scholarly journals A Positive Education Program to Promote Wellbeing in Schools: A Case Study from a Hong Kong School

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wai Chun Cherry Au ◽  
Kerry John Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Positive Education ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Whole School Approach ◽  
Group Interviews

Students’ mental health is an alarming issue in Hong Kong, thereby increasing concern from psychologists, who attempted to implement positive education programs to equip students with skills to counteract mental health problems. This study followed the practice from positive psychology and conducted a Flourishing Life program based on the framework of the PERMA model in a secondary setting. The aims of the present paper are two-fold: to report the effort of the program and to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. A mixed-method sequential explanatory research design, including survey (n = 495) and subsequent two focus-group interviews (n = 8), was adopted to assess the program’s effectiveness. Results indicated that Forms Two and Three students (Grades 8 and 9) benefited more from the program than the Form One students (Grade 7). Overall, students reported that they had benefitted from the program. Findings provide supporting evidence to the whole-school approach program that operated effectively within the existing curriculum. This research may provide a direction for school curriculum leaders to promote students’ wellbeing by infusing essence from positive psychology to the school curriculum.

scholarly journals What do we know about promoting mental health through schools?

2005 ◽  
Vol 12 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 118-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Weare ◽  
Wolfgang Markham
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Developmental Approach ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Whole School Approach ◽  
Promote Mental Health

There is a growing evidence base on what schools need to do to promote mental health effectively. There is strong evidence that they need first and foremost to use a whole school approach. This shapes the social contexts which promote mental health and which provide a backdrop of measures to prevent mental health disorders. In this context the targeting of those with particular needs and the work of the specialist services can be much more effective. Schools need to use positive models of mental health, which emphasise well being and competence not just illness- this will help overcome problems of stigma and denial and promote the idea of mental health as 'everyone's business'. The most effective programmes in schools which address mental health have the following characteristics: • They provide a backdrop of universal provision to promote the mental health of all and then target those with special needs effectively. • They are multi-dimensional and coherent. • They create supportive climates that promote warmth, empathy, positive expectations and clear boundaries. • They tackle mental health problems early when they first manifest themselves and then take a long term, developmental approach which does not expect immediate answers. • They identify and target vulnerable and at risk groups and help people to acquire the skills and competences that underlie mental health. • They involve end users and their families in ways that encourage a feeling of ownership and participation, and provide effective training for those who run the programmes, including helping them to promote their own mental health. Using these starting points, we need to develop a rigorous evidence-based approach on this issue. We also require the facilitation of the dissemination of such research findings while encouraging new and innovative approaches.

scholarly journals Impact on staff of the Mentally Healthy Schools Framework

2020 ◽  
Vol 120 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 289-296
Author(s):  
Julia Anwar-McHenry ◽  
Catherine F. Drane ◽  
Phoebe Joyce ◽  
Robert J. Donovan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Student Mental Health ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Healthy Schools ◽  
Whole School Approach ◽  
Taking Action

PurposeThe Mentally Healthy Schools Framework (MHSF), based on the population-wide Act-Belong-Commit mental health promotion campaign, is a whole-school approach primarily targeting student mental health, but it is also intended for staff. This paper presents the results of an impact survey on staff after the implementation of the Framework in a number of schools in Western Australia.Design/methodology/approachA baseline questionnaire was completed by n = 87 staff at schools that had just signed up to the programme, and a participant questionnaire was completed by n = 146 staff at schools that had been participating for at least 17 months.FindingsThe results show that the Framework has had a substantial impact on many staff in terms of increased mental health literacy and taking action to improve their mental health.Originality/valueMental health interventions in schools generally focus on students' well-being and how to deal with student mental health problems. There are few comprehensive interventions that also include staff well-being.

scholarly journals Implementation of Positive Education Projects in Hong Kong

2021 ◽  
pp. 705-713
Author(s):  
Sylvia Kwok
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Character Strengths ◽  
Positive Education ◽  
Student Activities ◽  
School Project ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Education Projects ◽  
Future Direction

