Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-45l2p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T23:08:01.169Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Parents’ Perspectives of School Mental Health Promotion Initiatives are Related to Parents’ Self-Assessed Parenting Capabilities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2015

Helen Askell-Williams
Helen Askell-Williams*
Affiliation:
Flinders Educational Futures Research Institute, School of Education, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Helen Askell-Williams (PhD), Flinders Educational Futures Research Institute, School of Education, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100 SA, Australia. Email: helen.askell-williams@flinders.edu.au
Get access

Abstract

Achieving broad-scale parent1 engagement with school initiatives has proven elusive. This article reports survey data from 287 Maltese parents about their perceptions of the quality of their child's school's initiatives for promoting students’ wellbeing and mental health. Findings indicate that, on average, parents rated school initiatives highly. However, a MANCOVA of respondents grouped into three categories of Self-Assessed Parenting Capabilities (low, medium, high) showed that parents who held low perceptions of their own parenting capabilities also held significantly lower perceptions of the quality of schools’ mental health promotion initiatives. Less favourable dispositions towards school mental health promotion initiatives by parents with relatively low-parenting capabilities have implications for the design and delivery of school-based initiatives. For example, typical parent engagement, support and information provision activities (e.g., parent-teacher meetings, newsletters) might be less well received in families that arguably have a greater need to engage with such initiatives. This study has implications for whole-school mental health promotion initiatives that seek to include all parents.

