Universal mental health promotion

Universal mental health promotion to

tackle bullying, behavioural problems

and big issues

SARAH HILES, Ellen Newman, Gavin Hazel

Dr Sarah Hiles

Senior Project Officer

Response Ability Teacher Education Initiative

Hunter Institute of Mental Health

Sarah.Hiles@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au

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Outline

• “Big issues”

• What is mental health?

• How does mental health relate to “Big Issues”?

• Why promote mental health?

• How to promote mental health?

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“Big issues”

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Issues of concern for young people

• Top three concerns in Mission Australia survey

– Coping with stress

– School/study problems

– Body image

• Top three values

– Friendship

– Family relationships

– School or study satisfaction

Ivancic et al. 2014; Perrens et al. 2013

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National student issues

% reporting

Stress 33%

Bullying/mean to others 33%

Body image concerns 31%

Depression/feeling down 3-21%

Get into trouble 21%

Alcohol misuse in week prior 1% (13yrs) - 18.5% (18yrs)

ADHD 11%

Poor family relationships 8%

Social problems 5%

Aggressive behaviour 5%

Conduct disorder 3%

In the classroom:

• Inattention

• Poor information retention,

academic performance

• Low confidence

• Disruptive behaviour

• Lack of school engagement

Bernard et al. 2007; NSMHW, 2007; Perrens et al. 2013; Sawyer et al. 2001; White et al. 2012

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Concerns about student behaviour

• Pre-service and early career teachers are concerned about mental ill-

health and other negative behaviour in their school students

– Bullying

– Disruptive behaviour

– Having strategies to deal with these issues

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Barriers to inclusion in pre-service training

• Time; crowded curriculum

• Difficult to teach, insufficient (Australian) content

• Supportive in principle vs. taking action

• Specific issues in the university student’s workplace are unknown

Not bother? Look for a

common element

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Mental health: a core part of big issues

Mental health

Bullying Body image Behavioural

problems

Alcohol and other drug

misuse Violence

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What is mental health?

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What is mental health and mental ill-health?

“…a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own

abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively

and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” (WHO, 2004, p. 12)

• Mental health

= positive capacity

= social and emotional wellbeing

= behaviour, thoughts and emotions

≠ mental ill-health

≠ happiness

…spectrum of

problems that interfere

with an individual’s

cognitive, social and

emotional abilities

including both ‘mental

health problems’ and

‘mental illnesses’

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What does mental health look like?

Personal development

Positive and respectful

relationships Identify, manage and

understand emotion

Communication Solve problems,

make decisions,

take responsibility

Set goals

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How does mental health relate to “Big Issues”?

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Poor mental health and big issues

Poor mental health

Bullying Body image Behavioural

problems

Alcohol and other drug

misuse Violence

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Cycle generating risk of mental ill-health

Negative situations and consequences

Negative behaviour,

emotions and thoughts

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Good mental health for prevention and management

Good mental health

Bullying Body image Behavioural

problems

Alcohol and other drug

misuse Violence

Prevent or deal with

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Cycle generating mental health and positive

outcomes

Negative situations and consequences

Mental health, positive

coping, growth

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Why promote mental health?

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What is universal mental health promotion?

enhancing social,

emotional and

mental wellbeing;

quality of life

impact all

(vs. selective which

would target particular

people/groups)

Advantages across multiple

domains; multiple settings

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Mental health promotion

• Mental health promotion

• Mental ill-health prevention

• Mental ill-health early intervention

Pre-service teachers:

• Strategies to

promote mental

health

• Identify indicators

of mental ill-health

• Respond

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Population-level effects

?

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Population-level effects

?

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Population-level effects

?

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Why promote mental health?

Classroommanagement

Improved studentlearning

Improve mentalhealth and prevent

mental ill-health

Help communities

“Quality teaching”

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Why pre-service teachers?

Influence – nature of work;

skilled at communication,

transfer of knowledge and

relationships

Sustained engagement

Access to population

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What is mental health?

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How to promote mental health?

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What is universal mental health promotion?

enhancing social,

emotional and

mental wellbeing;

quality of life

impact all

(vs. selective which

would target particular

people/groups)

Promotion of mental health and

prevention of mental ill-health:

↑ protective factors

↓ risk factors

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Risk and protective factors

• Risk factors

– Internal characteristics or external situations that increase the

likelihood of mental ill-health

– Not causative

– Offset by protective factors (↓ chances of mental ill-health)

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Risk and protective factors

Community

School

Friends

Family

Child

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Risk and protective factors

Community

School

Friends

Family

Child

Child:

• Language and

communication skills

• Attachment

• Self-concept, sense of

mastery, self-awareness

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Risk and protective factors

Community

School

Friends

Family

Child

Family:

• Parenting styles

• Decision-making and

conflict resolution

• Parental health and

mental health

• Finances, employment

and housing

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Risk and protective factors

Community

School

Friends

Family

Child

Friends or social group:

• Social exclusion or

inclusion

• Group behaviour (e.g.,

pro-social behaviour)

• Communication

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Risk and protective factors

Community

School

Friends

Family

Child

School or centre:

• Management and

leadership

• Behaviour management

and supervision

• Physical environment

and safety

• Culture, values

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Risk and protective factors

Community

School

Friends

Family

Child

Community:

• Culture and values

• Social or cultural

discrimination

• Stigma

• Socio-economic factors

• Services

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Risk and protective factors

Community

School

Friends

Family

Child

Quality teachers influence

across multiple levels

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Six things for mental health training of pre-service

teachers

1. Positive self-expectations, sense of hope

2. Secure, positive, respectful relationships

3. Identify emotions, guidelines for behaviour

4. Good communication and social skills

5. Problem solving and decision-making skills

6. Goal setting; sense of autonomy

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How?

• Formal: curriculum, formal programs, policy

• Informal: attitudes, beliefs, approach, culture

Important for

pre-service

teachers

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CHILD framework

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Response Ability

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Take home

• Mental health promotion influences mental health and “big issues”

• Teachers and schools can promote mental health:

– Formally (through curriculum and policy)

– Informally (through attitudes and culture)

• Training in universal mental health approaches ensures:

– Teachers enter the workforce with a skill-set that they can adapt for

different classrooms across their professional career

– Best opportunity to influence and prepare a skilled workforce,

ensuring teacher quality

Response Ability Teacher Education initiative

HNELHD-education@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au

wwww.responseability.org

Hunter Institute of Mental Health (02) 49246900