The Relationship Between School Connectedness and Mental Health During the Transition to Secondary School: A Path Analysis

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne Lester ◽  
Stacey Waters ◽  
Donna Cross
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Path Analysis ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
School Connectedness ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
School Students ◽  
Bullying Victimisation

During the transition from primary to secondary school, students typically experience a new social environment, moving from primary school with small intact classes throughout the day with one main teacher, to a larger secondary school with teachers, classrooms and often classmates changing throughout the day. During this time, students report a reduced sense of connectedness, which has been associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. This study investigated the temporal association between feeling connected to school and mental health prior to and over the transition period. Data were obtained from 3,459 students in a longitudinal study of adolescents’ knowledge, attitudes and experiences of bullying victimisation and perpetration during the transition from primary school to secondary school. Students completed a questionnaire at four time points from Grade 7 to the end of Grade 9. Path analysis was used to model relationships between school connectedness, depression and anxiety. The findings suggest reciprocal relationships between connectedness and mental health where increased connectedness to school is associated with decreased depression and anxiety; conversely, increased depression and anxiety is associated with decreased connectedness to school. The significant reciprocal associations found in the cross-lag models in the first two years of secondary school indicate the need to intervene during the transition period to improve students’ social and mental health outcomes.

scholarly journals What do Adolescents Know about Mental Health Illnesses? A Case Study based on Learning and Service in a Secondary School

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 223
Author(s):  
Maria Lourdes Mila ◽  
Isabel Alvarez
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
Radical Change ◽  
Neutral Evolution ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
School Students ◽  
Service Project ◽  
Perceptions And Attitudes

The aim of this study is to show how the perceptions and attitudes of secondary school students towards mental health issues changed over the course of a Learning and Service project. The Learning and Service project was carried out by 58 students, together with the residents of a mental health institution during three months. Both students and residents shared several activities to bring them closer. Secondary school students did not have any previous experience with mental health residents before. The analysis took place during the course of the process, with the students responding to four questionnaires, each one after having done an activity together. The study demonstrates that through this Learning and Service project most of the students' perspectives changed for the better, some even viewed radical change while others were positive and finally few students only experienced neutral evolution of their ideas with respect to people with mental health disorders.

Depression and Anxiety Plus Levels of Stress among Secondary School Students during the COVID-19 Lockdown: an Online CrossSectional Survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunn Pungpapong ◽  
Rasmon Kalayasiri
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
School Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Patient Health

Objective: To assess prevalence and factors associated with depression, anxiety and stress among adolescents experiencing lockdown during the 2019 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in both Asian and Western countries. Material and Methods: From May-June 2020, secondary school students were enrolled in an online cross-sectional survey, through social media; including, but not limited to, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp and LINE. We assessed the presence and severity of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10) within the last month, and assessed significant associations with demographics, degree of social distancing, and other associated issues using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.Results: From 392 respondents (56.4% male, 43.1% female), from Thailand (59.2%), the United Kingdom (26.5%) and other countries (14.3%), we identified depressive symptoms in 58.7%, anxiety in 40.3% and high levels of stress in 9.7%. By multivariate analysis, we found significant associations between being female and depression and anxiety, being in late secondary school years and depression, and changes in patterns of substance use and anxiety and stress. Participants not located in Thailand had increased risk of depression.Conclusion: Our study demonstrated depression, anxiety and stress in six, four and one out of ten adolescents, respectively, who were experiencing lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We found female gender, older school years, and changes in substance use patterns to be significantly associated with these mental health conditions.

scholarly journals Role of School Health Officers in Mental Health Care for Secondary School Students in Can Tho City, Vietnam

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 801-811
Author(s):  
Dat Tan Nguyen ◽  
E. Pamela Wright ◽  
Tam Thi Pham ◽  
Joske Bunders
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
School Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
School Students ◽  
Can Tho City

Abstract The objectives of the study were to explore the experiences of school health officers in identifying and managing mental health problems of secondary school students and to gather recommendations from the school officers for improving the effectiveness of mental health care in secondary schools in Can Tho City, Vietnam. We conducted a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews using a semi-structured guideline with 15 school health officers at 15 secondary schools in Can Tho City, Vietnam. Data were analyzed using content-driven analysis to identify recurring themes. The school health officers reported that stress, depression, suicidal ideation, and sexual orientation issues were the most commonly encountered mental health problems among their students. The officers worked with a limited range of interventions for helping these students, such as giving non-narcotic analgesics or advising students to take a short break at school or to go home. Most of them felt that their training was insufficient to deal with mental health problems in an optimal way. They recommended further training to improve their knowledge and skills in recognizing and managing mental health problems in students. They also considered a university-sponsored mental health website a good source of information on mental health care for students. School health officers reported that they did not feel well equipped to manage mental health problems because of insufficient training, lack confidence, and absence of an appropriate network for advice and referral. Updated policies and programs are needed for initial training and refresher courses, which will strengthen the role of school health officers as first line support for secondary school students with mental health problems.

Interrelationships between Coping, School Connectedness and Wellbeing Erica Frydenberg

2009 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica Frydenberg ◽  
Esther Care ◽  
Esther Chan ◽  
Elizabeth Freeman
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Coping Style ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
School Connectedness ◽  
Coping Styles ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing ◽  
School Students ◽  
Coping Scale ◽  
Negative Relationships

This study examined the interrelationships between coping styles, emotional wellbeing, and school connectedness using path analysis. A total of 536 Year 8 students (241 boys and 295 girls) responded to an in-class survey and the Adolescent Coping Scale (Frydenberg & Lewis, 1993a) as part of a larger study. Productive coping style was positively related both to student-reported sense of wellbeing and, to a lesser extent, to school connectedness. A non-productive coping style was found to be inversely related to students' sense of wellbeing and connection to school. Students' sense of emotional wellbeing was found to be positively related to school connectedness. The negative relationships between non-productive coping with emotional wellbeing and, to a lesser extent, with school connectedness highlight the importance of taking into account the influence of risk factors as well as positive factors when focusing on enhancement of wellbeing and connectedness in secondary school students.

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