Background: Prior research has indicated that high levels of motivation and subjective well-being can predict engagement in challenging academic situations and achievement. Yet studies in the field have yielded inconsistent results in young elementary school students indicating a need to further examine this topic. This is particularly urgent for…

Childhood anxiety has been an increasing focus of classroom teachers in recent years. It creates an excess of problems, which can lead to other health-related issues. Long-term effects may include mental health problems, such as depression and isolation, due to becoming accustomed to coping with anxiety daily. This curriculum project designed a…

The state of health and psychological well-being of all citizens, is a determining condition for the development of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The purpose of this study was to theoretically substantiate and identify the role and place of the alienation of children from school in the issue of ensuring the psychological safety of schoolchildren.…

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is America's most common childhood disorder. Although an ADHD diagnosis can bring positives, recent research uncovers potential negatives associated with diagnosis. This study examines understudied racial-ethnic heterogeneity in the relationships between an early elementary school ADHD…

The purpose of this collective case study was to examine elementary music teachers' mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research questions were: 1) What factors influenced music teachers' mental health and well-being during COVID-19; 2) How did music teachers support their own mental health and well-being during…

Previous research suggests that gains in positive mental health (often termed flourishing, wellbeing, or competence) is associated with stronger academic achievement. This study examines the relationship between positive mental health at school entry and academic achievement at Grade 3, drawing on a representative sample of Australian children…

Physical activity may benefit mental health, yet the potentially protective role of elementary school physical education (PE) on childhood mental health is unknown. The aim of the current study was to determine the effect of a specialist-taught PE program on indicators of childhood mental health. In this cluster-randomized controlled trial,…

There is a growing body of literature exploring pedagogies that promote children's happiness at school. Yet there is little research on teacher's conceptions of happiness, and how this informs their decisions about children. This paper reports on findings from a qualitative study exploring teachers' conceptions of happiness. Twelve teachers from…

Improving the quality of education for millions of children worldwide has become a global priority. This study presents results from the first experimental evaluation to test the impact of a universal school-based program on (1) the quality of school interactions (i.e., students' perceptions of the level of support/care and…

The main purpose of the current paper is to describe and discuss the scientific and practical implications of pursuing rigorous developmental research in a low-income, war-afflicted country such as DRC. In addition, the paper aims to explore the individual, household and school correlates of children's academic performance and mental health and…

The authors advocate that every primary grade program needs a carefully planned social-emotional component. All children--those who enter first or second grade with an ability to control their emotions and make friends and those for whom these skills are more difficult--benefit from intentional teaching in this area. Some school systems adopt a…

This health education guide for grade two is divided into six sections. A statement of the sub-goal for each section prefaces an outline for achieving that goal: (1) social-emotional well-being: to enhance self-awareness and increase skills that promote personal development and successful relationships; (2) physical well-being: to increase…

Objective: The Bergen Child Study is a longitudinal study of child mental health from the city of Bergen, Norway. We present methods and results from the first wave of the study, focusing on prevalence of disorders, associations with risk factors, and the use of services. Method: The target population included all 9,430 children attending grades 2…