Reducing risk of mental disorders by developing children's coping skills

Reducing Risk of Mental Disorders by Developing Children's Coping Skills Mental disorders are often quite debilitating, unrelenting and exhausting health conditions. Many of these conditions or some of their symptoms are often witnessed in childhood or adolescence with a proclivity to endure these problems even in adulthood. Therefore, it becomes essential to pay attention to the overall well-being of the mental health of children by the holistic development of coping skills to manage stress related to biological and other changes.

With the significant expansion in the literature on the prevalence of mental disorders affecting children and adolescents over the years, several mental health programs have been implemented at the regional, state or national level. Moreover, these programs are playing a pivotal role by delivering a number of positive results.

Schools play an important role in children’s holistic development by enhancing their cognitive-behavioral skills, such as building camaraderie with peers, social interactions, emotional control, behavioral expectations, physical and ethical development, etc.

Because children and adolescents spend the greater part of their day at their schools, the embedment of mental health services in the school curriculum ensures continuum of care that improves mental health, as well as academic peformance.

Mental health programs instill positive behavioral skills Almost 90 percent of individuals who develop a mental disorder display warning signs in their adolescence, with an estimated 13 percent of underage youths experiencing serious mental health issues. If these psychological stressors remain unaddressed, they run the risk of persisting in adulthood and aggravating further.

A study published in Harvard Review of Psychiatry suggests that school-based mental health programs offer both short-term and long-term benefits. The study, led by J. Michael Murphy (Ed.D.) working with Massachusetts General Hospital, examined school-based mental health programs implemented on a large scale and measured special mental health outcomes to assess the prevalence of mental health problems.

Encompassing over 27 million students over a span of a decade, the researchers found that these programs were effective in reducing anxiety, improving reading scores, reducing bullying at school,

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and lowering the rates of substance abuse in young adulthood. These health-based programs were mainly delivered by teachers and the program content was provided to the students in specific daily or weekly sessions over a period of weeks or over the entire school year. Some of these programs are as follows: 

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS): PBIS is a proactive approach that assists in establishing positive behavioral support and social culture to help all students to achieve social, emotional and academic success. It guides them to use the most effective and positive approach to address a wide range of behavioral problems.

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FRIENDS: This program helps students, parents and teachers in learning the essential skills needed to manage emotions, cope with stress and reduce anxiety. Its core pillars include identifying feelings, understanding the physical responses, learning to unwind, connecting thoughts and feelings, and developing effective coping skills and emotion management.

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Positive Action (PA): This program aims at building and improving self-management skills, social skills, character building and mental health. Its six pillars encourage children to develop positive behaviors, such as getting along with peers and personal growth.

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Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS): PATHS is a comprehensive program for promoting emotional and social competencies and reducing aggression and other behavioral problems among children by enhancing the educational process in the classroom. It focuses on developing self-control, emotional understanding, interpersonal problem-solving skills, etc. through role-playing and storytelling activities.

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Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS): CBITS is a program that conducts mental health screening and a brief standardized series of therapy sessions in schools to particularly address trauma symptoms among at-risk primary school children.

Instead of a schoolteacher, this intervention delivered by mental health professionals.

Mental wellness key to being healthy Mental disorders affect a significant number of children and adolescents worldwide. When the symptoms of mental disorders are left unaddressed, it exacerbates the sufferer’s condition to chronic levels, with a high risk of developing the problem of substance abuse in adulthood. In addition, mental disorders, such as anxiety, depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and disruptive behavior disorders, are common among children that can partly be addressed by the abovementioned school-based mental health programs.

If you or your loved one is battling the symptoms of mental disorders or an addiction to any substance, it is imperative to seek help. The Recover Mental Health assists in accessing the finest mental health treatment rehabilitation centers and substance abuse treatment rehabilitation centers that specialize in delivering evidence-based intervention plans.

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