Young people's preferences for emotional well-being support in high school--a focus group study

Selective and indicated UK school-based mental health interventions: a systematic review and narrative synthesis

BACKGROUND

Mental health disorders amongst children and young people pose a significant burden, with a growing emphasis on early intervention. A notable gap exists between the prevalence of these disorders and sufficiently early treatment, emphasising the need for effective preventive measures.

AIMS

This review aims to comprehensively assess and narratively synthesise both quantitative and qualitative literature on secondary preventative (indicated and selective) school-based mental health interventions in the UK.

METHOD

All empirical studies published since 2010, which reported on UK secondary preventative school-based interventions were eligible. Eligible studies were identified by searching the following electronic databases: PsycINFO (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid), Scopus (Elsevier), EMBASE (Elsevier), ERIC (EBSCO), and Web of Science (Clarivate). Database searches yielded 3269 results, with 26 articles meeting inclusion criteria. These articles covered 22 unique studies encompassing various study designs. The Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess study quality, and study findings were synthesised using a single narrative synthesis ('storytelling') approach.

RESULTS

Three central themes emerged: (1) Outcomes for children and young people; (2) acceptability and preferences; and (3) practical considerations. The majority of included studies demonstrated high quality. Studies revealed diverse perspectives on the strengths, limitations, barriers, and facilitators of school-based interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

School-based interventions hold promise in promoting positive mental health amongst young people, emphasising the pivotal role of educational settings in addressing these challenges. Despite encouraging outcomes, this review highlights the need for further research to better understand intervention effectiveness, implementation barriers, and cost-effectiveness; to facilitate the development of tailored and impactful strategies for supporting young people's mental health.

PRISMA/PROSPERO STATEMENT

This systematic review was conducted following Cochrane methodology PRISMA guidelines. The review was registered with PROSPERO in June 2023 (CRD42023431966).

Teachers' social support, somatic complaints and academic motivation in children and early adolescents

The study aim was to find out what is pupils perception of teachers' support and to check if different types of perceived support are connected with the level of somatic symptoms reported by students at school. Additionally the study searched for possible links between students' evaluation of teachers 'as instructors, guides and caregivers' and their motivation to attend the class and to study the subject. The results show that students perceived informative teachers' support as the most available. Prevalent somatic symptoms reported by students were those connected with tiredness, distraction, low energy and pain. Teachers' evaluation was positively linked to academic motivation. High level of perceived (1) emotional, (2) informational teachers support and a (3) high 'mark' prescribed by student to the teacher via teachers' evaluation were negatively related to somatic symptoms. Due to students composition i.e. children originating from different economic backgrounds, the support perception from this perspective was also analysed. The study results indicate that teachers' support perception by children living in harsh economic conditions depended on the division in which they attend the school.

Conditions and strategies high school students living in lodgings experience as important and helpful for their well-being

Many 15- to 16-year-old adolescents in Scandinavian countries have to move away from home to live in lodgings during senior high school. This transition might affect the adolescents’ well-being and mental health, with the risk of dropping out of school and/or potential mental health problems. This study aims to explore what adolescents experience to be of importance and helpful for their well-being through their lives in lodgings during senior high school. Qualitative, in-depth interviews were performed among 21 adolescents from the ages of 16 to 18 of both genders living in lodgings in a Norwegian county. Eleven interviews were performed in 2008 and 10 interviews performed in 2016. Interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Two main categories and six subcategories were identified as important for well-being: (1) Conditions for well-being, me and my surroundings: (a) practical support; (b) relational support; (c) convenient housing; and (d) supportive class environment. (2) Strategies for well-being, me and myself: (a) practical strategies, and (b) strategies facing challenges. Adolescents living in lodgings experience several conditions in their surroundings to be of importance for their well-being, based on which they develop their own strategies to feel well. Implications towards promoting and strengthen their well-being are discussed.

School-Based Positive Youth Development: A Systematic Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

The values, perspectives, and behavior patterns that begin in adolescence can continue throughout one's life. Because of these lifetime effects, much research has focused on adolescent risk and prevention, but a new body of knowledge investigates protective factors and strengths. Positive youth development (PYD) increases internal and external assets during adolescence and is often based within communities. This review, however, focuses on school-based PYD interventions because these institutions are the largest youth-serving institutions in the country.

METHODS

This review considered 711 PYD school-based programs found using 4 databases. We included articles published after 2000, and did not review those reporting on regular school curriculum or activities.

RESULTS

The 24 remaining articles describe PYD programs that fall under 3 general categories: curriculum-based, leadership development, and student-based mentorship programs.

CONCLUSIONS

Evaluations indicate that programs increase intrapsychic measures of well-being in youth as well as social confidence and healthy behaviors. However, it is important to not only include "at-risk" persons in programming, because a mixed group of young people encourages a more positive peer-to-peer climate. In addition, peer mentorship activities should be actively facilitated by an adult supervisor to ensure positive communication and trust between the mentor and mentee.

Latino and Latina Adolescents' Help-seeking Behaviors and Attitudes Regarding Suicide Compared to Peers with Recent Suicidal Ideation

Although Latinas have consistently reported higher rates of suicidal behavior for the past 20 years (CDC, 1996), there is a dearth of information regarding their help-seeking attitudes and behaviors when dealing with distress and suicide. Associations between adolescents' ideation and help-seeking from adults were different for non-Hispanic Whites and Latinos from 14 high schools (N = 4,983). Among females, ideators and Latinas reported lower levels of help-seeking attitudes than nonideators and non-Hispanic Whites. Males showed interaction effects of ideation by race/ethnicity on help-seeking. Within sex by race/ethnicity, differences showed that while non-Hispanic White students reported consistent differences between suicidal ideation and no reported suicidal ideation, Latinos were more similar between these groups, particularly with having support from friends and family to seek help from adults. Research should clarify how culture contributes to decreased help-seeking norms among those with suicidal ideation.

Student help seeking from pastoral care in UK high schools: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Little is known about high school students' perceptions of school-based pastoral support. This study aimed to explore this in the context of a high school-based emotional support project.

METHODS

Qualitative interviews explored perspectives on help seeking of students (N = 23) and staff (N = 27) in three UK high schools where a pastoral project was introduced. Data were analysed thematically.

RESULTS

Student peer groups perceived help seeking as a sign of weakness. However, students valued learning skills in managing emotions and friendships. Staff expressed concerns about students' ability to help seek proactively, and highlighted organisational influences on pastoral support.

CONCLUSIONS

Increasing student control over the process, and involving trusted staff, could encourage help seeking in high school. It is possible to access the views of students who do not help seek, to improve understanding of help-seeking behaviour.