School belonging, sometimes referred to as school belonging or school connectedness, involves dimensions like positive affect towards school, relationships with teachers, and feeling socially valued. Previous research points to immediate benefits for students' mental health and wellbeing; however, evidence on the potential long-term benefits of…

Perfectionism has adverse impacts on mental health and academic outcomes. We evaluated a 5-lesson classroom intervention for young adolescents delivered by teachers for impact on perfectionism, well-being, self-compassion, academic motivation and negative affect, at post-intervention and 3-month follow-up. Classes (N = 636 students, M[subscript…

Rates of depression among adolescents are alarmingly high. School belonging is among the strongest predictors of adolescent depressive symptoms. Research in the adult literature indicates that context-specific belonging may contribute to an overarching sense of general belonging, which may be a stronger and more proximal predictor. This is the…

Limited empirical evidence is available regarding the uptake and effectiveness of school-based mental health and wellbeing programs implemented in Australian schools. This study aimed to characterise the delivery of programs in primary (elementary) schools across New South Wales, Australia, and to assess this information against published ratings…

Mental health promotion in schools is a key priority for national governments. The aim of this meta-aggregation is to synthesise the findings from universal, depression and/or anxiety, cognitive behavioural therapy and/or interpersonal therapy-based, programmes implemented in schools, which are focused on reducing depression and anxiety in student…

This paper describes the development of a brief school-based instrument designed for use in research and in educational practice. The "Survey of School Promotion of Emotional and Social Health" differentiates states of high, moderate, and low implementation of whole-school policies and practices that promote the emotional and social…

There is increasing acknowledgement of the importance of the early years of school in laying the foundations for children's learning pathways, and interest in the role of mental health in promoting positive early learning experiences. Understanding child mental health requires consideration of both mental health competence and mental health…

An increasing number of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students from migrant and refugee backgrounds are enrolling in schools in the West. These students are exposed to challenges that may influence their mental health and wellbeing. At the same time, schools tend to play a critical role in promoting these students' social…