Mental Health Education in Elementary Schools

Mental health education plays an important role in the overall well-being and academic

success of elementary school students. By providing early intervention and support, we can give

elementary students the knowledge and tools they need to understand, manage, and advocate

for their own mental health. Incorporating classroom lessons and discussions for elementary

students could help reduce the stigma around asking for help when a student is struggling. It

could also help teachers to better understand the students in their classroom.

As someone who navigated mental health challenges that began in childhood, I

understand the struggles and impact that it had on my well-being and education. Mental health

was not openly discussed or taught. This personal experience sparked my interest in ensuring

that all elementary school students have access to mental health education and support at

school.

It is estimated that “1 in 5 children [have] a mental disorder, but only about 20%” of these

children receive care from a mental health provider (Abramson 2022). To help support these

children, mental health education should be a core component of elementary school curricula.

“Data demonstrate that multitiered systems of mental health support and services in schools,

including mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention, and treatment, improve

academic and psychosocial functioning and reduce risk of poor outcomes, including mental

illness and school failure” (Hoover & Bostic, 2020). Dealing with anxiety, trauma, depression, or

other disorders may impact a student’s ability to attend school. If they are not at school, they

cannot learn. Providing staff with the proper training to support students dealing with mental

health issues could help students feel safe, understood, and want to go to school. Additionally,

“previous reviews over the last couple of decades on the beneficial effects of mental health,

social, emotional and educational outcomes have shown that a whole-school approach
sustained for more than a year is positive for health promotion and prevention” (O’Reilly et al.,

2018).

My recommendations for pursuing positive actions include advocating for elementary

schools to incorporate mental health education into their school curricula, provide professional

development opportunities for educators to enhance their knowledge and skills in understanding

mental health, and collaborate with mental health professionals both in the school and

community.

Children need to know that school staff not only care about their learning but also about

them as individuals. Including mental health education in elementary school curricula is

necessary for promoting the well-being and academic success of students.

 References

Abramson, A. (2022, January 1). Children’s mental health is in crisis. Monitor on Psychology,
53(1). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/01/special-childrens-mental-health

Hoover, S., & Bostic, J. (2020, November 3). Schools as a vital component of the child and
adolescent mental health system. Psychiatry online.
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201900575

O'Reilly, M., Svirydzenka, N., Adams, S., & Dogra, N. (2018). Review of mental health
promotion interventions in schools. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology,
53(7), 647–662. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-018-1530-1