Developmentally appropriate mental health literacy content for school-aged children and adolescents

Abstract

Although improving the mental health of children and adolescents has become a global priority, resources outlining developmentally appropriate content for improving mental health literacy (MHL) across school-aged children are scarce. A comprehensive, life-course approach to building MHL is needed to address the evolving competencies, needs, capacities, and risk factors for mental health, especially to establish school-based interventions that can be equitably and sustainably implemented. We conducted a theoretical review highlighting the relation of research and practice in building MHL through developmentally appropriate knowledge and competencies for children and adolescents. A two-pronged review of the literature was conducted to provide an overview of (1) research with a focus on neurobiological, psychological, cognitive, and social developmental milestones of school-aged children relevant for building MHL and (2) evidence-based and theory-driven content for the development of universal MHL interventions for children and adolescents considering the four components of MHL. A map of relevant key milestones highlights the range of development that occurs and ample opportunity for increasing universal MHL during these sensitive years primed for learning. We reflect on current understandings and global considerations for MHL interventions with an emphasis on applying developmental science to the future strengthening of intervention development, uptake, adaptation, implementation, evaluation, and scale-up.

Applying a theory of change approach to develop and pilot a universal mental health literacy curriculum for adolescents

“…To inform the curriculum development with evidence-based content, we conducted a review of developmentally appropriate MHL content for school-aged children and adolescents to target building of relevant knowledge and skills for our target group (Kagstrom et al, 2023).…”

“…The primary intervention theoretical underpinnings are developmentally appropriate MHL (Kagstrom et al, 2023), SEL (CASEL, 2015), and WHO recommendations (2021) for MHL interventions to promote positive mental health and mental well-being. The main curriculum components consist of teaching a holistic model of health (Engel, 1977), effects of stress and its management (Romeo 2013;WHO, 2020), self-regulation techniques (Arch & Craske, 2006;Khng, 2017), sleep hygiene (Zhang et al, 2018), mindfulness (Broderick & Metz 2009;Zelazo & Lyons, 2012;Zenner et al, 2014), gratitude (Gottlieb & Froh 2019;Wilson, 2016), healthy relationships serving as a protective factor for mental well-being and preventative buffer against suicidal ideation and behavior (Lieberman et al, 2014), healthy communication (Bodie et al, 2015;Elias & Tobias 2019;Jalongo 1995;Rogers et al, 2018), self-esteem (Sharaf et al, 2009), and mental health first aid (Bjørnsen et al, 2019;Goodfellow et al, 2022;Mohammadi et al, 2020;Nobre et al, 2021;Ratnayake & Hyde, 2019;Seedaket et al, 2020).…”