Mind Matters„MindMatters“ – a resource for school mental health promotion

Prof. Dr. Peter PaulusCenter for Applied Sciences of Health (CASH)

Leuphana University of LüneburgParis, March 9th, 2010

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Wellbeing of children and young people in Germany

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Mental health of children and young people in Germany results of the KIGGS study 2006

• KiGGS - The German Health Survey for Children and Adolescents;(Robert Koch Institute, Berlin)

• Mental health problems: Approx. 22% of children and adolescents show signs of mental health problems

• About 10% of all children and adolescents achieve scores in an abnormal range

• Specific disorders:Anxiety 7.6 %Conduct disorders 10 %Depression 5.4 %

• Risk factors: Adverse family climate with many conflicts and low economic status : 4-fold increase in probability of mental health problems

• Prevention and promotion: Strengthening individual, family and social resources of children and adolescents are the key objectives

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Evidence base – School setting

„Evidence from systematic reviews and interventions trials on mental health promotion in schools highlights that comprehensive programmes that target multiple health outcomes in the context of co-ordinated whole school approaches are the most consistently effective approach“ (S. 13) (Jané-Llopis, Barry, Hosman & Patel 2005)

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Setting based approach of school health promotion

• Starting in 1992 the setting based approach of the Health Promoting School was developed, evaluated and implemented in Germany

• Need of a programm for mental health promotion that fits in such an approach

• MindMatters, an Australian resource was at that time the best developed, evaluated, implemented and disseminated programm to my knowledge

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Effective intervention in schools:MindMatters

MindMatters (1998- ) is an Australian resource that provides a guided, structured strategy to promote young people’s mental health and well-being through all dimensions of the school environment.

MindMatters, in its whole school development, takes an organizational approach focusing on the normal operations of the school so that they are more supportive of student mental health

MindMatters creates a sense of ownership and control of mental health promotion within the school setting through collaboration and horizontal linking with the education sector

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The setting approach of MindMatters

Linking MM with the curriculum

Linking, school , families and services

Teaching and Learning

School Culture and Environment

Partnership and Services

Establishing a health promoting culture of the organization

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Success factors of school based mental health promotion

• Good theory background• Subject and setting based • Applied cross intervention sectors • Multiple component intervention • Participation and empowerment orientation• Ressource, competence and deficit orientation• Culturally adapted• Structured (manuals, curricula)• Variable teaching • Trained trainers, supporting structures • Longer duration of intervention (at least 9 month)• Multimode evaluation• Partners from public and private sectors, not just the health

sector• Setting approach of the health promoting school as success

model also for MindMatters

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Shift in perspective

• MindMatters: Programm for mental health promotion in the tradition of the health promoting school

• Mental health promotion as a catalyst to improve education in schools

• Focus on education and quality of schools and effective school

MindMatters: To make a good school with mental health

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Mit psychischer Gesundheit gute Schule machen

Eine Ressource für die Sekundarstufe I

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SchoolMatters – Mit psychischer Gesundheit gute Schule machen

SchoolMatters – Mit psychischer Gesundheit gute Schule machen

Mit Stress umgehen – im Gleichgewicht blei-ben – Förderung von Resilienz in der Schu-le

(7. - 10. Klasse)

Mit Stress umgehen – im Gleichgewicht blei-ben – Förderung von Resilienz in der Schu-le

(7. - 10. Klasse)

Freunde finden behalten und dazugehören – Förderung von Re-silienz in der Schule

(5. - 6- Klasse)

Freunde finden behalten und dazugehören – Förderung von Re-silienz in der Schule

(5. - 6- Klasse)

Mobbing? Nicht in unserer Schule – Prävention und Handlungsstrategien

(5. - 8. Klasse)

Mobbing? Nicht in unserer Schule – Prävention und Handlungsstrategien

(5. - 8. Klasse)

The starter package

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The other brochures

Die Schule öffnen und vom Umfeld profitieren

Die Schule öffnen und vom Umfeld profitieren

Leitfaden zur Prävention von Selbstverletzungen und Suizid in der Schule

Leitfaden zur Prävention von Selbstverletzungen und Suizid in der Schule

Umgang mit Verlust und Trauer in der Schule

(5. – 10. Klasse)

Umgang mit Verlust und Trauer in der Schule

(5. – 10. Klasse)

Psychische Störungen in der Schule verstehen lernen (7. – 10. Klasse)

Psychische Störungen in der Schule verstehen lernen (7. – 10. Klasse)

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Dissemination and implementation

• The package (8 brochures) is for free for every secondary school in Germany

• Trainers support schools in implementation

• Train the trainer programs are free for school psychologists etc.

• CASH at Leuphana is responsible for quality assurance and development

• Funders: Health insurance and Accident insurance

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International Alliance

for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Schools

Join free, online at

www.intercamhs.org

and take part in the discussion about defining ‘promoting mental health in schools”

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Thank you very much for your attentionpaulus@leuphana.de

www.mindmatters-schule.de

„Mental health supports education“

„There is no health without mental health“

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