Conditions for mental health in education: Towards relational practice

Abstract

There are concerns globally about the emotional wellbeing and mental health of young people and in this paper a critical orientation comprises both theoretical and empirical data sources. The case is made that (1) the medical model of mental healththat of problem identification, diagnosis and medical treatment at the level of the individualis not appropriate for the vast majority of children and young people in schools and (2) relational approaches would be more sensitive in responding to the complexity of the 'conditions' in the schools, homes and communities in which young people live. Articulations of these conditions in the literature are explored while we also draw on empirical data from part of an evaluation of a school-based teacher-training programme in which interviewees and respondents mapped out their own conditions for emotional wellbeing and mental health. We conclude with proposals for relational approaches which (1) acknowledge the links between affect, cognition and school climate and culture, (2) foreground mental health and poverty as impacting on young people's emotional wellbeing in their communities, families and schools and (3) attend to voiceproviding spaces in which young people can develop their own 'preferred narratives' concerning emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Psychiatry and mental health care in the classroom: A reflection on the potential effects of policy implementation

“…As for what kind of intervention could be better suited than biomedical psychiatry, I turn to Billington et al's (2021) comment that mental health, wellbeing and learning are based in community activities 'and not mere deficits to be located in individual persons' . Surely, since we're going to enculture students in school, it would be more helpful to focus on the interpersonal.…”

“…As well, that psychiatric methodology is based upon scientific expertise and empiricism reassures policymakers that these methods are sound and therefore fit. The application of the medical model, especially if the applier is unaware of the conceptual poverty of the model, may obscure the role of contexts, such as economic inequalities, upon the health of individuals (Billington et al., 2021). This is where Malla et al.…”

“…Authors such as Billington et al. rightly contest this intrusion of the language of psychopathology, as it ‘invariably invokes deficit models of the individual with lifelong consequences for any person identified during their childhood’ (2021). If we bring the medical model into schools, then all students will become patients.…”

“…This risks the harm of ‘incarcerating young people in adult mental health categorisations or psychopathologies from which there will be little prospect of escape’ that Billington et al. (2021) fear.…”

“…As well, that psychiatric methodology is based upon scientific expertise and empiricism reassures policymakers that these methods are sound and therefore fit. The application of the medical model, especially if the applier is unaware of the conceptual poverty of the model, may obscure the role of contexts, such as economic inequalities, upon the health of individuals (Billington et al, 2021). This is where Malla et al are right: If schools were to take prima facie diagnostic descriptions and use these as though they are the full explanations and cure that is hoped, then schools would actually be inflicting psychiatry on the student population.…”