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Adolescent Mental Health

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Risk factors and warning signs. Wellbeing and resilience. A whole-school approach ... Possible Warning Signs and Risk Factors. Feelings: ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Adolescent Mental Health


1
Adolescent Mental Health
Developed by Karen Stafford, Program Manager,
Hunter Institute of Mental Health
Why address MH in schools? Key issues and
concepts Risk factors and warning
signs Wellbeing and resilience A whole-school
approach
April 2008
2
Why address mental health in schools?
  • Promoting mental health and wellbeing may
    contribute to better behaviour, better health
    outcomes and academic achievement.
  • Adolescence is a key time for the onset of many
    mental health problems or disorders and these may
    persist into adulthood.
  • Mental health difficulties can negatively impact
    on a students behaviour, relationships and
    academic performance.
  • Around 14 of Australian children and young
    people experience significant mental health
    difficulties many dont receive help.
  • Early identification and intervention can help to
    resolve mental health difficulties more
    effectively and minimise negative impacts.

3
Student Activity
  • Write down 10 to 15 words or phrases that come to
    mind when you hear the term Mental Health
  • Share these with the person sitting next to you
    are there any common themes?
  • Discuss emerging themes with the broader group.

4
Key Concepts
  • Mental Health OR Social and Emotional
    Wellbeing
  • The positive capacity of people to interact with
    others in ways that promote wellbeing, positive
    development and the achievement of goals. Seen
    through thoughts, feelings, behaviour,
    relationships.
  • Resilience the capacity to maintain or
    re-establish your wellbeing in the face of
    difficult circumstances or challenges.
  • Mental Health Problem a temporary change in our
    thoughts, feelings, relationships, behaviour eg
    stress, difficult events, feeling upset about
    something (not an illness / disorder).
  • Mental illness / disorder illness diagnosed by
    a doctor - more severe and long-lasting
    disruption of thoughts, feelings, relationships
    or behaviour specific symptoms, of a certain
    severity, over time - eg anorexia, schizophrenia.

5
Mental Health Problem or Mental Illness?
  • Anxiety / stress vs Anxiety disorders
  • Depression / sadness / grief vs Depressive
    disorders
  • Substance use vs Substance use disorders,
    abuse etc
  • Could be a mental health problem OR a mental
    illness
  • Difference is about severity, duration, level of
    impact on person
  • Mental Illnesses
  • Eating disorders anorexia nervosa, bulimia
    nervosa, and others
  • Psychotic disorders delusions, hallucinations,
    schizophrenia
  • Developmental disorders autism and related
    disorders
  • Disorders of Attention eg ADHD
  • Behavioural Disorders - eg conduct disorder

6
Contributing Factors
  • Biology and genetics
  • eg brain chemistry and family history
  • Individual factorseg differences in temperament,
    negative self-talk, difficulty managing stress or
    solving problems.
  • Negative life experienceseg abuse, trauma,
    violence, loss or bereavement, chronic stress
  • In most cases, there is probably a combination of
    factors
  • Nature and nurture are both important

7
(No Transcript)
8
Resilience
  • The capacity to bounce back during difficult
    times, which helps to protect people from mental
    health problems.
  • Resilient young people tend to have
  • Confidence and communication skills
  • Social skills, empathy and understanding
  • Well developed problem-solving skills
  • A sense of independence and self worth
  • A sense of purpose, with goals for the future
  • Factors that build resilience
  • Caring and connection with others
  • High but achievable expectations
  • Opportunities for genuine contribution,
    participation

9
Student Activity
  • In small groups, discuss some simple ways in
    which a teacher could
  • Promote caring and connectedness in the classroom
  • Establish clear goals and expectations for
    behaviour and performance, while remaining
    supportive
  • Provide opportunities for students to participate
    actively and contribute to classroom, school or
    community goals

10
Possible Warning Signs and Risk Factors
  • Feelings
  • Persistent and/or severe negative feelings such
    as guilt, hopelessness, or sadness feeling
    irritable or anxious mood swings.
  • Behaviour
  • Behaviour changes frequent crying withdrawal
    decline in academic performance drug use
    aggression or irritability criminal or risky
    behaviour.
  • Thoughts
  • Negative or worrying thoughts thoughts about
    suicide or self-harm difficulty concentrating or
    making decisions bizarre thoughts not shared by
    others.
  • Difficult situations
  • Stress worry about school or work being
    bullied family conflict physical, sexual or
    emotional abuse relationship breakdown loss and
    grief.

