Abstract

Decades of research on the impact of early mental health challenges in young children suggest that the effects are detrimental on children’s development without the presence of protective factors. As a factor for promoting mental health, early childhood classrooms and educators create optimal opportunities to identify and respond to children’s mental health concerns. However, little research explores the knowledge and skills of ECEs to effectively promote and support mental health challenges. The present study aimed to identify the mental health promotional knowledge, practices and experiences of ECEs in their preschool classrooms, as well as contribute to mental health promotion. Findings indicate that ECEs have little knowledge in promoting and supporting mental health in their classrooms and how that influences their practice. Suggestions for policymakers, early childhood practitioners, and future research are provided.

Highlights

  • Human development generally progresses in a manner that is predictable, organized, and hierarchical

  • All the early childhood educators (ECEs) in the current study met the criteria of educators who have previously worked or who currently work in a preschool classroom

  • CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION 5.1 Overview The primary purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of what early childhood educators know in promoting and supporting children’s mental health

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Summary

Introduction

Human development generally progresses in a manner that is predictable, organized, and hierarchical. The foundation for development occurs early in life and sets the course for determinants of later health (Cho, 2019). Advances in epigenetics and neuroscience highlight what we know about the influence of the environment during sensitive periods of development (Britto & Pérez-Escamilla, 2013). These sensitive periods tell us that there is a window of opportunity in childhood for language, cognitive, social and emotional development (Cho, 2019; Britto & Pérez-Escamilla, 2013). When children are exposed to early adversity during these sensitive periods, without the presence of a protective factor (Kulkarni, Khambati, Sundar, Kelly, Summers, & Short, 2019) it can negatively influence their trajectory and their mental health

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