Youth Matters
Population-Level Effects of a Universal School-Based Mental Health System
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Keith Herman, Wendy Reinke, Aaron Thompson, Catherine Bradshaw, Wolfgang Wiedermann, Francis Huang
The Early Identification System (EIS) is a school-based, public health approach to prevention, early identification, and intervention of mental health risk factors in youth (K-12). It includes a suite of coordinated online tools and interventions for school personnel to (a) conduct feasible mental health risk screening of all K-12 students; (b) access user-friendly online data dashboards to identify school- grade-, and student-level risk factors; (c) target identified risk factors using a menu of evidence-based interventions shown to lessen those concerns. Over 200 schools across the U.S. currently implement the EIS. For ten years, a coalition of six districts in mid-Missouri has used the EIS tools to screen every K-12 student (~25,000) in 54 schools multiple times per year for social, behavioral, and emotional risk and provided interventions based on these data. In the Fall of 2023, a new set of comparable schools administered the EIS to their students for the first time. We were able to compare these students whose schools were naïve to the entire EIS system to students in schools that had been implementing the EIS for years. Analyses revealed significant benefits for students in schools implementing the EIS model; these students had half the risk of serious mental health concerns as comparable students in schools not implementing the model. We discuss the implications for the widespread use and dissemination of the EIS to improve youth mental health outcomes.
Assessing the Influence of Extracurricular Programs on Youth Social Skills and Community Involvement: The Case of the Philippines
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Cherry Generoso
This study explores how extracurricular programs, like sports teams, art clubs, and volunteer groups, help young people in the Philippines develop social skills and become more involved in their communities. Extracurricular activities are more than just hobbies; they offer students a way to learn important life skills, like teamwork, communication, and leadership. The study looks at the impact of these programs on youth by surveying students, teachers, and community leaders. The results show that students who participate in extracurricular activities tend to have stronger social skills. They are also more likely to volunteer, help others, and feel a sense of belonging in their communities. Teachers and parents notice that these students are better at working with others and handling conflicts. Community leaders report that young people who are involved in these activities often continue to help in their neighborhoods even after high school. This research highlights the value of extracurricular programs in shaping positive behaviors and attitudes in young people, which can benefit both individuals and communities. The findings suggest that schools and local organizations should support and expand these programs to help students grow socially and become active, caring members of society. This study provides evidence that structured extracurricular activities can be an essential part of youth development in the Philippines.
Exploring Teacher, Parent and Children Attributes for Nature-based Experiences in Urban Preschool Environment: A Proposed Physical Design Framework
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Farhana Mohammed Isa, Ombretta Romice, David Grierson
Nature-based experiences approached commercial, healthcare and residential premises with green, eco and more sustainable concept features. However, there is limited research on the approach towards school environment especially urban preschool children and on perceptions of facilitators of children’s wellbeing, such as teachers and parents. This research explores whether teachers and parents perceive children to have a preferences and limitation towards nature-based experiences within and outside the school grounds, and whether teachers perceive children close connection towards nature and learn to protect environment in their performance and behavior. A physical environment and attributes to assess nature-based experiences of urban preschool frameworks was developed. Three case study of preschools in Klang Valley, Malaysia were assessed against this framework, and teachers were interviewed, and parent were surveyed. The results suggest the urban planning plays important roles in encouraging nature-based experiences, the well-designed infrastructure will contribute towards overall connection to nature. For some aspects, the awareness parents on the benefits of bringing children closer to nature is still low.
