are being examined) The current list of research reviews in the SMH Bibliography/Toolbox included several reviews that did not differentiate (at least in their respective abstracts) among multi-intervention and single intervention programs. Nor did they clearly describe who (which agencies, professionals or educators) were actually responsible for delivering the program, service or policy. They were often grouped, creating some confusion, under the traditional primary, secondary and tertiary We also found several articles and summaries in the SMH Bibliography/Toolbox that addressed the question as to whether multi-intervention programs were more effective or cost-effective relative to single interventions.
|
|
| C-1 Consensus Statements, Published Multi-Intervention Plans, Models and Frameworks The ISHN synthesis suggests that policy-makers, officials, administrators, and practitioners should build or select and established a comprehensive approach while simultaneously addressing specific urgent issues or the elements/programs within a coordinated set of interventions. This means that data on child/youth needs as well as other needs and capacities should be assessed regularly. Relevant multiple interventions should then be identified and coordinated in a recognized school multiple intervention approach or program. Such holistic approaches can address clusters of problems and conditions using combinations of synergistic programs policies, services and other interventions. Programs then should be developed and implemented at multiple levels within systems and across several systems and then delivered using the school as a hub. The articulation of a widely recognized model for promoting mental health through schools is just recently started with organizations such as the International Alliance for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (InterCAMHS) and several NGO’s in Canada both working on drafts. The example of a “strategic framework” provided by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in the UK (shown to the right) is another example of how policy-makers and practitioners are developing their own models. However, there are several well-established models/frameworks/statements for organizing multiple interventions related to or focused on aspects of mental health. The Social-Emotion al Learning framework is a concept related to mental health that has been used in several systematic reviews. The ISHN has collected several of these approaches related to mental health:
|
- Enable all secondary education establishments to adopt an organisation-wide approach to promoting the social and emotional wellbeing of young people. This should encompass organisation and management issues as well as the curriculum and extra-curriculum provision. The approach should form part of the local children and young people’s plan and joint commissioning. It should also be linked to the local area agreement. It should help achieve the Every Child Matters (ECM) Outcome Framework wellbeing objectives and targets (HM Government 2004). It should also contribute towards efforts to gain National Healthy Schools Status (NHSS). |
| C-2 Effectiveness of Comprehensive Approaches (These approaches are looking at the whole child, not just one or a few health/social problems. all children (especially vulnerable), developmental stages/life course, clusters of behaviours and conditions(eg mental health, crime, tobacco, sexual risk-taking, dropouts), community and systems context analysis, synergistic combinations of strategies and initiatives (eg police officers, safe schools, character education, early childhood programs), multi-level , intersectorial strategies, programs and policies) Wei & Kutcher (2011) suggest that programs that integrated multiple settings (home, school, community) with primary prevention and skills-building (cognitive behavioral strategies and social skills enhancement) approaches had the strongest evidence of effectiveness across age ranges and studies. Our searching of the SMH Bibliography/Toolbox found very few research reviews on what we call “comprehensive approaches” (multi-issues, multi-systems, multi-levels) to school mental health promotion. (Most were either focused on mental health alone or were focused on coordinated agency-school programs or whole school strategies alone) | |
| On overall health and development (eg bullying/aggression, overweight/obesity, physical activity, sexual risk-taking, educational achievement/school dropout etc) Wei & Kutcher (2011) suggest that programs that integrated multiple settings (home, school, community) with primary prevention and skills-building (cognitive behavioral strategies and social skills enhancement) approaches had the strongest evidence of effectiveness across age ranges and studies. |
|
| n the Issue of Mental Health in General | |
| On specific aspects, behaviours, conditions related to the Mental Health | |
| Promoting Positive Mental Health (Including psychological well-being, social and psychological assets, mental health literacy, spiritual/religious beliefs, mindfulness/self-knowledge, self-esteem, attachment, social and emotional learning etc) | |
| Preventing or reducing Mental Health Problems (Including difficulties in transitions, resilience, bereavement, stress/distress, social isolation/loneliness, divorce/family breakdown, having parent with mental illness etc) | |
