Child Mental Health Problems Research Articles

Perceived social support and characteristics of social networks of families with children with special healthcare needs following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) require more support than the average of their peers. Support systems for CSHCN were particularly affected by pandemic control measures. Perceived social support is a resource for health and wellbeing for CSHCN and their families. Associations of social support, mental health and socioeconomic status (SES) have been described. This study aims to (1) assess perceived social support in families with and without CSHCN; (2) describe structure and types of social networks of families with and without CSHCN; and (3) explore associations between perceived social support, disease complexity, child and caregiver mental health, and SES. This is the third of a sequential series of cross-sectional online surveys conducted among caregivers of children ≤ 18 years in Germany since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, administered between 1st December 2022 and 10 March 2023. The Brief Social Support Scale (BS6) assessed perceived social support. Child and parental mental health were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and WHO-5 Wellbeing index. The CSHCN-Screener identified CSHCN. Descriptive statistics and linear regression modeling assessed associations between perceived social support, parent-reported child mental health problems, disease complexity, caregiver mental wellbeing and SES. The final sample included 381 participants, among them 76.6% (n = 292) CSHCN. 46.2% (n = 176) of caregivers reported moderate, i.e., at least occasional social support. Social support was largely provided by informal social networks consisting of partners, relatives and neighbors/friends. Linear regression modeling revealed associations of lower perceived social support with higher disease complexity of the child, lower caregiver mental wellbeing, lower SES and increasing caregiver age. The results of this study describe inequalities in perceived social support according to disease complexity of the child, caregiver mental health and socioeconomic status. They highlight the importance of social support and support networks as a resource for wellbeing of caregivers and CSHCN. Moving on from the COVID-19 pandemic, recovery strategies should focus on low-threshold interventions based in the community to improve social support for families with CSHCN and actively involve caregivers in identifying needs and co-creating new approaches.

Commentary on 'Grandparental care and child mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis'.

The manuscript by Wang etal. contributes mightily to our limited understanding of grandparental care and children's mental health problems. As the authors document, despite the growing number of families worldwide where grandparents serve as the sole primary caregivers or reside with the children's parents to share caregiving responsibilities, and the growing number of studies examining associations between grandparental care and children's mental health-related outcomes, systematic reviews and meta-analyses integrating this literature are missing. There are meta-analyses on relations between grandparental care and such child outcomes as physical health, nutrition and obesity, education, and even resilience, but the extant literature on child outcomes has been limited to more qualitatively oriented reviews and has typically focused on child internalizing and externalizing problems. Thus, the current meta-analysis adds a novel and critically missing quantitative component to our broad understanding of the associations between grandparental care and children's problem behavior. In addition, beyond studies examining children's internalizing and externalizing outcomes, the authors also report on several studies (n = 7) that examine children's positive well-being and overall mental health. Overall, among the 38 studies deemed acceptable for review, the meta-analysis included findings from nearly 345,000 children, with a mean age of 10 years and slightly more female (51%) than male children.

Perceived Stress of Mothers, Harsh Discipline, and Early Childhood Mental Health: Insights from a Cross-Sectional Study in Marginalized Roma Communities.

Objectives: This study aims to compare the early childhood mental health of children from marginalized Roma communities (MRCs) in Slovakia with that of the majority and explore possible mediating pathways of mothers' perceived stress and harsh discipline practices. Methods: We used data from the first wave of the longitudinal RomaREACH study collected in 2021-2022. Two populations were included in the sample: 94 mother-child dyads from MRCs and 79 from the majority population (children aged 14-18months). Data were analysed using linear regression, and mediation was tested using PROCESS Macro in SPSS. Results: Belonging to MRCs vs. the majority, perceived stress of mothers and harsh discipline were found to be associated with early mental health problems in children. Perceived stress of mothers partially mediates the relationship between belonging to MRCs vs. majority and harsh discipline and harsh discipline partially mediates the relationship between perceived stress of mothers and the mental health of children. Conclusion: Mothers from MRCs perceive more stress, which is associated with more frequent use of harsh discipline practices having a negative impact on the mental health of young children.

Physical activity and psychopathology: are long-term developmental trajectories of physical activity in children and adolescents associated with trajectories of general mental health problems and of attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) symptoms?

A medium-to-high level of physical activity (PA) may have at least a short-term positive effect on psychopathology in children and adolescents. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of PA in non-adult age groups on their general mental health problems and/or ADHD symptoms, using trajectories of concurrent development over a period of 10years. This study employed data from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) collected at three time points (baseline, Wave 1, Wave 2, over 10years) from 17,640 children and adolescents. Using parent-reported data from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), different developmental trajectories of general mental health problems (SDQ-total) and ADHD symptoms (SDQ-H/I) were identified with latent class mixed models (LCMM) statistics. This was also applied to parent- and self-reported data of three levels of PA. The latter was assessed according to WHO recommendations. The joint probability of class membership for SDQ-total as well as ADHD symptoms with PA was calculated to generate the concurrent developmental trajectories between variables. Results showed a 4-class trajectory model for both SDQ-total and ADHD symptoms among boys and girls. The majority of children and adolescents showed "low general difficulties" and "low ADHD symptoms" over the period of 10years. Three distinct trajectories in boys and four distinct trajectories in girls were found for PA. Most of the participants showed an "increasing-decreasing activity" trajectory. No statistically significant correlations were found between the different SDQ-total or ADHD symptom trajectories and the trajectories of PA in the two genders. Taken together, our findings did not indicate any significant relationship between waxing and waning PA course over 10 years and various classes of mental health problems for children and adolescents. In contrast to our cross-sectional findings, no steady long-term medium/high-level of PA was present, which could (at least partly) explain the non-significant findings.

Addressing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Problems in the Community. Evaluation of a Consultation and Advise Team for Assessment, Support and Referral.

Youths with mental health problems are often not identified in primary healthcare, which may prevent or delay appropriate support. In the Netherlands, a Consultation and Advise expert team (CandA team) was implemented to support general practitioners (GPs), youth professionals and youths with mental health problems. This study investigates the team's scope, activities, stakeholders' and users' experiences. Interviews and focus groups with policymakers, healthcare professionals, parents and youths were analysed using ATLAS.ti. Demographics and mental health problems of 706 youths (0-18 years) consulting the CandA team, type of healthcare providers consulting the team, and type of care provided by the team (2015-2017) were analysed, using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests. Youths consulted the CandA team for 'other behavioural/psychological complaints' (41%); irritable/angry behaviour (14%); anxious/nervous behaviour (10%); overactivity (8%); feeling down/depressed (6%). CandA team services were used by GPs, youth counsellors, and youth physicians/nurses. Most stakeholders were positive about the team's services. The CandA team seems an adequate form of integrated assessment and support for youth mental health problems in the community. The team's composition, expertise and positioning are success factors. Cooperation with schools could be improved. Quantitative evaluation is needed to investigate effects of the team and adequacy of referrals.

Supportive Relationships Mitigate the Effect of Cumulative Exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences on Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Suicide Considerations-The Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Declining adolescent mental health is a significant public health concern during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social distancing and stay-at-home orders have led to missed social connections with peers and adults outside households, and this has increased the risk of mental health problems in children and adolescents, particularly those with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Studies have shown that strong interpersonal support improves adolescent mental health. We examined the association between ACEs and poor mental health (including stress, anxiety, and depression) and how the presence of interpersonal support from caring adults and friends and school connectedness can mitigate this relationship among adolescents in Arizona. This study analyzed data from the 2021 Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS; n = 1181), a population-based survey conducted biennially across the United States. The Arizona sample included high school students in grades 9-12 who were enrolled in public and charter schools. This study revealed that nearly three of four adolescents experienced an ACE, and one of five experienced ≥4 ACEs. Compared with adolescents who experienced zero ACEs, those with ≥4 ACEs experienced less interpersonal support from caring adults, friends, and school and more frequently reported poor mental health and suicidal thoughts. However, adolescents with interpersonal support consistently reported lower rates of mental health issues, even with exposure to multiple ACEs. Post-pandemic programs to improve social relationships with adults, peers, and schools are critical, especially for adolescents with multiple adversities.

The long shadow of childhood mental health problems

The long shadow of childhood mental health problems Dr Niamh Dooley and Professor Mary Cannon explore what young adult life looks like for individuals who had mental health problems as children. People who suffer with their mental health in childhood are at greater risk of poor mental health in adulthood. What is less well known is that they are also at greater risk of other poor outcomes such as substance misuse, physical health problems, loneliness, and unemployment. In 2011, a classic study by Alissa Goodman and colleagues showed that poor childhood mental health was linked much more strongly to poor socioeconomic outcomes in adulthood than poor childhood physical health. (1) The past ten years of research broadly support those findings. (2-4)

Relationship Between Change in Participation and Later Mental Health Problems in Children.

Participation in everyday activities is beneficial for mental health. However, little is known about the extent to which changes in children's participation are associated with later mental health. To investigate the association between changes in the frequency and involvement in home, school, and community activities and subsequent mental health problems in children. Methodology: We recruited 242 school-aged children. Their parents completed the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth twice, and after 2 years, they completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. After controlling for demographic factors, hierarchical regression analysis revealed that reductions in children's involvement in home and community activities were significantly associated with elevated levels of externalizing and internalizing problems. Furthermore, an increase in children's involvement in school activities showed significant relationships with better mental health outcomes. These findings inform participation-based interventions for occupational therapists aimed at mitigating children's future mental health problems.

"And I Can Remind Myself That I Am All Of This": adolescents' experiences of group-based acceptance and commitment therapy.

A growing body of literature supports the use of Acceptance-and commitment therapy (ACT) for a wide range of mental health problems in children and adolescents, but less is known about ACT when given to adolescents in a group format. Consequently, this study aimed to explore the subjective experiences of adolescents who had completed a group-based ACT for symptoms of anxiety and depression. Adolescents' perceptions of the core therapeutic processes of ACT and the means used to enhance them, as well as the interplay between ACT processes and the group format, were of primary interest. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with seven adolescents, of which five were girls and two were boys, between 16 and 19 years old. Transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The adolescents varied greatly in their experience of ACT's core processes and the methods used to enhance them. Most found the core processes meaningful and educational, especially appreciating the concept of values and value-based action. However, some perceived the core processes as irrelevant and provocative, particularly interpreting acceptance as "giving up." The metaphors and practical exercises were experiences as playful and instructive supplements to the more theoretical elements of therapy, but also as childish and embarrassing. The group format facilitated normalization and support and seemed to increase the adolescents' motivation and adherence to therapeutical work, but it also triggered socially anxious thoughts and self-censoring for some. The results from the current study support previous literature indicating that group-based ACT is an acceptable and feasible treatment format for adolescents. Yet, the varying experiences underscores the need for further studies exploring how to accommodate the group format to the diverse personal and developmental disparities in this age group. Randomized controlled trials are also needed to compare the effectiveness of individual versus group format of ACT for adolescents.

ВКЛАД СЕМЕЙНЫХ ФАКТОРОВ В ПСИХИЧЕСКОЕ ЗДОРОВЬЕ МЛАДШИХ ШКОЛЬНИКОВ ДО И ВО ВРЕМЯ ПАНДЕМИИ COVID-19

The objective of this study was to examine the contribution of distal and proximal family factors to mental health of Russian children before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were primary caregivers of 1,985 children aged 6 to 12 years. The 2011-2019 sample consisted of 1403 children (53% girls; mean age 8.6; SD = 1.2); 2020-2021 sample consisted of 582 children (50% girls; mean age 8.8; SD = 1.4). The study used internationally recognized measures with established validity and reliability. Children’s mental health was measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ); family factors were measured by the socio-demographic questionnaire, short Family Cohesion Scale, and the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire — Brief Form (APQ-BF). The results showed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, parents of primary schoolchildren rated family cohesion lower than before the pandemic; they were also less likely to apply positive parenting practices, and more likely to use inconsistent discipline. High level of parental involvement maintained an existing level of children’s prosocial behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas with the average and low levels of parental involvement the expression of children’s prosocial behavior during the pandemic decreased. An increase in children’s internalizing and externalizing problems during the pandemic was observed only in families low in cohesion. Low level of parental education weakened the negative impact of child mental health problems on their everyday life, whereas high level of parental education was a risk factor of greater impact. These results can be used to develop evidencebased programs for prevention and intervention of mental health problems in primary school children and their families.

Child mental health and educational attainment: Longitudinal evidence from the UK

There has been a recent spike in children's mental health problems and lost learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This study assesses the relationship between social, emotional and behavioural problems and academic attainment across the whole of mainstream schooling (ages 5–16). It uses a rich longitudinal dataset from the UK linked to national data on school records (N = 7,219), individual fixed effects, and repeated measures of mental health and attainment. It finds that within-individual changes in mental health across childhood predict changes in attainment, with hyperactivity and inattention the behaviours most strongly linked to adverse attainment outcomes. These difficulties are disproportionately seen in summer-born boys and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The negative relationship with attainment strengthens as children progress through school, and affects children with problems mild enough that they would never be diagnosed. Schools and health services can gain important insights about a child's educational trajectory based on brief behavioural information obtained from parents.

The Factors Influencing High School Student’s Mental Health: An Exploratory Research in Hanoi

An exploratory research is conducted to examine the current situation and factors related to the mental health of students. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 295 students at a high school in Hanoi in 2023. This research, which employed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire 25 items toolkit with a cut-off point of 15, revealed that a significant percentage of students have general mental health problems. Emotional symptoms account for the largest percentage of students, followed by prosocial behaviour, peer problems, conduct problems, and hyperactivity. The likelihood of mental health issues among students is increased by certain personal variables, such as low self-esteem or disappointment about grades, concern or depreciation about physical appearances, refraining from participating in clubs, teams, or groups, not exercising or playing sports, and having the habit of staying up late. A few school-related factors that are associated with children's mental health problems include peer pressure, public punishments, and teachers’ reprimands.

Social wellbeing – a key factor in the mental health of children and adolescent

This paper presents a long-term project to promote social wellbeing of pupils for use in the educational environment of schools. Social wellbeing emphasizes well-being in social relationships, specifically in the classroom environment and the overall school climate. It focuses on improving the atmosphere, rule-following, mutual respect, tolerance, as a basic source of social and individual well-being. The paper responds to the steady rise in mental health problems of children and adolescents (data from the National Institute of Health, CSU), the increase in self-harm and suicide in this age group, based on a long-term analysis of the school environment in which the author is involved, the results of research at home and abroad.
 Guiding pupils to achieve life's optimum through the promotion of a healthy social environment has a positive impact on school performance, according to current domestic research. A healthy social environment increases tolerance for differences, reduces anxiety in children and adolescents, and enables them to maximise their own potential.
 Thus, caring for the social wellbeing of pupils in schools must be one of the key areas in the comprehensive promotion of mental health, especially in the long term.
 The theoretical starting points of the paper are different conceptions of "wellbeing", in which a different quality of this state is highlighted (cf. Jandová, 2021), the starting points are also the thought concepts of Z. Matějček, a leading child psychologist focusing on the needs of children (positive social bonds in the family and school environment, engagement in a variety of activities supporting physical, intellectual and emotional development, a sense of safety and security, a healthy sense of self, social fulfilment and a sense of an open future).
 This background was used to design a project to promote the social wellbeing of pupils, the project was prepared in collaboration with Czech Television (CT Edu). Taking into account the possibilities of the school environment, it is ready for implementation in the classroom. All the aspects mentioned above are addressed in the different parts of the presented project, as well as the possibilities of the classroom teachers and their sense of security in working with personal development techniques.

