Young people's concepts of depression resemble aspects of adult conceptualizations, however are sometimes incomplete. Further research on younger children and clinical populations is needed. Research on young people's conceptualizations informs both clinical practice and mental health literacy interventions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the lives of adults and children worldwide. Schools were among the first settings to be influenced by this crisis. Home confinement and school closure were implemented as necessary preventive measures creating a new way of living based on web-based communication. The aim of the study is to explore school community needs during the COVID-19 outbreak in Greece. The study followed a mixed methods design, consisting of a teacher, a parent and an adolescent survey. The sample entailed 1,157 participants (414 teachers, 487 parents and 256 adolescents). Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires. Qualitative data were collected using open-ended questions to explore participants’ adjustment and needs during the pandemic. Parents and teachers showed high propensity for anxiety and high levels of resilient coping. Health and adaptation concerns were evident in all samples. Teachers, parents and adolescents described helpful coping practices, primarily related to social support. The findings highlight the importance of supporting all school community members to cope with feelings of stress and anxiety during the pandemic and to identify and make use of helpful personal and social resources.

Background Research on adolescent Mental Health Literacy (MHL) is rapidly increasing; however, equivalent research in children is lacking. Exploring children's mental health conceptualisations reveals how their knowledge develops and provides the evidence base for the development of mental health education for younger age groups. Methods A total of 105 children aged 8–9 and 11–12 years were interviewed using a vignette methodology structured according to the model of illness representations, exploring: recognition, causes, consequences, timeline and curability of depression. Age, gender and experience differences were explored. Results Children were able to identify the existence of a psychological difficulty in a depressed peer; however, they struggled to categorise depression as a mental illness or to label depression. Children referred to a variety of causal factors, primarily environmental and interpersonal rather than internal biological causes. Children considered depression to be curable within a short period of 1–2 months and anticipated negative outcomes if left untreated. Older children's concepts were more sophisticated than younger children's. Gender and experience were not associated with depression concepts in this age range. Conclusions Age trends in children's mental health concepts are evident, in accordance with previous studies. Children from the age of 8–9 years demonstrate detailed concepts of depression. However, mental health educational interventions are needed to target specific gaps and misconceptions in children's understanding.

Abstract. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic poses significant challenges to the psychological resilience and well-being of school communities, while a disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups has been recognized. Adopting social justice principles in the implementation of school psychological services is needed to facilitate suitable support for all, in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of quality education, reduced inequality, and good health and well-being. In this article, a multilevel approach developed by the Laboratory of School Psychology, Department of Psychology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, to support schools during the pandemic is presented. This approach benefits from a holistic understanding of school community needs, necessary to provide tailored support, in line with SDGs within school communities. This approach could act as a paradigm of how University-based laboratories could support school communities during crises.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescent mental health difficulties have increased. To understand adolescent adjustment, it is important to explore both mental health difficulties and indicators of resilience and well-being. The primary aim of this study was to explore the associations among resilience, subjective well-being (SWB), fear of COVID-19, and loneliness among adolescents during the second wave of the pandemic. Additionally, the study aimed to identify student profiles based on these variables. The sample consisted of 469 high school students (61% girls, 29% junior high school). Resilience was positively correlated with SWB and negatively with fear of COVID-19 and loneliness. Three student profiles were identified. The Resilient and Satisfied group (38%) consisted of students with the most positive adaptation, and the Average group (41%) involved students with middle scores in all variables, while the Vulnerable and Distressed group (21%) included those who struggled the most. The need for a tiered approach in providing school-based mental health support is discussed.