| Addressing Interactions with other Health/Social Problems (Including intellectual, physical and learning disabilities, teen pregnancy/adoption, sexual health/risk-taking, sexual orientation, child sexual abuse, child abuse & neglect, family violence, bullying/aggression, discrimination based on gender, race, language, religion, substance abuse, chronic disease, genetic conditions, trauma from violence, poverty, homelessness/transience, cultural oppression/colonization, being able to access MH services etc.) | |
| Delaying/Preventing Onset or Managing Mental Illness and Disorders (Including ADHD, FASD, overcoming stigma/seeking help, anxiety, phobias, eating disorders, behavior disorders, emotional/mood disorders, depression, aggression, self-harm, suicide, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, other disorders etc.) Wei & Kutcher (2011) suggest that universal programs including education and cognitive– behavioral therapy (CBT) skills do not overall show evidence of preventing depression. There is some evidence that selected and indicated programs based on evidence based clinical approaches (CBT and interpersonal therapy) have some impact in reducing depression symptoms in the short term. | |
| C-3. Effectiveness of Coordinated Agency-School Programs and Services | |
| On overall health and development (eg bullying/aggression, overweight/obesity, physical activity, sexual risk-taking, educational achievement/school dropout etc.) | |
| On the issue of overall mental health This preliminary investigation found several reviews on in the SMH Bibliography/Toolbox that support the idea that coordinated agency-school board multi-intervention programs will improve overall mental health as well as several specific aspects of mental health. However, many of those reviews noted that several questions about duration, intensity, sustainability and cost-effectiveness need to be answered. |
|
| On specific aspects, behaviours, conditions related to the issue Research and experience with almost all of the various models and frameworks promoting health and social development through schools suggest that programs should focus on specific behaviours, influences or conditions related to that issue. Most of the research reviews identified on the selected web sites were focused on such specific aspects of mental health, quite often addressing mental illnesses or problems. | |
| Promoting Positive Mental Health (Including psychological well-being, social and psychological assets, mental health literacy, spiritual/religious beliefs, mindfulness/self-knowledge, self-esteem, attachment, social and emotional learning This search through the SMH Bibliography/Toolbox found research reviews supporting the effectiveness of coordinated agency-school board programs on one aspect of mental health (i.e. SEL) but not on other aspects of “positive mental health”. | Social & Emotional Learning
|
| Addressing Interactions with other Health/Social Problems (Including intellectual, physical and learning disabilities, teen pregnancy/adoption, sexual health/risk-taking, sexual orientation, child sexual abuse, child abuse & neglect, family violence, bullying/aggression, discrimination based on gender, race, language, religion, substance abuse, chronic disease, genetic conditions, trauma from violence, poverty, homelessness/transience, cultural oppression/colonization, being able to access MH services etc.) This preliminary investigation found several reviews related to bullying and violence prevention in schools. Most of these reviews were not clear in their abstracts about the implications for mental health. If aggression, bullying and violence are solely caused by psychological factors, then it would make sense to add more of these reviews here. But clearly the are social, economic and other factors causing anti-social behaviours as well. In practical terms, it comes down to schools working with police or with psychologists. Similarly, we are aware of several systematic reviews of school programs and approaches to prevent substance abuse. Indeed, the ISHN World Encyclopedia includes a similar, very extensive list in our School Substance Abuse Prevention Bibliography/Toolbox. We chose not to include those many, many reviews here. Obviously, the interactions between mental health and violence and addictions need to be sorted out, or the emerging concern for MH may end up duplicating much of the work that has already been done in substance abuse prevention and in promoting safe & caring schools. Our investigation did not find any reviews examining the co-occurrence of MH problems with other health and social challenges facing youth, including teen pregnancy, homophobic bullying, discrimination/cultural oppression, child abuse, child sexual abuse, trauma and many others. Wei & Kutcher (2011) suggest that several reviews have addressed the issue of school-based interventions to reduce violence and aggressive behaviors in children and youth.36-40 These reviews included universal, selective, and targeted school-based programs from the elementary to high school ages. Reductions in aggressive behavior were more evident in high-risk youth across most studies, but universal programs were found to have a positive although more modest effect in the overall school environment. | Preventing, Reducing Aggression/ Violence/Anti-social Behaviour
|
| Delaying Onset or Managing Mental Illness and Disorders (Including ADHD, FASD, overcoming stigma/seeking help, anxiety, phobias, eating disorders, behavior disorders, emotional/mood disorders, depression, aggression, self-harm, suicide, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, other disorders etc. Wei and Kutcher (2011) also suggest that the evidence of prevention of anxiety programs was presented in tw2 recent systematic reviews. Of 30 programs (universal, selective, and indicative) most were CBT as well as psychoeducation, relaxation, and modeling. They found that most of the universal and indicated programs were effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety in the short term and several studies in Australia (FRIENDS program) show some long-term effectiveness as well. The guidance document prepared by the UK National Institute on Clinical Evidence clearly captures a consensus that schools can be part of a network of children’s services. Wei & Kutcher (2011) suggest that the evidence for effective suicide prevention programs in the school setting is very limited and based on two recent systematic reviews. Although some curriculum-based programs have improved knowledge and attitudes toward mental illness, very few such programs were evident in preventing suicidal behaviors or had demonstrated program safety. Results suggested only individual CBT-based intervention showed some promising evidence of effectiveness. Wei and Kutcher (2011) suggest that two recent, systematic reviews have addressed the prevention of eating disorders. In summarizing the findings from more than 40 studies, there was no evidence of harm for school-based eating disorder programs. Targeted/selective programs were more effective than universal programs in behavior change. In addition, programs using interactive approaches were more beneficial than traditional didactic methods. Finally, media literacy and advocacy have a positive impact on changing societal body image ideal | Delaying or Managing Onset of Disorders/Illnesses
Preventing, Reducing or Managing FASD
Reducing Stigma, Increasing Help Seeking
|
| C-4 Effectiveness of Whole School (HPS) Strategies (involving only school-based personnel in delivery) Our search through the research reviews on the SMH Bibliography/toolbox found that most of the research reviews were focused on this level op operations. In other words, most of the multi-intervention programs that have been examined rarely involve staff other than those employed in school systems and almost all of the activity is to be taken on by the front-line staff working in schools. | |
| On overall health and development (eg bullying/aggression, overweight/obesity, physical activity, sexual risk-taking, educational achievement/school dropout etc. | |
| On the issue of overall mental health Our search of the SMH Bibliography/Toolbox found several reviews recommending a “whole school” strategy that had educators engaged in several different types of interventions. |
|
| On specific aspects, behaviours, conditions related to the issue | |
| Promoting Positive Mental Health (Including psychological well-being, social and psychological assets, mental health literacy, spiritual/religious beliefs, mindfulness/self-knowledge, self-esteem, attachment, etc.) According to Wei & Kuthcher (2012) Two systematic reviews of pro-social and social/emotional well-being school interventions have identified the potential value of such school based mental health promotion programs, especially those utilizing a whole school approach involving students, educators, families, and the wider community. As noted earlier with coordinated agency-school board programs, the reviews we located in the SMH Bibliography/Toolbox supported programs promoting SEL but did not cover other aspects of “positive mental health”. |
|
| Preventing or reducing Mental Health Problems (Including resilience, bereavement, stress/distress, social isolation/loneliness, divorce/family breakdown, having parent with mental illness) | |
| Addressing Interactions with other Health/Social Problems (Including intellectual, physical and learning disabilities, teen pregnancy/adoption, sexual health/risk-taking, sexual orientation, child sexual abuse, child abuse & neglect, family violence, bullying/aggression, discrimination based on gender, race, language, religion, substance abuse, chronic disease, genetic conditions, trauma from violence, poverty, homelessness/transience, cultural oppression/colonization, being able to access MH services etc. | |
| Delaying Onset or Managing Mental Illness and Disorders (Including ADHD, FASD, overcoming stigma/seeking help, anxiety, phobias, eating disorders, behavior disorders, emotional/mood disorders, depression, aggression, self-harm, suicide, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, other disorders etc.) |
|
| C-5 Effects of Programs on Learning (Educational achievement and school effectiveness) There is increasing attention being paid to the effect of various school health programs on student learning and overall school effectiveness. The research on Social Emotional Learning has certainly reached the level of systematic reviews in reporting that improved SEL has academic benefits. There are many similar claims being made about school “connectedness” and other aspects of mental health in recent articles and studies being published recently. However, we did not locate any systematic reviews reporting that programs to improve overall mental health, aspects of MH other than SEL and the reduction/delayed onset of specific MH problems or illnesses had similar effects. |
|
