Effectiveness of Mental Health Programs among Children

Research problem

Although there are various mental health programs established worldwide, mental
disorders among children and adolescents remain high. According to Singh et al., several
schemes have been conducted to identify and treat severe mental illnesses, including bipolar,
psychotic illness, anxiety and depression. However, over 8.8% of children and adolescent are
diagnosed with mental illnesses globally (Piao et al., 1827). Moreover, this has accounted for a
substantial disease burden to the public, thus necessitating the contemplation of mental health
programs among children.
The rationale for the study
To identify the challenges encountered during the implementation of mental health
programs among children.
To ascertain possible solutions to the challenges that hinder the effectiveness of mental
health programs.
Justifications for the Increasing Mental Health Problems among Children

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Firstly, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide hindered the effectiveness of
mental health programs due to measures established to curb its spread. According to Mehra et al.,
during the COVID-19 pandemic, most nations globally underwent lockdowns that left children
and adolescents in critical mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression (2). Therefore,
the pandemic outbreak hindered physical awareness programs, especially in schools hence the
increase in mental health issues.
Secondly, insufficient facilities to assess students’ emotional behaviours and social needs
have also contributed to the ineffectiveness of mental health programs. Limited counselling
centres within and outside schools hinder the early detection of children’s behavioural and mental
problems (Shahraki-Sanavi et al. 4). Therefore, schools must be equipped with the necessary
facilities to realize mental well-being goals among children.
Finally, due to technological advancement, most mental health programs are online-
based, yet a lower percentage of school-going children have access to the necessary gadgets.
According to Zhou et al., although telehealth interventions have been conducted globally,
accessibility and affordability among children remain challenging as most cannot seek
professional help (643). Consequently, despite young children’s preference for telehealth mental
programs, the costs associated limit them from benefiting in mental programs online.

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Works Cited

Mehra, Devika et al. “Mental Health Interventions among Adolescents in India: A Scoping
Review.” Healthcare, 10(2), 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10020337
Piao, Jianmin et al.” Alarming Changes in the Global Burden of Mental Disorders in Children
and Adolescents from 1990 to 2019: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of
Disease Study.” Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 32(11), 2022, 1827-1845.DOI:
10.1007/s00787-022-02040-4
Shahraki-Sanavi, Farib et al. “Effectiveness of School‑Based Mental Health Programs on
Mental Health among Adolescents.” J Edu Health Promot 9 142, 2020.
DOI:10.4103/jehp.jehp_421_19
Singh, Vijender et al. “Mental Health Prevention and Promotion- A Narrative Review” Front.
Psychiatry 13:898009.DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022, 898009
Zhou, Xiaoyun et al. “Are Online Mental Health Interventions for Youth Effective? A Systematic
Review”. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 27(10), 2021, pp. 638–666. DOI:
10.1177/1357633X211047285