Research Proposal on "School-Based Mental Health Program on Emotional Intelligence"

Research Proposal 25 pages (8166 words) Sources: 60 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

school-based mental health program on emotional intelligence, social behaviors, psychopathology and academic performance of inner- city [at -risk / African-American] adolescents

The need for school-based mental health programs in inner-city schools.

The issue of the need for school-based mental health programs in schools, and particularly in inner-city schools, is an issue that has raised a wide range of views, research and opinions. There are many variables to consider in this context, such as race and ethnicity as well as social environment and a host of other concomitant aspects. As a study by Nabors, Reynolds and Weist, (2000) in this area states;

Expanded school mental health (ESMH) programs, involving the provision of comprehensive mental health services for youth in special and regular education, are growing progressively throughout the United States. These programs typically include prevention activities; evaluation; individual, group, and family therapies; case management; and staff consultation. (Nabors, Reynolds and Weist, 2000, p. 1)

The need for ESMH programs is predicated on a number of facets that have come to the fore in recent research and which are extensively discussed in the literature. Furthermore, studies note that the evidence for the viability and success of evidence-based and verifiable mental health programs in schools is growing and has grown considerably during the past decade. (Weist, Sander, Lowie & Christodulu, 2002)

As the study by Weist et al. (2002) states, there is now and extensive literature on this subject which is an indicator that school-based interventions and programs can lead to positive outcomes for students in many respects. (Weist, Sander, Lowie & Christodulu, 2002) This is a view that is supported by numerous studies, such as the prevention of mental health disorders in school-aged children: Current state of the field by Greenberg, Domitrovich, and Bumbarger (2001).

These studies stress that mental health programs at schools are also effective in dealing with emotional as well as behavioral problems, which many children in schools experience - and consequently impacts positively on academic performance.

Therefore, a central reason and rationale behind the implementation of school-based mental health programs is that they generally have been found to be an effective tool in dealing with many emotional and behavioral problems that occur among at-risk students. However, this view must also take into account other aspects, such as the urban environment. This leads to an extensive discourse in the literature on the extent of the mental health problems in inner-city schools, and how these problems impact on issues such as emotional stability and academic performance.

There are a number of studies that view recent data and research findings as indicators of the necessity for evidence-based and school-based mental health program and initiatives and see these as an integral part of contemporary healthcare. An article that deals extensively with this central aspect of the need for mental health care programs is Bringing Evidence-Based Child Mental Health Services to the Schools: General Issues and Specific Populations by Masia-Warner et al. (2006). This article echoes the research findings of other studies, which reveals the high rate of psychiatric disorders among young children and adolescents.

Epidemiological research indicates a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders among children and adolescents. Approximately 21% of children and adolescents, ages 9 to 17, have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder... And additional youngsters experience social and emotional difficulties that do not meet symptom criteria for a disorder but cause considerable distress and impairment in functioning. (Masia-Warner, Nangle and Hansen, 2006, p.165)

Findings such as the above immediately make the need for health programs at school level understandable. The need for these programs is also emphasized by studies which focus on the significant disparity between the many youths who are in need of treatment and those who actually receive mental health care. This aspect is dealt with in Children's mental health service use across service sectors by Costello et al. (1995).

Furthermore, this need for more extensive and optimized mental health care and programs is stressed by many other studies and reports; for example, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (999) has stated that "...emotional problems are not receiving the help they require" and" the failure to provide treatment to youth represents a major public health concern (U.S. Public Health Service, 2000; Masia-Warner, Nangle and Hansen, 2006)

The literature is replete with studies that echo the above views and opinions. The feeling is also expressed in many of these articles that in terms of adolescent mental health care, schools are theoretically a perfect avenue for dealing with these mental health problems. (Masia-Warner, Nangle and Hansen, 2006) This has led in recent year to many initiatives to improve mental health facilities at schools and to focus attention on the various barriers and obstacles to mental health provision - especially in the urban environment where these problems is often exacerbated by factors such as crime and poverty. The study by Masia-Warner, Nangle and Hansen, (2006) states that;

Offering services in a familiar setting like schools may make treatment more acceptable... since many children already receive school-based services for non-mental health concerns. On a related note, school programs reduce barriers common to treatment in community mental health services such as cost, transportation, and family and demographic factors... And thus, may offer opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable.

A p.165)

Therefore, the literature with regard to the need for these programs covers a wide and broad range of issues and variables. Valuable and insightful resources can be found both online and offline. There is in much of the literature a consensus as to the increasing need for school-based mental health problems in many inner - city schools. A very useful starting point is an online resource entitled School-Based Mental Health Services: A Select Bibliography. This article provides a very useful bibliography of resources. The introduction to this article emphasizes some cardinal aspects, such as the fact that counselors, psychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and psychiatrists provide a variety of necessary services, which include;

prevention-focused activities to create a healthy school environment, selective interventions with groups of students whose circumstances place them at higher risk for emotional or behavioral health problems, as well as diagnosis and treatment of individual students with specific health needs.

School-Based Mental Health Services: A Select Bibliography)

Another general but insightful study which sheds light on important issues relating to the need for these services and programs is Brief Notes on the Mental Health of Children and Adolescent (1999) This article stresses the fact that, "The future of our country depends on the mental health and strength of our young people. However, many children have mental health problems that interfere with normal development and functioning." (Brief Notes on the Mental Health of Children and Adolescent) the article refers to the finding that in the United States one in ten children and adolescents suffer from mental illnesses which are severe enough to cause some level of impairment. Importantly, the article also points out that the need for mental health programs at school level is emphasized by the fact that studies have found that fewer than one out of every five of these children with mental health issues actually receives any treatment. (Brief Notes on the Mental Health of Children and Adolescent)

Furthermore, this study refers to data that has recently been compiled by the World Health Organization which indicates that "...by the year 2020, childhood neuropsychiatric disorders will rise proportionately by over 50%, internationally, to become one of the five most common causes of morbidity, mortality, and disability among children." (Brief Notes on the Mental Health of Children and Adolescent) the article is extensive in terms of dealing with the various types of mental disorders that are encountered. Another general and extensive source is Child and Adolescent Mental Health, from the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

A large section of the literature focuses on the particular need for these programs in inner-city schools. A paper by Jepson, Juszczak and Fisher (1998) discusses in detail the mental health services provided at a high school-based health center that integrates mental health and medical services. (Jepson, Juszczak and Fisher, 1998, p. 1) Among the findings of this study is that "Since the early 1970s, over 600 health centers have been established in American schools in order to assist with the management of medical and psychosocial problems of high-risk youth..." (Jepson, Juszczak & Fisher, 1998, p. 1) This article is relevant in terms of the fact that urban youth experience particularly complex biopsychosocial problems, which has promoted a multidisciplinary approach to deal adequately with these issues. (Jepson, Juszczak and Fisher, 1998, p. 1) This is also related to the issue accessibility and the need to provide programs of this nature for these student and adolescents who might not otherwise have access to mental -health care. The study therefore tends to emphasize the reason and need for programs of this nature.

One of the central issues that emerge from the literature is the fact that inner city schools… READ MORE

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