AbstractApplying the PERMA model, several positive education projects were launched in pre-primary, primary, high schools, and universities in Hong Kong. The projects were guided by a six-level implementation process described as learn it, live it, reflect it, conceptualize it, apply it and embed it. The pre-primary school project focused on the character strengths of creativity, bravery, hope, love, altruism, honesty, gratitude, and forgiveness. The whole school positive education project in primary schools aimed to enhance the wellbeing of teachers and students, and involved teacher trainings, parent workshops, student activities, and a positive education curriculum. The high school project emphasized promoting optimism, hope, and character strengths, aiming to decrease students’ anxiety. The university project aimed to nurture and enhance the development of students’ positive emotions, relationships, purpose, accomplishments, engagement, and health. The projects were effective in increasing the wellbeing and decreasing the mental health problems of students. Characteristics of the positive education projects and factors affecting effectiveness of the projects are discussed and suggestions for future direction of positive education in Hong Kong are proposed.

scholarly journals Increasing demand for school counselling through a lay counsellor-delivered classroom sensitisation intervention: a stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial in New Delhi, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. e003902
Author(s):  
Rachana Parikh ◽  
Adriaan Hoogendoorn ◽  
Daniel Michelson ◽  
Jeroen Ruwaard ◽  
Rhea Sharma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
New Delhi ◽  
Stepped Wedge ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Cluster Randomised ◽  
Randomised Controlled

IntroductionWe evaluated a classroom-based sensitisation intervention that was designed to reduce demand-side barriers affecting referrals to a school counselling programme. The sensitisation intervention was offered in the context of a host trial evaluating a low-intensity problem-solving treatment for common adolescent mental health problems.MethodsWe conducted a stepped-wedge, cluster randomised controlled trial with 70 classes in 6 secondary schools serving low-income communities in New Delhi, India.The classes were randomised to receive a classroom sensitisation session involving a brief video presentation and moderated group discussion, delivered by a lay counsellor over one class period (intervention condition, IC), in two steps of 4 weeks each. The control condition (CC) was whole-school sensitisation (teacher-meetings and whole-school activities such as poster displays). The primary outcome was the proportion of students referred into the host trial. Secondary outcomes were the proportion of students who met mental health caseness criteria and the proportion of self-referred adolescents.ResultsBetween 20 August 2018 and 9 December 2018, 835 students (23.3% of all students) were referred into the host trial. The referred sample included 591 boys (70.8%), and had a mean age of 15.8 years, SD=0.06; 194 students (31.8% of 610 with complete data) met mental health caseness criteria. The proportion of students referred in each trial conditionwas significantly higher in the IC (IC=21.7%, CC=1.5%, OR=111.36, 95% CI 35.56 to 348.77, p<0.001). The proportion of self-referred participants was also higher in the IC (IC=98.1%, CC=89.1%, Pearson χ2 (1)=16.92, p<0.001). Although the proportion of referred students meeting caseness criteria was similar in both conditions (IC=32.0% vs CC=28.1%), the proportion weighted for the total student population was substantially higher in the IC (IC=5.2%, CC=0.3%, OR=52.39, 95% CI 12.49 to 219.66,p<0.001).ConclusionA single, lay counsellor-delivered, classroom sensitisation session increased psychological help-seeking for common mental health problems among secondary school pupils from urban, low-income communities in India.Trial registration numberNCT03633916.

scholarly journals Teacher Mental Health Literacy: Results from a State-wide Survey in Schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
U Bauer ◽  
O Okan ◽  
F Faulbaum
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
School Mental Health ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Parental Mental Health ◽  
Whole School

Abstract Background Teachers have an important role to play in context of mental health literacy (MHL) promotion of school-aged children. Their MHL is seen as the counterpart of student`s health literacy. Especially vulnerable schoolchildren such as those affected by adverse life events (e.g. parental mental health problems) can benefit from programs. In addition, the whole school environment has impact on school mental health promotion. Yet, only little evidence is available on teachers MHL in Europe. The aim is to provide evidence from a state-wide survey on the state of MHL of teachers in Germany. Methods Based on semi-structured interviews with school teachers from all school types in one federal state, including primary and secondary schools, a MHL online questionnaire was developed. The survey was conducted in in 2017 in N = 2500 teachers in Germany. Descriptive and regression analyse have been performed. Results Teachers feel considerable uncertainties when working with children affected by adversities related to parental mental health problems. Dealing with the social family background seems hard. Teachers state that they don`t feel comfortable when aiming at mental health promotion of affected children or children in general. Data also show that they may tend to make misjudgements, and that they are not sufficiently trained to address mental health issues in the classrooms. Regression models show that the degree and quality of teaching mental health is affected by differences across school forms, satisfaction with and engagement of school principals in mental health action, learned strategies to respond to parents, and experienced stress, burden and exposure during their work. Conclusions Increasing teacher MHL and the environmental capacities and responsiveness towards school mental health promotion should be an important capacity building strategy. Policy support for school mental health promotion is a critical means to sustain effective whole-school approaches.

