“With about 50 per cent of mental health disorders beginning before the age of 14 years, prevention and early intervention are paramount if we want to reduce lifetime prevalence of mental health disorders and allow children to live their best possible lives. Improving mental health for children and adolescents has therefore become an international priority.” MCRI
Sustainable School Intervention SEL Programs (social & emotional learning)
Studies find that youth benefit from learning mindfulness in terms of improved cognitive outcomes, social-emotional skills, and well being. In turn, such benefits may lead to long-term improvements in life. For example, social skills in kindergarten predict improved education, employment, crime, substance abuse and mental health outcomes in adulthood.[1]
Much evidence has shown how effective intervention in preschool and the early elementary years can improve childhood non cognitive skills in a lasting way. Enhancing these skills can have an impact in multiple areas and therefore has potential for positively affecting individuals as well as community public health substantially.
The Murdoch Childrens Research Institute is calling for resilience training, more extra-curricular activities in schools to help prevent mental health disorders.
The research, led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and published in PLOS ONE, found clinicians were also pushing for more effective ways to upskill educators in mental health prevention, identification and early intervention including peer support for school psychologists and mental health literacy education for teachers.
Cognitive Outcomes
- Attention and Focus [2]
- Grades [3]
Social-emotional Skills
- Emotion regulation [4]
- Behaviour in school [5]
- Empathy and perspective-taking [6]
- Social-skills [7]
Well Being
- Test anxiety [8]
- Stress [9]
- Posttraumatic symptoms [10]
- Depression [11]
Significance and Impact
At ELMA Education, we understand that emotional literacy is not just a personal skill but a foundational element in creating harmonious and effective learning environments. When children lack emotional literacy, it can lead to disruption in classrooms, affecting not only the learning atmosphere but also the well-being of both students and educators. This can result in diminished academic performance and potentially adverse health outcomes for everyone involved.
The repercussions of limited emotional literacy in children extend beyond the classroom, potentially impacting society at large. It can lead to a decrease in the realization of individual potential, contributing to a loss in community and economic productivity. Moreover, it places an increasing strain on our physical and mental health systems, as well as justice and welfare structures.
Recognising the critical role of emotional literacy in education, we advocate for its integration as a key component in positive education frameworks. Emotional literacy fosters meaningful connections between teachers and students, which is essential for impactful learning. As educational institutions are fundamentally relational spaces, nurturing emotional literacy lays the groundwork for developing pro-social values and social-emotional skills. This approach not only enhances the educational experience but also transforms schools into more fulfilling and productive environments for both teaching and learning.
References
[1] Jones, D. E., Greenberg, M., & Crowley, M. (2015). Early Social-Emotional Functioning and Public Health: The Relationship Between Kindergarten Social Competence and Future Wellness. American Journal of Public Health, 105(11), 2283–2290.
[2] Baijal, S., Jha, A. P., Kiyonaga, A., Singh, R., & Srinivasan, N. (2011). The influence of concentrative meditation training on the development of attention networks during early adolescence. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, 1-9.
[3] Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Oberle, E., Lawlor, M. S., Abbott, D., Thomson, K., Oberlander, T. F., & Diamond, A. (2015). Enhancing cognitive and social–emotional development through a simple-to-administer mindfulness-based school program for elementary school children: A randomized controlled trial. Developmental Psychology, 51(1), 52-66.
[4] Metz, S. M., Frank, J. L., Reibel, D., Cantrell, T., Sanders, R., & Broderick, P. C. (2013). The effectiveness of the learning to BREATHE program on adolescent emotion regulation. Research in Human Development, 10(3), 252–272.
[5] Semple, R. J., Lee, J., Rosa, D., & Miller, L. F. (2010). A randomized trial of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for children: promoting mindful attention to enhance social-emotional resiliency in children. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 19(2), 218–229.
[6] Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Oberle, E., Lawlor, M. S., Abbott, D., Thomson, K., Oberlander, T. F., & Diamond, A. (2015). Enhancing cognitive and social–emotional development through a simple-to-administer mindfulness-based school program for elementary school children: A randomized controlled trial. Developmental Psychology, 51(1), 52-66.
[7] Napoli, M., Krech, P. R., & Holley, L. C. (2005). Mindfulness Training for Elementary School Students. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 21(1), 99–125.
[8] Napoli, M., Krech, P. R., & Holley, L. C. (2005). Mindfulness Training for Elementary School Students. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 21(1), 99–125.
[9] Zenner, C., Herrnleben-Kurz, S., & Walach, H. (2014). Mindfulness-based interventions in schools—a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 5.
[10] Sibinga, E. M. S., Webb, L., Ghazarian, S. R., & Ellen, J. M. (2016). School-Based Mindfulness Instruction: An RCT. Pediatrics, 137(1), 1-8.
[11] Sibinga, E. M. S., Webb, L., Ghazarian, S. R., & Ellen, J. M. (2016). School-Based Mindfulness Instruction: An RCT. Pediatrics, 137(1), 1-8.