Extremely important research and findings! Also, I learned a new word today.
A growing body of quantitative research indicates that some school-based mental health interventions can cause iatrogenic harm (adverse effects from the treatment approach itself).
It's a good thing that researchers are studying this since on the surface level the idea of promoting mental health initiatives in schools probably sounds like wholly good idea to many people.
I also appreciated that the researches highlighted the opportunity cost of programs that are merely ineffective. Mental health care is a big topic but as with all aspects of health it seems to me that investing in prevention should at the very least always be part of the conversation.
Time is taken away from other activities that could potentially be more enjoyable or more conducive to better mental health for adolescents, such as physical exercise, extra time to sleep in the morning or free time to socialise. We should be very cautious about the idea that providing any mental health intervention in a school is always better than not providing one at all.
Extremely important research and findings! Also, I learned a new word today.
It's a good thing that researchers are studying this since on the surface level the idea of promoting mental health initiatives in schools probably sounds like wholly good idea to many people.
I also appreciated that the researches highlighted the opportunity cost of programs that are merely ineffective. Mental health care is a big topic but as with all aspects of health it seems to me that investing in prevention should at the very least always be part of the conversation.