| D. Effectiveness of Individual Evidence-based Interventions (Differentiate among primary, secondary, tertiary prevention of health promotion, prevention, assistance, rehabilitation etc.) | |
| D-1 Policy Interventions (Includes laws, by-laws, professional guidelines, ministries policies, school board, health authority and other agency policies and school procedures) | Effects of policy (alone) interventions on MH (eg Anti-bullying rules, mandatory inclusiveness etc)
|
| D-2 Instructional Interventions (Health education research suggests we focus on general as well as specific skills, specific functional knowledge, normative beliefs, teacher skills, support for instruction, better scope/sequence of curricula, teaching/learning materials, teaching methods, teacher education and training, parent involvement in at-home learning, web-based learning etc.) The ISHN synthesis of other school programs suggests that knowledge alone from instruction only interventions usually does not change health and social behaviours. While practical knowledge, skills, normative beliefs, self-knowledge and behavioural intentions (personal health action plans) can be taught in classroom, instructional programs and basic health literacy may only be a prerequisite for behaviour change. The SH research in instructional programs has generally concluded that behavioural effects are time limited (1-3 years) and focused on small changes. However, we do not hold other instructional programs (eg Language Arts programs) to be accountable for life long reading habits, so perhaps we should be realistic about the effects of health education programs as well. Applications to Mental health The research reviews found in the SMH Bibliography/Toolbox seem to reflect that overall trend in health instructional program, with most of the reviews reporting that instructional program results are mixed or short term. Wei & Kutcher (2011) state that one review of school instructional programs designed to reduce stigma toward mental illness suggests some evidence that mental health curricula designed to educate children and youth about stigma toward mental illness may be beneficial in positively changing students’ attitudes and behavior (at least in the short term). Second, they suggest that mental health literacy should be considered as a foundation for school mental health for all stakeholders involved (eg, students, teachers, parents, student service providers, primary care health providers). A mental health curriculum can be a starting point to facilitate the understanding of mental health and mental illness, change attitudes toward mental illness, and encourage help-seeking behaviors for children and youth. This type of approach should embed mental health education into usual school learning paradigms to enhance knowledge acquisition and address attitudinal and behavioral modifications within an already acceptable mode of delivery. Educators, with appropriate knowledge and training, may be more likely to promote mental health in their everyday activities, identify children and youth at risk for mental health problems, and work more collaboratively with families and health care providers. | Social & Emotional Learning
|
| D-3 Health, Social Services, Educational and Other Services Interventions (ISHN suggests that this includes school-based and linked clinics, screening services, early identification and referral, coordination with schools in treatment, individual educational programs, alternative schools and classes, in-school management of the illness/condition, coordination with the school from family, social, youth, addictions, mental health, early childhood, police, sports/recreation and employment services, coordination with the school during rehabilitation/re-integration etc) This investigation found that there appears to be a clear consensus in the research about how school based and school-linked mental health services should be delivered. A number of reviews identified in the SMH Bibliography/toolbox report on specific gains on specific mental health problems and illnesses. School-based and school-linked clinics, family support programs that include cooperation from schools and therapeutic counselling and other forms of counselling appear to have an effect, especially if they are based on Cognitive Behavior Theory. |
|
| D-4 Social Support Interventions (Includes school staff/volunteer awareness of the issue, parent information, education and support, student leadership programs, after school programs, peer helper programs, student clubs, working with community-based organizations, programs and campaigns, working with local media outlets, working with social media, use of the Internet etc. ) This investigation found several research reviews suggesting that parent and youth involvement, after school programs and staff wellness programs can improve mental health. However, the evidence from these systematic reviews is not as clear as one would hope. |
|
