1. School Mental Health and Children with Anxiety and Depression by
Laura Nabors, School of Human Services
College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services
University of Cincinnati
Building a Strong Sense of Self: A Protective Factor
In terms of the “Comer” model or School Development Program it is important to address the psychological pathway so that children can manage their emotions and have a strong sense of self (Comer et al., 2004). A strong sense of self can help children overcome anxiety and depression and also can be a protective factor to decrease the chances that children will become anxious or depressed.
The Comer model stresses partnership between professionals, such as those in university settings, and schools as a foundation for the dissemination of interventions and ideas for assessment and evaluation of interventions. Such partnerships can provide a mechanism for ensuring that mental health interventions and interventions to promote child development are disseminated in schools. The idea of partnership extends to interactions with parents, teachers, and administrators to promote understanding of children with mental health problems (e.g., anxiety or depression).
Ideas for Future Research and Interventions in Schools
Telehealth interventions, which focus on development of self-esteem and self-worth may be another protective factor, while telehealth may be a wave of the future in terms of providing mental health services in schools for children experiencing anxiety and depression. This type of service could make mental health professionals available to children who might otherwise lack access to services.
Case studies, recording the influence of clinical services, including a detailed description of interventions and outcomes for children experiencing mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, will provide a blueprint for clinicians. Moreover, information from child care plans and the outcome of these plans can be transformed into case study reports to widely disseminate information about work being done in the field.
Abstract
This presentation reviews roles for mental health professionals working with children who have mood disorders, chiefly anxiety and depression, in schools. School clinicians can network with teachers to develop care plans for to ensure that teachers understand and meet the special needs of these children. Emphasis will be placed on a strengths-based approach to developing skills through care plans rather than a focus on developing an individual education plan for children with serious emotional disturbances. This is important, because children with mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, may be best served in regular education settings. Developing care plans is a way to ensure that the school and parents have a mutual understanding and acceptance of the best methods for meeting the child's needs to promote academic as well as social and emotional development. Suggestions for consulting with teachers, parents, and school administration are provided from a noncategorical perspective. Thus, information about care plans will be widely applicable (e.g., for children with other types of mental health problems). Guidance on important issues for school reentry if hospitalization or school absence occurs also will be presented. Ideas for new research will be presented at the close of this presentation. Participatory research and single case designs are practical research designs for use in the schools, and these methods will allow professionals to focus on needs of the child within an ecological perspective that considers each child's needs within the context of his or her situation.
School Mental Health
Schools are the major providers of mental health services to children. Children who experience mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, can benefit from school-based care, which will provide services in a familiar setting.
School-based clinicians need to meet regularly (at least monthly) in either individual or team meetings to share information with and learn from teachers and parents.
Care Plans to Promote Mutual Understanding
IEP plans or “care plans” can be a way to promote understanding of needs for services and classroom instruction for children who are experiencing anxiety or depression.
Some key areas related to social and emotional functioning to consider include: the child’s ability to express needs and connect with peers, ideas for social growth and development of social networks, ways teachers can support positive interactions with adults and children at school, ideas for explaining changing mood states and affect to peers, planning for group and individual counseling, emergency planning (if appropriate), assignment of a peer buddy to promote social development, and ideas for involvement in extracurricular activities.
Care plans also should include sections with ideas for addressing any problems in academic performance due to performance deficits such as difficulty concentrating or completing tests or assignments.
Resources on School Mental Health Services
Here are some resources for those providing mental health services in schools.*
Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, Volume 1, 2008, Clifford Beers Foundation, United Kingdom.
Advances in School Mental Health Interventions: Best Practices and Program Models, Volume II, 2007, Civic Research Institute, N.J., USA.
smhp.psych.ucla.edu
School Re-entry after Hospitalization
Guidance is provided by research for children with chronic conditions. One example: Worchel-Prevatt and colleagues, “A school reentry program for chronically ill children” [1998, Journal of School Psychology, Vol. 36]
* Many other references are available. References and information are available from Laura Nabors