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Acceptability and feasibility of early identification of mental health difficulties in primary schools: A qualitative exploration of UK school staff and parents’ perceptions

Childs-Fegredo, Jasmine; Burn, A.-M.; Duschinsky, R.; Humphrey, A.; Ford, T.; Jones, P. B.; Howarth, E.

Acceptability and feasibility of early identification of mental health difficulties in primary schools: A qualitative exploration of UK school staff and parents’ perceptions Thumbnail


Authors

Jasmine Childs-Fegredo

A.-M. Burn

R. Duschinsky

A. Humphrey

T. Ford

P. B. Jones

E. Howarth



Abstract

© 2020, The Author(s). One in eight children aged 5–19years in the UK suffer from a psychiatric disorder, while fewer than 35% are identified and only 25% of children access mental health services. Whilst government policy states that primary schools are well-placed to spot the early warning signs of mental health issues in children, the implementation of early identification methods in schools remains under-researched. This study aims to increase understanding of the acceptability and feasibility of different early identification methods in this setting. Four primary schools in the East of England in the UK participated in a qualitative exploration of views about different methods that might enhance the early identification of mental health difficulties (MHDs). Twenty-seven staff and 20 parents took part in semi-structured interviews to explore current and future strategies for identifying pupils at risk of experiencing MHDs. We presented participants with four examples of identification methods selected from a systematic review of the literature: a curriculum-based approach delivered to pupils, staff training, universal screening, and selective screening. We used NVivo to thematically code and analyse the data, examining which models were perceived as acceptable and feasible as well as participants’ explanations for their beliefs. Three main themes were identified; benefits and facilitators; barriers and harms, and the need for a tailored approach to implementation. Parents and staff perceived staff training as the most acceptable and feasible approach to systematic identification, followed by a curriculum-based approach. Universal and selective screening garnered mixed responses. Findings suggest that a systematic and tailored approach to early identification would be most acceptable and feasible, taking into consideration school context. Teacher training should be a core component in all schools.

Citation

Childs-Fegredo, J., Burn, A., Duschinsky, R., Humphrey, A., Ford, T., Jones, P. B., & Howarth, E. (2021). Acceptability and feasibility of early identification of mental health difficulties in primary schools: A qualitative exploration of UK school staff and parents’ perceptions. School Mental Health, 13, 143–159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-020-09398-3

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 27, 2020
Online Publication Date Nov 18, 2020
Publication Date Mar 1, 2021
Deposit Date Dec 18, 2020
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal School Mental Health
Print ISSN 1866-2625
Electronic ISSN 1866-2633
Publisher Springer Verlag
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 13
Pages 143–159
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-020-09398-3
Keywords Education; Developmental and Educational Psychology
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/6955069
Additional Information Accepted: 28 October 2020; First Online: 18 November 2020; : ; : The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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