Background: Approximately 8.8% of US high school students attended private schools in 2015. Few studies have characterized health risk behaviors among these students or compared prevalence of behaviors between students in private and public schools using a contemporary, nationally representative sample. Methods: Pooled 2007-2017 national Youth…

Background: To compare the mental health status of children of immigrant (COI) and non-immigrant (NI) parents and to determine whether differences in mental health status between COI and NI vary across 4 racial/ethnic groups. Methods: We conducted universal mental health screening of 2374 sixth graders in an urban public school district. To…

Background: The goal of the current study was to evaluate the effects of the Social Emotional Learning program Skills 4 Life on mental health and its risk factors self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social interaction skills in students of secondary schools. Methods: A cluster randomized controlled study was conducted, including 38 schools (66…

Background: Traumatic exposure combined with significant stressors in resettlement place Bhutanese refugees at risk for mental health problems. Despite this, refugee youth often are reluctant to seek mental health services. Psychosocial support services, such as school-based groups, offer one solution to this barrier to care. We had 2 aims in this…

Background: Turn 2 Us (T2U) is an elementary school-based mental health promotion and prevention program in New York City. It targets fourth- and fifth-grade students at risk for social/emotional and behavioral problems and provides a range of services to students, staff, and parents. The purpose of this study is to determine if T2U decreases…

Background: Refugee background young people are at increased risk of mental health problems. In countries of refugee resettlement, schools are important sites where mental health difficulties can be identified and service access facilitated; however, little is known about how best to support these practices within schools. Methods: This article…

Background: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence, identify risk factors, and assess the impact of nonphysical workplace violence (WPV) events among education workers (teachers, professionals, and support personnel). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was mailed to a random sample of 6450 education workers, stratified by sex,…

Background: Poor mental health outcomes persist among adolescent youth. Secondary schools play a critical role in fostering positive mental health by implementing policies and practices grounded in evidence. The factors associated with implementation, however, are unclear. This study examines which school- and state-level factors are associated…

Background: The purpose of this study is to describe patterns of care and service use among adolescent school-based health center (SBHC) users in New Mexico and contrast patterns and services between frequent and infrequent users. Methods: Medical claims/encounter data were analyzed from 59 SBHCs located in secondary schools in New Mexico during…

Background: Analysis of data from a NIMH-supported study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Adolescent Depression Awareness Program (ADAP) in promoting depression literacy and help-seeking behavior. Methods: Eighteen Pennsylvania schools were matched on size, sex, race, test scores, median income, and free/reduced lunch status.…

Background: We summarize utilization patterns for mental health services in school-based health centers. Methods: Administrative data on school-based health center visits in New Haven, Connecticut were examined for the 2007-2009 school years. Relative frequencies of mental health visits by age were calculated as a percentage of all visits and were…

Background: Adolescence is a critical time for the development of psychological well-being. Weight gain and the emergence of body image concerns during this period can lead to the development of negative psychological states. To explore this issue, we examined the relationship between weight control behavior (WCB; i.e., trying to lose, gain, stay…

Background: Studies have shown a relationship between students' health and their academic achievements, but whether health of classmates and schoolmates impacts individual students' school achievement is less known. We studied these effects on students in lower secondary school in Finland. Methods: Students (seventh grade, age 12-13 years, N =…

Background: Despite small- and wide-scale prevention efforts to curb obesity, the percentage of children classified as overweight and obese has remained relatively consistent in the last decade. As school personnel are increasingly pressured to enhance student performance, many educators use food as a reward to motivate and reinforce positive…

Background: Mental health conditions among youth are a major concern. Schools can play an important role in supporting students affected by these conditions. This study examined district-level school health policies related to mental health and social services to determine if they varied by district demographic characteristics. Methods: The School…