Do universal school‐based mental health promotion programmes improve the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people? A literature review

Aims and objectives To examine evidence—using a range of outcomes—for the effectiveness of school‐based mental health and emotional well‐being programmes. Background It is estimated that 20% of young people experience mental health difficulties every year. Schools have been identified as an appropriate setting for providing mental health and emotional well‐being promotion prompting the need to determine whether current school‐based programmes are effective in improving the mental health and emotional well‐being of young people. Methods A systematic search was conducted using the health and education databases, which identified 29 studies that measured the effectiveness of school‐based universal interventions. Prisma guidelines were used during the literature review process. Results Thematic analysis generated three key themes: (i) help seeking and coping; (ii) social and emotional well‐being; and (iii) psycho‐educational effectiveness. Conclusion It is concluded that whilst these studies show promising results, there is a need for further robust evaluative studies to guide future practice. Relevance to clinical practice All available opportunities should be taken to provide mental health promotion interventions to young people in the school environment, with a requirement for educational professionals to be provided the necessary skills and knowledge to ensure that the school setting continues to be a beneficial environment for conducting mental health promotion.