Keywords

student wellbeingmental health promotionparentsparenting
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , June 2016 , pp. 16 - 34
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adi, Y., Killoran, A., Janmohamend, K., & Stewart-Brown, S. (2007). A systematic review of interventions to promote mental wellbeing in children in primary education: Report 1: Universal approaches non-violence related outcomes. University of Warwick, National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence.Google Scholar
Ahtola, A., Turunen, T., Björn, P. M., Poikonen, P.-L., Kontoniemi, M., Lerkkanen, M.-K., & Nurmi, J.-E. (2015). The concordance between teachers’ and parents’ perceptions of school transition practices: A solid base for the future. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. doi:10.1080/00313831.2014.996598Google Scholar
AITSL. (2014). The initial teacher education: Data report 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2014, from http://www.aitsl.edu.au/initial-teacher-education/data-report-2014Google Scholar
Askell-Williams, H., & Cefai, C. (2014). Australian and Maltese teachers’ perspectives about their capabilities for mental health promotion in school settings. Teaching and Teacher Education, 40, 61–72. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2014.02.003CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baltag, V., & Levi, M. (Eds.). (2010). Pairing children with health services: The results of a survey on school health services in the WHO European region. Copenhagen, Denmark: World Health Organisation.Google Scholar
Beyondblue. (2015). 3 million Australians are living with anxiety or depression. Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?Google Scholar
CASEL. (2013). Social and Emotional Learning Core Competencies. Retrieved July 21, 2014, from http://www.casel.org/social-and-emotional-learning/core-competenciesGoogle Scholar
CASEL. (2014). Policy. Retrieved Jan 9, 2015, from http://casel.org/policy-advocacy/federal-policy/Google Scholar
Cefai, C., & Cavioni, V. (2014). Social and emotional education in primary school: Integrating theory and research into practice. New York: Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clelland, T., Cushman, P., & Hawkins, J. (2013). Challenges of parental involvement within a health promoting school framework in New Zealand. Education Research International, Article ID 131636. doi:10.1155/2013/131636Google Scholar
Comer, J.P., & Haynes, N.M. (1991). Parent involvement in schools: An ecological approach. The Elementary School Journal, 91, 271–277. doi:10.1086/461654Google Scholar
Coombes, L., Allen, D., & McCall, D. (2012). The Strengthening Families Programme 10–14 (UK): engagement and academic success at school. Community Practitioner, 85, 30–33.Google Scholar
Cox, D.D. (2005). Evidence-based interventions using home-school collaboration. School Psychology Quarterly, 20 (4), 473–497. doi:10.1521/scpq.2005.20.4.473Google Scholar
Currie, C., Gabhainn, S.N., Godeau, E., Roberts, C., Smith, R., Currie, D., . . . Barnekow, V. (2008). Inequalities in young people's health. School-aged children international report from the 2005/2006 survey. Retrieved March 10, 2015, from http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Life-stages/child-and-adolescent-health/publications/2008/inequalities-in-young-peoples-health.-hbsc-international-report-from-the-20052006-surveyGoogle Scholar
Department for Children, Schools and Families. (2009). Promoting and supporting positive behaviour in primary schools. Developing social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL). Nottingham, UK: Author.Google Scholar
Department of Health Information and Research. (2010). European Health Interview Survey 2008: Mental Wellbeing. Marsa, Malta: Department of Health Information and Research, Strategy and Sustainablity Division, Ministry for Social Policy, Malta.Google Scholar
Dishion, T.J., & McMahon, R.J. (1998). Parental monitoring and the prevention of child and adolescent problem behavior: a conceptual and empirical formulation. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 1, 61–75. doi:10.1023/A:1021800432380Google Scholar
Elias, M.J. (2006). The connection between academic and social-emotional learning. In Elias, M.J. & Arnold, H. (Eds.), The educator's guide to emotional intelligence and academic achievement: Social emotional learning in the classroom (pp. 4–14). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.Google Scholar
Epstein, J. (1987). Parent involvement. Education and Urban Society, 19, 119–136. doi:10.1177/0013124587019002002Google Scholar
Field, A. (2006). Discovering statistics using SPSS (3rd ed.). London: Sage.Google Scholar
Garson, D.G. (Ed.). (2013). Hierarchical linear modelling. Thousand Oaks: Sage.Google Scholar
Graetz, B., Littlefield, L., Trinder, M., Dobia, B., Souter, M., Champion, C., . . . Cummins, R. (2008). KidsMatter: A population health model to support student mental health and well-being in primary schools. International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 10, 13–20. doi:10.1080/14623730.2008.9721772Google Scholar
Greenberg, M.T. (2010). School-based prevention: Current status and future challenges. Effective Education, 2, 27–52. doi:10.1080/19415531003616862Google Scholar
Grolnick, W.S., Benjet, C., Kurowski, C. O., & Apostoleris, N.H. (1997). Predictors of parent involvement in children's schooling. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89, 538–548. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.89.3.538Google Scholar
Howell, D.C. (2007). Statistical methods for psychology. Belmont, CA: ThompsonWadsworth.Google Scholar
Jeynes, W.H. (2007). The relationship between parental involvement and urban secondary school student academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Urban Education for Primary Care, 42, 82–110.Google Scholar