| D-5 Physical Environment Interventions (Including access to practical resources) (Includes school grounds, facilities, transportation to and from school, provision of specialized or other equipment) | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| E. Implementation and Sustainability (Including the use of Evidenced-based, Practical and Strategic Implementation Strategies, diffusion or education change theories, Capacity-building/Continuous Improvement Strategies and Strategic Consideration of System/Agency/School Characteristics (eg teacher work life research-use of lesson plans, school improvement research, open, loosely-coupled, bureaucratic systems) | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| E-1 Use of Evidence-based Implementation Models, Practical Considerations and Strategic Implementation Strategies Our monitoring of recent SMH journals and research has alerted us to the fact that there are numerous recent investigations on implementation processes. However, it does not appear that these many recent studies have been synthesized in systematic reviews. | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| E-2 Use of Diffusion and Education Change Knowledge/Theory | |
| E-3 Use of Baseline Capacity, Capacity-Building Knowledge/Theory and Sustainability The ISHN synthesis suggests that we need to build capacity at all levels in the multiple systems that need to be engaged with school health promotion, social development, safety and the environment. | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Descriptions and Reports on Baseline Capacity Required on the Issue (Including minimum curriculum time, staff qualifications, staffing ratios, wait times and minimum service delivery requirements etc. on the issue) | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| General use of capacity-building/organizational development theory and practices | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Specific capacities (according to WHO model adapted by the School Health Research Network in Canada) | |
| Coordinated Policies & Leadership | |
| Staff Assigned to Coordination | No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Informal/formal Mechanisms for Cooperation |
|
| Ongoing Knowledge Development, Synthesis, Transfer, Exchange Wei & Kutcher (2011) suggest that “more than half of school mental health research reports originate currently from the United States, and many school mental health models have been developed International School Mental Health specific to this setting, and not necessarily applicable to other countries. It is essential that other countries with different education and health systems invest more in the development and evaluation of school mental health policies and programs, make those evaluations known globally, and for countries to both network and share their findings through a global network where the most effective components can be identified and extrapolated to diverse environments. Fourth. The development and independent testing of various school mental health approaches will increase credibility and visibility of global mental health programs. Linking research expertise across countries at different levels of development can accelerate research competency development. Such research capacity building will enhance the quality of existing school mental health research as well as provide support needed for developing countries to move the school mental health agenda forward in their countries. Finally, school mental health requires global funding priority. At this time, the vast majority of global health and health-related development funding does not go to mental health. Both national development agencies and large international donors need to be engaged in the development and application of school mental health initiatives. For this to occur, a strong global school mental health database, demonstrating the effectiveness, safety, and cost effectiveness of various school mental health initiatives needs to be created and publicized.” | |
| Ongoing Workforce Development |
|
| Regular Monitoring and Reporting on health/social development, learning and program capacity | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Strategic Management of Emerging Issues/Trends | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Explicit plan for sustainability | · Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., and Schellinger, K. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions.Child Development, 82,474-501 |
| E-4 Consideration of Sustainability (Includes defining and applying the concept, routinization, factors that support and barriers | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| E-5 Consideration of Ecology and System Characteristics (This section list studies that specifically examine the attributes of school and other systems with a view to implementation and sustainability gains) | |
| General Use of Ecological Approach/Systems thinking | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Specific Applications of Ecological/Systems Thinking & Characteristics | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Openness (Includes concepts such as system adaptation, stasis and stability, open systems theory, boundaries between and within organizations, system-environment interactions, change in context, etc) | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Loose-coupling between levels in the system (Includes concepts such as adopter concerns, policy levers, ecology/micro-politics of schools, role/style of senior leaders, role/style of middle managers, role/style of front-line staff) | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Professional Bureaucracies (Includes concepts such as multi-level systems, influence of structure, internal communications (formal and informal), social networks within organizations, non-rational decision-making, knowledge as power and influence, organizational culture, readiness for innovation, professional norms/ideologies, sociology and work life, career patterns for teachers, nurses, police officers) | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Working across Multiple Systems (Includes concepts such as degree of cooperation (communication-collaboration-merger etc), cooperation at different levels in systems) | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| F Consideration of Community, Country or Cultural Contexts | |
