Prevention and intervention in child and adolescent mental health in educational centers

Study on internships in Spain, United Kingdom and the United States

 

According to the World Health Organization (2021), epidemiological data show that one in seven young people aged 10 to 19 suffers from some mental disorder, with depression, anxiety and behavioral disorders being the main causes of illness. Suicide has become the fourth leading cause of death among young people aged 15-29. Most cases go undetected or untreated and extend into adulthood. In addition, in recent years, the prevalence of emotional distress and mental disorders has increased among children and adolescents.

The promotion of emotional well-being and the prevention of mental disorders and their consequences are some of the main objectives in public health. A school provides an ideal environment for prevention, as well as the identification and care for children and adolescents at risk of emotional distress and different mental health problems (WHO, 2013).

There is multiple evidence of prevention programs on emotional wellbeing and mental health intervention already applied in international educational contexts, although less so in the Spanish context. However, these are still strategies that need further review of their long-term effectiveness and should be accompanied by a structural change in the understanding of the system, its potential for intervention, and the necessary training of teachers. .

The project aims to find out how the promotion, prevention and intervention in mental health disorders are being addressed in the school context, with children and adolescents, focusing on the context of Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.