Mental Health and Wellbeing through Schools

Rosalyn H. Shute is Adjunct Professor of Psychology at both Flinders and Federation Universities, Australia. Her research expertise lies broadly in clinical child psychology and paediatric psychology/child health and wellbeing. She is an experienced teacher of developmental psychology, educational and clinical child/paediatric psychology. Phillip T. Slee is Professor in Human Development at the School of Education at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. He is a trained teacher and registered psychologist. His main areas of interest include childhood bullying/aggression, mental health and wellbeing, stress and teacher education. He has a particular interest in the practical and policy implications of his research. He and Shute recently co-authored Child Development: Theories and Critical Perspectives.

• PREFACE CONTRIBUTORS SECTION 1: Overview of challenges 1. Student mental health programs: Current challenges and future opportunities.Brian Graetz SECTION 2: Challenges for organisations and leaders 2. Leadership for wicked school mental health problems. Richard Beinecke 3. Supporting schools for the widespread implementation of evidence-based mental health promotion programs: What is needed? Bonnie Leadbeater and Emilie Gladstone 4. Mental health and wellbeing through schools in situations of political conflict and adversity: The Palestinian case. Salwa Massad and Umaiyeh Khammash SECTION 3: Challenges for teachers 5. Implementing for success in school-based mental health promotion:The role of quality in resolving the tension between fidelity and adaptation. Ann Lendrum, Neil Humphrey and Mark Greenberg 6. "Promotion with parents is challenging." The role of teacher communication skills and parent-teacher partnerships in school-based mental health initiatives. Rosalyn Shute 7. Professional education for teachers and early childhood educators about mental health promotion. Rosalind Murray-Harvey and Helen Askell-Williams SECTION 4. The challenges and opportunities of new technologies 8. Psychological wellbeing and the use of the Internet in adolescence. Antonella Brighi, Sandra Nicoletti and Annalisa Guarini 9. The use of technology to support young people with mental health issues in schools. Cathy Richards and Jennifer Hughes 10. Using online environments to build school staff capacity to address student wellbeing. Amy Barnes, Natasha Pearce, Donna Cross, Laura Thomas and Phillip Slee SECTION 5. Targeted interventions 11. Mental health promotion and students with disabilities: The need for targeted interventions. Jane Jarvis and Julie McMillan 12. Issues of bullying and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Alison Wotherspoon, Phillip Slee, Verity Botroff, Jon Martin and Barbara Spears 13. School-based responses to youth suicide. Rosalyn Shute 14. Prevention programs for depression among children and adolescents in Japan: Challenges and opportunities. Shin-ichi Ishikawa, Satoko Sasagawa, Junwen Chen and Cecilia Essau SECTION 6. Reflections 15. Lessons from monitoring SEL in Israel and California schools.Ron Astor, Gordon Capp, Hadass Moore and Rami Benbenishty 16. Mental health and wellbeing through schools: Thinking big, acting wisely. Rosalyn Shute and Phillip Slee

"This is a timely, well-written and researched book, which has tremendous positive implications for the future mental health and well-being of children world-wide, and will be of special interest to the whole school community." - Dr Marilyn Campbell MAPS, Professor, School of Cultural and Professional Learning, Queensland University of Technology"A growing number of children and young people struggle with a range of mental health issues in today’s complex and changing world. This book provides compelling evidence for the value of programmes that promote emotional health and well-being on a large scale in schools. The international team of authors, each one widely-respected in the field, explores critical aspects involved in the implementation of such programmes across nations and addresses the many challenges that face educators and healthcare professionals in the task. This timely book is essential reading for researchers, practitioners, managers and policy-makers." – Helen Cowie, Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey"Now that schools are taking a more central role in the promotion of mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, this book is a timely invaluable resource for educational authorities, teacher educators, school leaders, teachers and other educators and researchers. Through the varied contributions of key researchers and practitioners in the field, this book discusses the various challenges faced by those working in this area and suggests how such challenges may be turned into opportunities for the promotion of mental health and wellbeing through schools." - Prof Carmel Cefai PhD (Lond.),CPsychol FBPsS Head, Department of Psychology, Director, Centre for Resilience & Socio-Emotional Health, University of MaltaMany guides focus on the prevention of school bullying. Few have been designed to take the challenge the other way round, that is to promote mental health for children through schools. Mental health and wellbeing through schools: the way forward is THE indispensable guide to improve the school experience and beyond of students and to implement interventions effectively. It provides a sound analysis of what works and most importantly under which conditions. Prompted by the Student Wellbeing and Prevention of Violence (SWAPv) at Flinders University, this book is an invaluable contribution to a sensible evidence-based approach for intervention in schools and will no doubt be a source of inspiration and effectiveness for policy makers, school staff and researchers towards children’s wellbeing. - Pr. Catherine Blaya, Chair of the International Observatory of Violence in Schools.