Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-r5zm4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-16T09:21:25.717Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A study of Irish secondary school student’s views on mental health supports in school

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2023

A. Kenneally ,
T. Begley  and
G. Donohue Open the ORCID record for G. Donohue [Opens in a new window]
A. Kenneally
Affiliation:
St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services, Dublin, Ireland
T. Begley
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
G. Donohue*
Affiliation:
St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services, Dublin, Ireland School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
*
Corresponding author: G. Donohue; Email: gdonohue@stpatricks.ie
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives:

An increasing number of young people are experiencing mental health difficulties and schools have been identified as environments that can support them. However, it is unclear how students feel about the current supports in school and whether they are used. The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of young people in Irish post-primary schools regarding mental health and well-being supports in schools.

Methods:

An online survey was conducted with (n=109) young people to determine the perceptions of mental health and well-being supports in post-primary Irish schools. Using a convenience sampling method, an online survey was distributed via gatekeepers in local youth and sporting groups. Data collection was completed using the Barriers to Seeking Help-brief version (BASH-B) and additional tailored questions.

Results:

Qualities like being ‘trustworthy’ and ‘a good listener’ were reported as key for adults to be considered a good support in schools. Current mental health and well-being supports were not considered adequate with 65.1% of the participants feeling ‘somewhat supported’ and 22.9% feeling ‘not at all supported’.

Conclusions:

Better advertising of mental health support services should be implemented in schools to promote awareness. This study can inform the development of such services which are urgently needed.

Keywords

Schoolsmental healthbarriers to help-seeking
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , First View , pp. 1 - 6
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

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

Barkham, M, Broglia, E, Dufour, G (2019). Towards an evidence-base for student wellbeing and mental health: definitions, developmental transitions and data sets. Counselling Psychotherapy. Research 19, 351–357. doi:10.1002/capr.12227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Camara, M, Gonzalo, B, Padilla, P (2014). The role of social support in adolescents: are you helping me or stressing me out? International Journal of Adolescence and Youth 22, 123–136.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Central Statistics Office (2016). Census 2016 Reports, CSO. Central Statistics Office: Ireland, cso.ie.Google Scholar
Chambers, Derek, Murphy, F (2011). Learning to Reach Out: Young People, Mental Health Literacy and the Internet. Inspire Ireland Foundation: Dublin, Retrieved from https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/15579/1/Learning_to_reach_out.pdf.Google Scholar
Clement, S, Schauman, O, Graham, T, Maggioni, F, Evans-Lacko, S, Bezborodovs, N, Morgan, C, Rüsch, N, Brown, JSL, Thornicroft, G (2015). What is the impact of mental health-related stigma on help-seeking? A Systematic Review of Quantitative and Qualitative Studies. Psychological Medicine 45, 11–27.Google ScholarPubMed
Del Mauro, J, Williams, D (2013). Children and adolescents’ attitudes toward seeking help from professional mental health providers. International Journal for The Advancement of Counselling 35, 120–138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dennehy, R, Meaney, S, Walsh, KA, Sinnott, C, Cronin, M, Arensman, E (2020). Young people’s conceptualizations of the nature of cyberbullying: a systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research. Aggression and Violent Behavior 51, 101379.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dillman, D, Smyth, J, Christian, L, Dillman, D (2014). Internet, Mail, and Mixed-mode Surveys, 4th edn. Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, N.J.Google Scholar
Dooley, B, Fitzgerald, A (2012). My World Survey: National Study of Youth Mental Health in Ireland. UCD School of Psychology: Dublin, Ireland.Google Scholar
Dooley, B, O’Connor, C, Fitzgerald, A, O’Reilly, A (2019). My world survey | full report. Retrieved from http://www.myworldsurvey.ie/full-report on the 3rd of January 2020.Google Scholar
Doyle, L, Treacy, M, Sheridan, A (2017). ‘It just Doesnt feel right’: a mixed methods study of help-seeking in irish schools. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion 10, 113–126.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fitzpatrick, C, Conlon, A, Cleary, D, Power, M, King, F, Guerin, S (2013). Enhancing the mental health promotion component of a health and personal development programme in irish schools. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion 6, 122–138.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Galante, J, Dufour, G, Vainre, M, Wagner, AP, Stochl, J, Benton, A, Jones, PB (2018). Effectiveness of providing university students with a mindfulness-based intervention to increase resilience to stress: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial. Lancet Public Health 3, e72–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greally, P, Kelleher, I, Murphy, J, Cannon, M (2009). Assessment of the mental health of Irish adolescents in the community. RCSI Student Medical Journal 3(1), 33–35.Google Scholar
Gulliver, A, Griffith, K, Christensen, H (2010). Perceived barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking in young people: a systematic review. BMC Psychiatry 10(1), 1–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kuhl, J, Jarkon-Horlick, L, Morrissey, R (1997). Measuring barriers to help-seeking behaviour in adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 26, 637–650.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lynch, F, Mills, C, Daly, I, Fitzgerald, C (2006). Challenging times: prevalence of psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviours in Irish adolescents. Journal of Adolescence 29, 555–573.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McAndrew, AJ, Menna, R (2018). Perceptions of disordered eating and associated help seeking in young women, Eating Disorders 26(2), 107–126. doi:10.1080/10640266.2017.1318624.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McMahon, E, O ‘Regan, G, Corcoran, P, Arensman, E, Cannon, M, Williamson, E, Keeley, H (2017). Young Lives in Ireland: A School-based Study of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. National Suicide Research Foundation: Cork.Google Scholar
Nakhid-Chatoor, M (2020). Schools and suicide-the importance of the attachment bond. Crisis 41, 1–6. doi:10.1027/0227-5910/a000640.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
O’Mara, L, Lind, C (2013). What do we know about school mental health promotion programmes for children and youth? Advances in School Mental Health Promotion 6, 203–224.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O’Reilly, A, Barry, J, Neary, M, Lane, S, O’Keeffe, L (2016). An evaluation of participation in a schools-based youth mental health peer education training programme. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion 9, 107–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O’Reilly, M, Svirydzenka, N, Adams, S, Dogra, N (2018). Review of mental health promotion interventions in schools. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 53, 647–662.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Onnela, A, Vuokila-Oikkonen, P, Hurtig, T, Ebeling, H (2014). Mental health promotion in comprehensive schools. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 21, 618–627.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roulston, A, Montgomery, L, Campbell, A, Davidson, G (2018). Exploring the impact of mindfulnesss on mental wellbeing, stress and resilience of undergraduate social work students. Social Work Education 37, 157–172. doi:10.1080/02615479.2017.1388776.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Seamark, D, Gabriel, L (2016). Barriers to support: a qualitative exploration into the help-seeking and avoidance factors of young adults. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling 46, 20–131.Google Scholar
Traxler, J (2010). Students and mobile devices. Research in Learning Technology 18, 149–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weare, K, Nind, M (2011). Mental health promotion and problem prevention in schools: what does the evidence say? Health Promotion International 26, i29–i69.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wilson, C, Deane, F, Ciarrochi, J, Rickwood, D (2005). Measuring help-seeking intentions: properties of the general help-seeking questionnaire. Canadian Journal of Counselling 39, 15–28.Google Scholar
World Health Organisation (2020). World health organization - mental health. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/mental_health/maternal-child/en on the 3rd of January 2020.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: PDF

Kenneally et al. supplementary material

Appendix

Download Kenneally et al. supplementary material(PDF)
PDF 126.6 KB