Social and emotional aspects of learning (<scp>SEAL</scp>) for secondary schools: implementation difficulties and their implications for school‐based mental health promotion

Lendrum, Ann; Humphrey, Neil; Wigelsworth, Michael

doi:10.1111/camh.12006

Cited by 122 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…A study by Lendrum et al (2013) found particular difficulties with mental health promotion in secondary schools, indicating that secondary school teachers' beliefs about their roles may not be as advanced as primary teachers with respect to teachers' responsibilities for promoting students' mental health. When these findings are associated with the knowledge that vulnerability for the onset of mental health difficulties rises in the teenage years (McGorry, Parker, & Purcell, 2006), it underlines the need for professional learning opportunities that particularly recognise the attitudes and needs of teachers in secondary school contexts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent review by Lendrum, et al (2013) suggested that mental health prevention and promotion interventions can be effective in primary school settings, however there are different, and as yet unresolved, challenges to the effective implementation of mental health programmes in secondary school settings. Lee et al (2008) warned of dangers when programs that have been tested in relatively controlled, highly resourced trials are broadly rolled-out to settings with fewer resources and limited controls over implementation processes.…”

Section: Outcomes Of School-based Mental Health Promotion Initiativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, analyses by authors such as Nind (2011), Melhuish et al (2007) and Humphrey and colleagues (Humphrey et al, 2010;Wigelsworth, Humphrey, & Lendrum, 2012) indicate that greater attention needs to be given to the state of knowledge and confidence held by teachers who mediate the delivery of initiatives to students. As noted by Lendrum et al (2013), the 'will and skill' of school staff is fundamental to school-based mental health promotion, however there are concerns about teachers' understanding, competence and confidence in this area.…”

Section: Teachers Are At the Core Of Promoting Mental Health In Schoolsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Australian and Maltese teachers' perspectives about their capabilities for mental health promotion in school settings

Askell–Williams

Cefai

2014

Teaching and Teacher Education

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There is international concern about the prevalence and severity of mental health difficulties and the impact such difficulties have upon individuals, families, communities and societies. Policy makers identify schools as strategic settings for promoting students' positive mental health, such as through the explicit teaching of social and emotional skills. Promoting students' mental health requires teachers to possess particular types of subject-matter knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and knowledge of learners and their characteristics. However, mental health promotion is not typically addressed in pre-or in-service teacher education, thus raising questions about teachers' capabilities to enact policy directives for mental health promotion in schools. This paper reports a questionnaire study of 1029 Australian and Maltese teachers' perspectives about their capabilities for mental health promotion. Multilevel modelling showed significant response variations between teachers and between schools on 11 outcome factors. Maltese teachers' responses were significantly lower than Australian teachers on three outcome factors, namely, Knowledge, Teaching Resources and providing Parenting Support. Differences were also apparent between teachers of secondary and primary students, and between male and female teachers. Years of teaching experience did not show significant effects, highlighting that mental health promotion is a new area of professional learning for teachers. This study indicates that policy directives that situate mental health promotion initiatives in educational settings must be accompanied by opportunities for teachers and schools to build their capabilities in this relatively new domain of school and teacher responsibility. Our participating teachers have reported on issues of international concern, indicating that further attention to the capabilities of teachers and schools for mental health promotion in diverse cultural settings is warranted.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Outcomes Of School-based Mental Health Promotion Initiativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Teachers Are At the Core Of Promoting Mental Health In Schoolsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Australian and Maltese teachers' perspectives about their capabilities for mental health promotion in school settings

Askell–Williams

Cefai

2014

Teaching and Teacher Education

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“…However, the contrasting systemic and relational contexts of primary and secondary schools may also have influenced the effects detected. Secondary schools are typically much larger than primary schools, which in itself can present organisational and management challenges when it comes to implementing a mental health program (Lendrum, Humphrey, and Wigelsworth 2012). Primary schools adopt a child-focused philosophy that is arguably more amenable to mental health promotion than the subject-oriented approach that typically characterises secondary schools.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Embedding mental health support in schools: learning from the Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TaMHS) national evaluation