KidsMatter. (2013). KidsMatter: Growing healthy minds. Retrieved January 13, 2015, from https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/sites/default/files/public/15734%20KM%20Brochure_Web.pdfGoogle Scholar
KidsMatter. (n.d.). KidsMatter Primary Framework. Retrieved August 10, 2015, from http://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/kidsmatter-overview/framework/Google Scholar
Lendrum, A., & Humphrey, N. (2015). Translating research knowledge into effective school practice in the field of social and emotional learning. In Askell-Williams, H. (Ed.), Transforming the future of learning with educational research. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi:10.4018/978-1-4666-7495-0Google Scholar
Ministry of Education, Employment and the Family. (2012). A National Curriculum Framework for all 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2015, from https://curriculum.gov.mt/en/Resources/The-NCF/Pages/default.aspxGoogle Scholar
Muijs, D. (2006). Measuring teacher effectiveness: Some methodological reflections. Educational Research and Evaluation, 12, 53–74. doi:10.1080/13803610500392236Google Scholar
Onnela, A.M., Vuokila-Oikkonen, P., Hurtig, T., & Ebeling, H. (2014). Mental health promotion in comprehensive schools. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 21, 618–627. doi:10.1111/jpm.12135Google Scholar
Pressley, M., Gaskins, I. W., Solic, K., & Collins, S. (2006). A portrait of a benchmark school: How a school produces high achievement in students who previously failed. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98, 282–306. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.98.2.282Google Scholar
Roeser, R.W., Eccles, J.S., & Strobel, K.R. (1998). Linking the study of schooling and mental health. Educational Psychologist, 33, 153–176. doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3304_2Google Scholar
Roeser, R.W., vanderWolf, K., & Strobel, K.R. (2001). On the relation between social–emotional and school functioning during early adolescence: Preliminary findings from Dutch and American samples. Journal of School Psychology, 39, 111–139. doi:10.1016/S0022-4405(01)00060-7Google Scholar
SANE. (n.d.). SANE Australia. Retrieved Feb 15th, 2013, from http://www.sane.org/information/about-saneGoogle Scholar
Santiago, C., Pears, G., Baweja, S., Vona, P., Tang, J., & Kataoka, S. (2013). Engaging parents in evidence-based treatments in schools: Community perspectives from implementing CBITS. School Mental Health, 5, 209–220. doi:10.1007/s12310-012-9100-2Google Scholar
Scott, S. (2012). Parenting quality and children's mental health: Biological mechanisms and psychological interventions. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 25, 301–306. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e328354a1c5Google Scholar
Shucksmith, J., Summerbell, C., Jones, S., & Whittaker, V. (2007). Mental wellbeing of children in primary education (targeted/indicated activities). London: National Institute of Clinical Excellence.Google Scholar
Shute, R. (in press). ‘Promotion with parents is challenging.’ The role of teacher communication skills and parent-teacher partnerships in school-based mental health initiatives. In Shute, R. & Slee, P. (Eds.), Mental health and wellbeing through schools: The way forward. London: Routledge. doi:10.4018/978-1-4666-7495-0Google Scholar
Slee, P.T., Lawson, M.J., Russell, A., Askell-Williams, H., Dix, K.L., Owens, L., . . . Spears, B. (2009). KidsMatter primary evaluation final report. Retrieved Jan 15, 2015, from https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/early-childhood/about/evaluationGoogle Scholar
Slee, P.T., Murray-Harvey, R., Dix, K.L., Skrzypiec, G., Askell-Williams, H., Lawson, M.J., & Krieg, S. (2012). KidsMatter Early Childhood Evaluation. Retrieved July 18, 2014, from www.kidsmatter.edu.auGoogle Scholar
Spoth, R., Randall, G.K., & Shin, C. (2008). Increasing school success through partnership-based family competency training: Experimental study of long-term outcomes. School Psychology Quarterly, 23, 70–89. doi:10.1037/1045-3830.23.1.70Google Scholar
Tammariello, A.E., Gallahue, N.K., Ellard, K.A., Woldesemait, N., & Jacobsen, K.H. (2012). Parental involvement and mental health among Thai adolescents. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 5, 236–245. doi:10.1080/1754730X.2012.728095Google Scholar
Weare, K. (2010). Mental health and social and emotional learning: evidence, principles, tensions, balances. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 3, 5–17. doi:10.1080/1754730X.2010.9715670Google Scholar
Weare, K., & Nind, M. (2011). Promoting mental health of children and adolescents through schools and school based interventions: Evidence outcomes: School based interventions. Health Promotion International, 26 (Suppl. 1), i29–i69. doi:10.1093/heapro/dar075Google Scholar
Webster-Stratton, C. (1993). Strategies for helping early school-aged children with oppositional defiant and conduct disorders: The importance of home–school partnerships. School Psychology Review, 22, 437–457.Google Scholar
Wells, J., Barlow, J., & Stewart-Brown, S. (2003). A systematic review of universal approaches to mental health promotion in schools. Health Education, 103, 197–220. doi:10.1108/09654280310485546Google Scholar
WHO. (2014a). Mental health: A state of well-being. Retrieved January 15, 2015, from http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/mental_health/en/index.htmlGoogle Scholar
WHO. (2014b). Mental health: strengthening our response: Fact sheet No. 220. Retrieved January 15, 2015, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs220/en/index.htmlGoogle Scholar
WHO. (2015). What is a health promoting school? Retrieved January 15, 2015, from http://www.who.int/school_youth_health/gshi/hps/en/index.htmlGoogle Scholar