11
How should I respond to a troubled student ?
  • Gather information eg by observation or by
    asking others, look for signs and risk factors,
    decide if there is a risk and if more support is
    needed
  • Respond Talk and listen to young person,
    show empathy, ask open ended questions - avoid
    taking on role of counsellor / psychologist
  • Involve others Refer to school counsellor or
    other professional talk to parents if
    appropriate report suspected abuse stay in
    touch and review progress
  • Promote positive school environment for that
    student and all students - tolerance, positive
    feedback, supportive classroom environment,
    consistent discipline styles etc

12
But what would I actually say?
  • Ask open ended questions how are you feeling,
    how are things going with ? Try a few times.
  • Be approachable offer to talk another time or
    to help them access support if they need it.
  • Suggest someone else if you did have
    something on your mind, is there someone you
    could talk to?
  • Use active listening show empathy, and use
    reflection I can understand that you feel
    upset, when your parents are fighting.
  • Talk about confidentiality In general, I
    wont pass on things you tell me in confidence.
    But if I think someones going to get hurt, Ill
    have to tell someone else about it, so we can
    help.

13
  • Dont try to become a counsellor yourself if in
    doubt, refer the student to someone else. Try to
    explain this in a helpful way, offer to introduce
    them or go with them
  • I think name or position eg school counsellor
    might be able to help. Would you be able to tell
    him/her what you told me? I can come with you if
    you like - OR I can introduce you to him/her.
  • Maintain a connection, even if someone else has
    taken over the main task of trying to help. If
    it doesnt work out, encourage them to keep
    trying
  • I know that must be frustrating but maybe this
    will take a while to work out. Will you keep
    working on it with ? - OR It might help to talk
    to someone else (suggest another person or
    somewhere to look for help)

14
When you go to a new school, find out
  • Is there a school counsellor or welfare officer?
    Who can refer to him / her? Can students
    self-refer?
  • Are there any youth centres available close to
    the school, and if so do they offer counselling?
    Is this a drop-in service or by referral? What
    else do they offer?
  • Are there other services close to the school that
    might be of interest to students? General
    practitioners, psychologists or counsellors,
    youth health services, drug and alcohol services,
    support groups, same-sex attraction support, etc
  • Does the school have any formal policies or
    procedures in regard to assisting students with
    personal problems or mental health issues? What
    do other staff recommend?

15
Ethos and Environment
A whole-school approach
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
Partnerships and Services
Involves everyone in the school community
staff, students, parents, etc Not just for those
staff who perceive they have a special role in
health, eg not just health/PE teachers, welfare
staff, school counsellors or nurses Backed up
by formal policies and procedures by school
leadership
16
Student Activity
Ethos and Environment
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

Partnerships and Services
Visualising a whole-school approach
Imagine you are coming into a school that has an
effective whole-school approach to managing and
promoting cultural diversity. What would you
expect to see, hear and feel around you? What
would you notice in the office? The classroom?
The playground?
17
Wellbeing Tips for Teachers
Teach about mental health, social and emotional
issues eg in the health curriculum, pastoral
care, social studies, stories and drama, etc
Identify and refer young people who may be in
need of additional support for personal problems
or mental health issues. Teach everyone in a
way that promotes wellbeing development of
social skills, problem-solving and communication
interactive teaching methods positive and
inclusive classroom recognition of achievements.

Actively participate in programs adopted by your
school, such as MindMatters, KidsMatter,
etc. Advocate for a school environment, policies
and procedures that are supportive of wellbeing,
including the wellbeing of staff.
18
Follow up -
  • Children and Young Peoples Wellbeing An
    Educators Guide (brochure or download)

www.responseability.org
www.curriculum.edu.au/mindmatters
www.kidsmatter.edu.au
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