School Mental Health: The Next Frontier

Posted on 27/07/2009 | 1 Comments

Promoting student health and well-being in school has long been a component of education. Traditionally, varsity athletics, school intramural sports programs and gym classes have stressed the importance of staying physically healthy through exercise. More recently, school-based sexual education programs have informed young people about the importance of sexual health, exposing students to issues of contraception use, gender identity, reproductive rights, and sexual behaviour. Nutrition has also made headway, with some schools banning high-caffeine/energy drinks and introducing healthier eating options into school cafeterias. But despite these advances, mental health – a fundamental part of student health and well-being – still remains largely absent from the education agenda.

According to the World Health Organization, mental disorders are the single largest health problem affecting young people. In Canada, approximately 15 to 20 percent of children and adolescents suffer from some form of mental disorder; which translates to one in five students in the “average” classroom. Furthermore, most major mental disorders onset prior to the age of twenty-five, making adolescence a critical time for the prevention and treatment of mental health problems.

Mental disorders can lead to serious consequences if untreated. They may impede a student’s emotional well-being and social development, leaving young people feeling socially isolated, stigmatized and unhappy. Mental disorders may also present significant barriers to learning. For example, students with mental disorders may have difficulty meeting academic standards or reaching their academic potential. These barriers can be so difficult to overcome that they may lead to chronic absenteeism or even school drop-out.

Early and effective treatment of mental health problems can substantially improve emotional and behavioural difficulties, thus reducing the number of days of school missed and reducing instances of contact with law enforcement. Treatment can also lead to improved social and behavioural adjustment, school performance, and enhanced learning outcomes. The earlier that mental health problems are addressed through appropriate effective interventions, the more likely that beneficial effects will be achieved in both the short and long term.

For all of these reasons, addressing the mental health of young people should be a priority for schools. (Excerpt from "Mental Health: The Next Frontier of Health Education", Education Canada, Spring 2009- by Dr. Stan Kutcher, David Venn, Magdalena Szumilas)

What people are saying?

Christina Carew said...

How do we influence the policy makers in the provincial Ministries of Education so that there’s a mandatory mental health literacy unit for every Gr. 9 student in Canada?
That’s my modest goal for Go Batty - sounds like yours too, so let’s buddy up.
Continued success,
Heather

Comment made on July 21st, 2010

What do you think?

Name

Email (only we will see this)

Remember my information Notify me of follow-up comments?

Thoughts

Please enter the word you see in the image below: