Special Edition article: Targeted mental health provision for children with behaviour difficulties in primary schools: Results of a national randomised trial

Abstract

There is increased interest internationally in embedding mental health in schools and targeting those most at risk of problems, with particular interest in reducing behavioural difficulties. Findings from a national randomised controlled trial involving 8172 children, aged 8 to 10, from 266 schools in 65 Local Authority areas across England indicate that pupils with clinically significant behavioural difficulties at baseline report fewer such problems a year later if they attended schools randomly allocated to receive targeted mental health support than if they did not. These findings have implications for the development of effective intervention models in primary schools to prevent and ameliorate behavioural difficulties.