Wolpert

Humphrey

Belsky

et al. 2013

Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

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The Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TaMHS) programme was a nationwide initiative that funded mental health provision in schools for pupils at risk of or already experiencing mental health problems. The implementation, impact and experience of this programme was evaluated using quantitative and qualitative methodology involving three main studies: (1) a 1-year RCT involving 8658 8-10 year olds and 6583 11-13 year olds, (2) a 3-year longitudinal study involving 3346 8-10 year olds and 2647 11-13 year olds and (3) qualitative interviews with 26 TaMHS workers, 31 school staff, 15 parents and 60 pupils. The RCT demonstrated that TaMHS led to reductions in behaviour problems but not emotional problems for 8-10 year olds. No impact was found for 11-13 year olds. The effects on behaviour problems in primary school were enhanced by the provision of evidence based self-help materials, but not by other area level support. The longitudinal study found information giving and good inter-agency working correlated with more positive outcomes for behavioural problems in secondary schools. The qualitative findings indicated that TaMHS was well received by all groups, though challenges to its implementation were noted. Overall, findings indicate the utility of targeted mental health provision in schools, particularly in primary settings. The implications for implementation are discussed.

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“…The authors suggested that these results appeared to be related to lack of structure and consistency in social and emotional education programs, un-monitored delivery, and an inadequate level of human and financial resources. Lendrum et al (2013) suggested that whereas mental health initiatives can be effective in primary school settings, there are unresolved challenges in secondary school settings. Meanwhile, Weare and Nind (2011) commented upon Australian and European approaches to mental health promotion in educational settings, suggesting that those democratic, "bottom-up" approaches were failing to produce high quality evidence of successful outcomes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships between students’ mental health and their perspectives of life at school

Askell–Williams

Lawson

2015

Health Education

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Relationships between Australian students' mental health and their perspectives of life at school. Abstract PurposeThis paper explores relationships between students' self-reported mental health and their perspectives about life at school in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia Design/methodology/approachThe Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and a purpose designed Living and Learning at School Questionnaire (LLSQ) were administered to 1715 early adolescents in school years 7, 8 and 9. Correspondence analysis, which is a perceptual mapping technique available in SPSS, was used to examine relationships between students' SDQ subscale scores (emotional symptoms, hyperactivity, conduct problems, pro-social skills) and the LLSQ subscale scores (motivation, learning strategies, coping with schoolwork, bullying, numbers of friends, safety at school, and teacher intervention in bullying events). FindingsThe correspondence analysis produced a two-dimensional visual display (a perceptual map)showing that students' abnormal, borderline and normal SDQ subscale scores were closely related to their low, medium and high LLSQ subscale scores, respectively. A clear Dimension (Factor) emerged, showing a progression from mental health difficulties to strengths, in close association with students' reports about their school experiences.AUTHOR COPY of paper Published in Helen Askell-Williams , Michael J. Lawson , (2015) "Relationships between students' mental health and their perspectives of life at school", Health Education Research limitations/implicationsCaution should be exercised when using the results to interpret events in other contexts. The limitations of self-report methods must be considered. Practical implicationsThe two-dimensional visual display provides a powerful tool for dissemination of the findings of this study about students' perspectives for system-level and school-based personnel. This can inform the selection of intervention programs, such as strategies for self-regulation of emotions and learning behaviours, fostering friendships, and supporting academic achievement, that are related to positive mental health. Social implicationsThis paper can inform school-level policies and practices, such as those relating to professional development to support teachers' and students' capabilities (for example, to manage and prevent bullying) and thus influence the nature of the school experiences that shape students'perceptions. This paper adds students' perspectives to the emerging field concerned with designing programs for mental health promotion in schools. Originality/value

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Social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) for secondary schools: implementation difficulties and their implications for school‐based mental health promotion

Cited by 122 publications

References 22 publications

Australian and Maltese teachers' perspectives about their capabilities for mental health promotion in school settings

Australian and Maltese teachers' perspectives about their capabilities for mental health promotion in school settings

Embedding mental health support in schools: learning from the Targeted Mental Health in Schools (TaMHS) national evaluation

Relationships between students’ mental health and their perspectives of life at school

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