| F-1. General references to local community/neighbourhood context Wei & Kutcher (2011) First, the mental health of children and youth may be most parsimoniously achieved through an integrated and comprehensive “pathway to care” framework that establishes a continuum of child and youth mental health promotion, prevention/early identification, intervention, and continuing care, with the school built in as part of this pathway. Although there is evidence of some empirically based mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention school-based programs, there is very limited information regarding long-term outcomes and sustainability. The pathway to care framework must be developed in such a way as to be comprehensive and flexible, adaptable to myriad local realities that define both health and education, with school mental health integrated as part of this approach. | · Clark, C., Myron, R., Stansfeld, S., Friedli, L., Candy, B. (2007) A systematic review of the evidence on the effect of the built and physical environment on mental health Journal of Public Mental Health Vol 6: 2: 14-27 (Identified by Health Evidence Canada) |
| F-2. Use of community analysis and planning tools, research to better understand the community and their impact on health and human development (eg transportation systems, climate, educational and cultural institutions and resources, demographics, etc.). Include the use of GIS and other mapping tools. | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| F.3 Different Types of local communities | |
| Disadvantaged Communities |
|
| Urban Communities/Inner City Communities/Multi-ethnic Communities | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Rural Communities | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Aboriginal Communities/Schools | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Faith-based/Heritage-based /Cultural Communities/Schools | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Affluent Communities/Private Schools | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| F-4 Different Types of Countries | |
| Low income countries | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Middle and High Income Countries | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| Countries/Regions Disrupted by war, conflict, disasters | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| G Consideration of and Integration within the Constraints and Educational Mandate of the School The ISHN synthesis of school prevention and promotion programs suggests that we should seek congruence with education mandate, constraints of schools. Policy-makers, decision-makers and practitioners should anticipate competition and conflicts caused by divergence or competition with the academic/ educational roles/needs of the school. For mental health, this means particular attention to student promotion and student recognition policies and procedures. There is a direct tension between the school’s mandate to accredit student learning (which includes failing students) and their mental health and connectedness to school. | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| G-1 Consideration of School's Primary Roles, Functions | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| G-2 Consideration of Professional Norms & Ideologies | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| G-3 Consideration of School's Social, Economic & Political Constraints | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| H Questions related to Future and Current Research | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| H-1 Major knowledge/practice/policy questions and draft or existing research agendas | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| H-2 Research Showing Cost-Effectiveness or Cost-Benefits and/or Economic Burden of this Problem Wei & Kutcher (2011) suggest that there is little substantive evidence to demonstrate the ESCe of many of these initiatives. The quality of research is inconsistent, the relationship between short time changes in these indicators and long-term functional outcome have not been defined, and their safety and cost effectiveness have not been established. Current evidence suggests universal programs may work better for mental health promotion; universal and selective programs may have a role in addressing violent and aggressive behaviors; selective and indicated/targeted programs may elicit better results for prevention of depression and anxiety and eating disorders may show greater response to selective programs. | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| H-3 Use of new research or multiple, mixed methods (beyond RCT’s) | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
| H-4 Methodological Issues and Questions | · No reviews found in the bibliography/toolbox |
dmccall |
Latest page update: made by dmccall
, Apr 1 2012, 6:57 PM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by dmccall
14617 words added 11198 words deleted 1 image added view changes - complete history) |
|
Keyword tags:
None
More Info: links to this page
|
There are no threads for this page.
Be the first to start a new thread.