scholarly journals Positive Psychology: A Personal History

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin E.P. Seligman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Positive Psychology ◽  
American Psychological Association ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Personal History ◽  
Positive Education ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
American Psychological ◽  
Politics And Religion

As president of the American Psychological Association in 1998, I organized researchers and practitioners to work on building well-being, not just on the traditional task of reducing ill-being. Substantial research then found that well-being causes many external benefits, including better physical and mental health. Among the applications of Positive Psychology are national psychological accounts of well-being, Positive Psychotherapy, the classification of strengths and virtues, Comprehensive Soldier Fitness, and Positive Education. Positive Psychology has spread beyond psychology into neuroscience, health, psychiatry, theology, and even to the humanities. Positive Psychology has many critics, and I comment on the strongest criticisms. I conclude with the hope that the building of well-being will become a cornerstone of morality, politics, and religion.

scholarly journals Experience of stigma among Chinese mental health patients in Hong Kong

2004 ◽  
Vol 28 (12) ◽  
pp. 451-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. F. Chung ◽  
M. C. Wong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Chinese People ◽  
The People ◽  
Mental Health Patients ◽  
Stigma Of Mental Illness

Aims and MethodThe study was intended to rectify the lack of data on how Chinese people experience the stigma of mental illness. A questionnaire on perceived stigmatisation, experiences of rejection and ways of coping with stigma was completed by 193 persons attending a psychiatric out-patient clinic in Hong Kong.ResultsMost of the participants were aware of the stigma associated with mental illness, but experiences of rejection were relatively less frequent. Eleven per cent of the respondents indicated that they were neglected by health care professionals and 8% had been avoided by family members. The most frequently reported coping method was maintaining secrecy about the illness.Clinical ImplicationsIn China, people with mental health problems experience stigma in various degrees. However, some of the people surveyed expressed feelings of relief that others were supportive and sympathetic towards their illness. Mental health professionals should maintain optimism in helping their patients to cope with the stigma.

scholarly journals Experience of stigma among mental health service users in Hong Kong: Are there changes between 2001 and 2017?

2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ka-Fai Chung ◽  
Samson Tse ◽  
Chit-Tat Lee ◽  
Michael Ming-Cheuk Wong ◽  
Wing-Man Chan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Baseline Survey ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Over Time

Background: Public expenditure on mental health education has grown exponentially in the past two decades. Does the experience of stigma among people with mental health problems improve over time? Our study aims to compare the levels of perceived stigmatization, rejection experiences and stigma–coping among mental health service users in Hong Kong between 2001 and 2017 using longitudinal and repeated cross-sectional study design. Method: The baseline survey was completed by 193 psychiatric outpatients in 2001. They were traced for re-assessment in 2017. Another sample of 193 outpatients matched in age, gender and psychiatric diagnosis was recruited in 2017 for cross-sectional comparison. Participants completed a 39-item questionnaire on stigma experiences, Beck Depression Inventory and Disability Assessment Schedule at both time points. Results: In total, 109 of 193 participants (56.5%) of the 2001 survey were re-assessed. No significant change in perceived stigmatization, rejection experiences and stigma–coping was found among the 109 participants interviewed in 2001 and 2017. For cross-sectional comparison, significant differences in two perceived stigma items were observed upon Bonferroni correction (chi-square test, p < .005) and remained significant after controlling for confounding factors by regression analysis. Improvements in perceived stigmatization were on marriage and friendship, while viewpoints on trustworthiness, dangerousness, devaluation, avoidance and personal failure remained unchanged, and there was no improvement in rejection experiences and stigma–coping. Conclusion: Positive attitude changes over time are unlikely to occur if there is no targeted intervention on stigma. Our findings highlight that evidence-based antistigma interventions are urgently needed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document