Abstract
BackgroundThis paper argues for giving explicit attention to the quality of implementation of school-wide mental health promotions and examines the impact of implementation quality on academic performance in a major Australian mental health initiative.MethodHierarchical linear modelling was used to investigate change in standardised academic performance across the 2-year implementation of a mental health initiative in 96 Australian primary (or elementary) schools that was focused on improving student social-emotional competencies.ResultsAfter controlling for differences in socioeconomic background, a significant positive relationship existed between quality of implementation and academic performance. The difference between students in high- and low-implementing schools was equivalent to a difference in academic performance of up to 6 months of schooling.Key Practitioner MessageGiven the known relationship between student academic achievement and mental health, many nations are mounting school-based mental health interventions: however, the quality of program implementation remains a concernThe Australian KidsMatter primary school mental health intervention enabled the development of an Implementation Index allowing schools to be grouped into low- to high- implementing schoolsThe quality of implementation of KidsMatter appears to be positively associated with the level of student academic achievement, equivalent to 6 months more schooling by Year 7, over and above any influence of socioeconomic background
Highlights
The improvement in schoolsÕ abilities to enhance student outcomes continues to be a central focus of governments in Australia (Angus, Olney, & Ainley, 2007; Gillard, 2010) and internationally (Ainscow & West, 2006; Fullan, 2007; Resnick, 2010; Sammons, 2007)
In this paper we examine the relationship between studentsÕ academic performance and the implementation quality of the KidsMatter intervention program, after controlling for the effects of the socioeconomic background of the studentsÕ families
An academic achievement score for each Year level in each of the 94 KidsMatter schools was calculated as the average of the five National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) measures of Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar-Punctuation, and Numeracy (M = 450.6, SD = 62.0)
Summary
The improvement in schoolsÕ abilities to enhance student outcomes continues to be a central focus of governments in Australia (Angus, Olney, & Ainley, 2007; Gillard, 2010) and internationally (Ainscow & West, 2006; Fullan, 2007; Resnick, 2010; Sammons, 2007). Among the many priorities identified as important in schools, the development of studentsÕ mental health and wellbeing is considered integral (Elias et al, 1997; WHO, 2005). The level of interest of governments is shown by the recent development of nation-wide initiatives to address studentsÕ mental health and wellbeing (e.g. DCSF, 2009; CASEL, 2008; ENSEC, 2009; KidsMatter, 2009). Despite the emergence of a large number of school-based programs that foster positive mental health, there is growing concern about the effective implementation of such programs (Adelman & Taylor, 2000; Domitrovich & Greenberg, 2000; Durlak & DuPre, 2008; Greenberg, 2004). Domitrovich and Greenberg (2000) raised concerns regarding the lack of studies reporting the relationship between the quality of implementation of mental health promotion initiatives and student outcomes
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