ERIC Number: EJ1346846
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Aug
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0017-8969
EISSN: EISSN-1748-8176
Educational Interventions to Promote Adolescents' Mental Health: A Scoping Review
Daniele, Katia; Gambacorti Passerini, Maria B.; Palmieri, Cristina; Zannini, Lucia
Health Education Journal, v81 n5 p597-613 Aug 2022
Background: Adolescents often experience discomfort due to individual experiences and the influence of their environment. This discomfort sometimes leads to mental health problems. Education is pivotal in promoting adolescents' mental health through dedicated prevention interventions and through everyday educational practice, both at school and in the community. Objective: To develop an overview of the types of educational interventions aimed at promoting the mental health of adolescents and young adults, providing helpful guidance and insights to teachers/educators. Methods: We conducted a scoping review developed through searches in the CINAHL, Eric, PsycINFO and PubMed databases. We summarised data using descriptive analysis, grouping educational interventions category according to their goals and purposes. Results: Of the initial 704 articles identified, 19 met the study inclusion criteria. Consistent with Dewey's educational theory, most of the interventions reported in the selected studies can be viewed as genuine 'educational' interventions, in that they involved experiential and interactive activities such as discussion groups, role-play and art-based activities. Fewer interventions involved less participatory and more 'information-based' activities, such as lessons. However, in many interventions, the role of teachers/educators in promoting young people's mental health was underestimated; indeed, in only a few cases were they the providers/co-providers of the activities described, and rarely was there continuity/alignment between the interventions and everyday school activities. Conclusions: Conducting a greater number of formal/informal educational interventions to promote adolescents' mental health is imperative, especially in the current socio-historical context, but this enterprise must acknowledge, value and support the important role of teachers/educators as leaders and participants in this endeavour.
Descriptors: Adolescents, Intervention, Mental Health, Health Promotion, Young Adults, Foreign Countries, School Health Services, Community Health Services, Well Being, Resilience (Psychology), Learning Activities
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Information Analyses; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Europe
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A