Disseminating Evidence-Based Preventive Interventions to Promote Wellness and Mental Health in Children and Youth: Opportunities, Gaps, and Challenges

Post pandemic increases in mental illness and waitlists for mental health services highlight the urgent need to prevent and mitigate mental health problems in children and youth living in Canada. We describe current dissemination and implementation strategies of evidence-based preventive interventions (EBPIs) for children and youth in Canada that are designed to improve health and well-being. Based on written case studies from 18 Canadian researchers and stakeholders, we examined their approaches to development, dissemination, and implementation of EBPIs. We also summarized the opportunities and challenges faced by these researchers, particularly in sustaining the dissemination and implementing of their evidence-based programs over time. Typically, researchers take responsibility for program dissemination, and they have created a variety of approaches to overcoming costs and challenges. However, despite the availability of many strong, developmentally appropriate EBPIs to support child and youth mental health and well-being, systemic gaps between their development and implementation impede equitable access to and sustainability of these resources.

Environmental chemical exposures and mental health outcomes in children: a narrative review of recent literature

Background: Mental health is an important factor for children’s overall wellbeing. National health statistics show that millions of children are diagnosed with mental health disorders every year, and evidence from studies on chemical pollutants like lead and bisphenols indicate that environmental exposures are linked to mental health illnesses in youth. However, the relationship between children’s mental health and the environment is not well understood. This paper aims to review recent literature on prenatal and/or childhood environmental chemical exposures and mental health problems related to mood, anxiety, and behavior. This work also identifies areas of insufficient data and proposes suggestions to fill the data gaps.Methods: A narrative review was performed by searching Google Scholar and PubMed for literature published in the last 6 years (2017–2022), using search terms related to children, mental health, and environmental chemical exposure. Additional relevant studies were identified by screening the references in these papers.Results: A total of 29 studies are included in this review and results are summarized by chemical category: heavy metals, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and pesticides. The majority of studies reported positive and significant associations between chemical exposures and child mental health outcomes including internalizing and externalizing behaviors.Conclusion: This review demonstrates that there is a growing body of literature that suggests developmental exposure to some environmental chemicals increases a child’s risk of mood, anxiety, and behavior problems. Future research should expand on these findings to understand cumulative impacts, chemical mixtures, neurotoxic mechanisms, sex differences, and windows of vulnerability.

Associations between School-Level Disadvantage, Bullying Involvement and Children's Mental Health.

Bullying is a modifiable risk factor for poor mental health across childhood and adolescence. It is also socially patterned, with increased prevalence rates in more disadvantaged settings. The current study aimed to better understand whether school-level disadvantage is associated with different types of bullying roles, and whether it is a moderator in the association between bullying and children's mental health. Cross-sectional data were used from 4727 children aged 6-11 years, from 57 primary schools across England and Wales. The child data included previous bullying involvement and bullying role characteristics (bully, victim, bully-victim, reinforcer, defender, outsider), and the teacher-reported data included each child's mental health (emotional symptoms and externalizing) problems. School-level disadvantage was calculated from the proportion of children in the school eligible to receive free school meals (an indicator of disadvantage). Children in more disadvantaged schools were more likely to report being bully perpetrators, bully-victims, and engage less in defending behaviors during a bullying incident. Children from more disadvantaged schools who reported bullying others showed fewer emotional symptoms than those from less disadvantaged schools. There was no other evidence of moderation by school-level disadvantage between bullying roles and emotional and externalizing problems. The findings highlight the potential for school-based interventions targeting children's emotional and social development, targeting bullying, and promoting defending behaviors, particularly in more disadvantaged settings.

Awareness and Attitudes Toward Childhood Mental Disorders Among Primary School Teachers in Taif, Saudi Arabia.

