| CODE | IAL3011 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Preventing and Responding to Mental Health Issues in Schools | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Inclusion and Access to Learning | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Mental health issues are increasing among children, with one in five children being affected. Post-pandemic, there has been a 40% increase in eating disorders in children and adolescents. This study-unit will deal with mental health in schools where many students with diverse needs are easily affected by systems of disturbances which, when left untreated, may lead to challenging behaviours, self-injurious behaviour, chronic anxiety and depression. Study-unit Aims: This study-unit aims to introduce mental health issues in schools as being "essential to addressing barriers to learning and not as an agenda separate from a school's instructional mission" (Centre in Mental Health in Schools and Student/Learners Support). "Half of mental health difficulties begin before the age of 14, underlining the need for early intervention and mental health promotion from an early age" (Cefai and Cooper, 2017, p.3). Learners with developmental and learning disabilities are prone to anxiety, depression, and challenging behaviour not only when confronted with a segregating environment but also in situations where inclusive and integrative measures are in place. This study-unit will help students explore the field of mental health in schools where they will learn to think outside the compartmentalised boxes of labelling, screening and over-pathologizing. Creating trauma-sensitive schools has become necessary where the engagement of the various stakeholders (students, teachers, parents/caregivers and other professionals) become a resource in moving forward through policy-making and systemic change. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Define and analyse the field of mental health in the various schools; - Recognize the effects of labelling, screening and over-pathologizing;. - Describe and discuss evidence-based practices in schools; - Recognize the essential elements for the creation of trauma-sensitive schools; - Describe the pros and cons of dealing with adverse childhood experiences; - Describe and discuss the effects of social control versus engagement in learning; - Recognise the voices of the various stakeholders (students, teachers,parents/caregives and other stakeholders); - Review policies which facilitate the implementation of school-based mental health programmes; - Identify the need for systemic change. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Document the field of mental health in local schools; - Highlight the effects of labelling, screening and over-pathologizing; - Verify which evidence-based practices are implemented in local schools with effective involvement of community state services, both state and private; - Implement the essential elements for the creation of trauma-sensitive schools; - Critically analyse the adverse childhood experiences checklist; - Implement strategies for students' engagement in learning as opposed to social control; - Highlight the main issues aired by the voices of the various stakeholders (students, teachers, parents/caregivers and other stakeholders); - Interview various stakeholders on mental health issues in school; - Select policies which facilitate the implementation of school-based mental health programmes; - Raise awareness of the need for systemic change in schools. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts - Meek, L. and Phillips, J. |(2020) Mental health and well-being in primary education a practical guide and resource. Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd. - Brummer, J. (2020). Building a trauma-informed restorative school: skills and approaches for improving culture and behaviour. Jessica Kingsley Publishers: USA. - Cefai C., Cooper P. (2017) Mental health in schools: Cross-cultural narratives and perspectives—Sense Publishers. Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Supplementary Readings - Adam, S. (2021). The effect of social media on adolescents' mental health and wellbeing. Matador. https://health.gov.mt/wpcontent/uploads/2023/04/Building_Resilience_Transforming_Services_A_Mental_Health_Strategy_for_Malta_2020-2030_EN.pdf - Mental Health in Schools: an overview. (n.d.) Centre in Mental Health in Schools and student/learners support. http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/aboutmh/mhinschools.html - Mental Health In Schools: A Hidden Crisis Affecting Millions Of Students http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/08/31/464727159/mental-health-in-schools-a-hidden-crisis-affecting-millions-of-students - WHO (2012) Mental health and well-being: why pay attention to this issue during adolescence? Retrieved on August 12, 2017 from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/163514/HBSC-Fact-sheet-mental-health-revised.pdf?ua=1 - WHO (2012) Mental health and well-being: 10 facts on mental health. Retrieved on August 13, 2017 from http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/mental_health/mental_health_facts/en/ - WHO (2014) Health for the World’s Adolescents A second chance in the second decade. WHO Document Production Services, Geneva, Switzerland, retrieved on August 13, 2017 from http://apps.who.int/adolescent/second-decade/files/1612_MNCAH_HWA_Executive_Summary.pdf |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Claire Francica |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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