‘Push on through’: Children’s perspectives on the narratives of resilience in schools identified for intensive mental health promotion

Abstract

Child mental health is a growing concern for policymakers across the global north. Schools have become a key site for mental health interventions, with new programmes aimed at promoting ‘resilience’, through which children may maintain or regain mental health during adversity. As one of the first studies to explore the early impact of intensive mental health promotion in schools from children’s perspectives, we adopt a governmentality approach to consider the logic and techniques of such programmes with a specific focus on England. An innovative visual methodology was used to focus on student perspectives of mental health interventions in school. Young peoples’ photo representations of mental health were collected and used to stimulate focus group discussions with 65 students aged 12–14, across seven schools. ‘Resilience’ was seen to be the key organising concept for mental health interventions in schools. The concept was viewed as narrowly focused on attitude towards—and performance in—school work, with individuals being encouraged to ‘push on through’ difficulties to achieve success. Young people were critical of this approach, suggesting several alternatives. These included increased access to independent mental health professionals, safe spaces within schools and mental health education that addressed the social and affective dimensions of mental health difficulties.

Developing young people’s mental health awareness through education and sport: Insights from the Tackling the Blues programme

“…Like talking to the teachers or my friends…. I bottled it all up and then I exploded…F8: Mostly, if I have a problem, I normally just don’t tell anyone, because I don’t want them to get involved.During the Coping Bottle and Jenga activities, pupils’ focus on the impact personal relationships with family and friends, and stress, feelings and emotions can have on mental health was consistent with other studies of schooling generally (Brown and Dixon, 2020; Johansson et al, 2007; Roose and John, 2003; Svirydzenka et al, 2014) and in subjects including PE (e.g. Harris et al, 2018; Røset, 2019; Røset et al, 2020).…”

“…being shouted at, being required to do homework or stay after school). Conversely, positive personal relationships, especially with family, best friends and other peers (Figure 3) were central to pupils’ perceptions of happiness and mental health (Brown and Dixon, 2020; Johansson et al, 2007; Svirydzenka et al, 2014).…”

“…Notwithstanding the rapid growth of whole-school mental health and SEL programmes, much of the evidence supporting their effectiveness has been generated by standardised measures as part of well-controlled research investigations (Brown and Dixon, 2020; Clarke et al, 2015; O’Reilly et al, 2018). Rather less attention has been paid to the views and experiences of the pupils involved in those programmes, and it has been claimed that more qualitative work ‘needs to include the “child’s voice”, to be child-centred and respect children’s rights’ (O’Reilly et al, 2018: 659), including through the methods and activities used (Mannay, 2016; Mannay et al, 2019).…”

“…Overall, however, research with school-aged pupils has found that mental health is sometimes conflated with, and reduced to, mental illness (Rose et al, 2007; Svirydzenka et al, 2014), and is frequently associated with cognitive functioning of the brain, and emotions and feelings (e.g. anger, entrapment), which are distinct from physical health (Brown and Dixon, 2020; Johansson et al, 2007; Roose and John, 2003; Svirydzenka et al, 2014). Pupils’ conceptions of good mental health have been associated with happiness, supportive and trusting relationships with family and friends, and positive living circumstances, with mental illness often perceived as occurring in the absence of these (Brown and Dixon, 2020; Johansson et al, 2007; Svirydzenka et al, 2014).…”

“…anger, entrapment), which are distinct from physical health (Brown and Dixon, 2020; Johansson et al, 2007; Roose and John, 2003; Svirydzenka et al, 2014). Pupils’ conceptions of good mental health have been associated with happiness, supportive and trusting relationships with family and friends, and positive living circumstances, with mental illness often perceived as occurring in the absence of these (Brown and Dixon, 2020; Johansson et al, 2007; Svirydzenka et al, 2014). In addition, pupils have recognised that individual lifestyle (e.g.…”