Background and aim Early detection and intervention can improve the treatment outcome of childhood mental disorders, and primary school teachers may play an important role in referring suspected cases to mental health facilities ifthey have good awareness and attitudes toward these disorders. The aim of this study is to assess the awareness and attitudes of primary school teachers toward childhood mental disorders in Taif, Saudi Arabia. Methods This is a cross-sectional study conducted among classroom teachers in primary schools in Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was conducted during the period from 2022 to 2023 in both public and private schools. An anonymous, self-administered, online questionnaire was used to assess participants' awareness and attitudes toward pupils with mental health issues. The collected data were analyzed using the chi-square test to examine the associations between various categories and the ANOVAtest to compare means. Results The study included 417 teachers, 63.5% of whom were males, the mean of their ages was 39.59 years (SD±8.66), and the mean of their work experience was 12.8 years (SD±8.02) in different teaching specialties. Among participants, 60.2% claimed that no pupils had mental health problems in their classes, 80.1% had not referred any pupils to mental health facilities, and 88.5% did not receive any training related to childhood mental health problems. A humble percent (12.2%) of the participants claimed a good awareness of the signs and symptoms of childhood disorders. Only 54% of teachers advise visiting a psychiatric clinic in case of psychiatric problems, and a similar percentage of teachers believe that psychiatric drugs cause addiction. The male gender, being specialized in humanitarian subjects, having relatives or friends with childhood mental disorders, and receiving training related to childhood mental health were significantly associated with teachers' better awareness. Conclusion Primary school teachers generally lack awareness of childhood mental health and have underestimation and poor recognition of cases of mental disorders. There are many teachers who also have unfavorable attitudes toward psychiatric disorders, patients, and treatments, which requires much effort to improve their awareness and attitudes toward childhood mental disorders.

Childhood maltreatment and mental health problems in a 10-year follow-up study of adolescents in youth residential care: A latent transition analysis.

Childhood maltreatment and mental health problems are common among young people placed out-of-home. However, evidence on the impact of maltreatment on the course of mental health problems in at-risk populations is sparse. The aim of this longitudinal study is twofold: (a) describe the course of mental health problems and the shift in symptom patterns among adolescents in youth residential care into young adulthood and (b) assess how childhood maltreatment is related to the course of mental health problems. One hundred and sixty-six adolescents in Swiss youth residential care were followed up into young adulthood (36.1% women; MAge-Baseline = 16.1 years; MAge-Follow-Up = 26.4 years). Latent transition analysis was employed to analyze transitions of symptom patterns and their association with maltreatment exposure. We found three latent classes of mental health problems: a "multiproblem"-class (51.8% baseline; 33.7% follow-up), a "low symptom"-class (39.2% baseline; 60.2% follow-up), and an "externalizing"-class (9.0% baseline; 6.0% follow-up). Individuals in the "multiproblem"-class were likely to transition towards less-complex symptom patterns. Higher severity of self-reported childhood maltreatment was associated with more complex and persistent mental health problems. Our study underlines the need for collaboration between residential and psychiatric care systems within and after care placements, with a specialized focus on trauma-informed interventions and care.

TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' BEHAVIORS: a discussion in relation to the signs of conduct disorder

CIDD is a significant mental health problem in children and adolescents worldwide, with a global prevalence of approximately 3.2% among children and adolescents. Dysfunctional behaviors in children are frequently manifested in the school environment and may be associated with CIDD, causing serious interference in the teaching and learning process. The research aims to identify the prevalence of diagnostic indicators of Disruptive Impulse Control and Conduct Disorder (DICTD) in elementary school students in the public school system of Patos de Minas - MG. For data collection, an online questionnaire was made available to public school teachers in the municipality, in order to record their observations about the behavior currently displayed by elementary school children. The research seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between TDCIC and the school environment, as well as to the development of effective intervention strategies. The analysis of the teachers participating in this study reveals worrying indicators of maladaptive behaviors among students, indicating the possible presence of Conduct Disorder. The results highlight manifestations of disruptive disorders, such as angry mood, impulsivity and challenges to authority, which present significant barriers for educators. The challenges faced not only complicate the pedagogical dynamics, but also have the potential to generate psychological distress in teachers. Given this, the underlying implication points to the need to implement measures and strategies aimed at understanding and addressing the emotional and behavioral needs of these students. Such an approach may include specific pedagogical disciplines, specialized psychological support, improvement of social and emotional development programs, as well as close collaboration with families.

BEST-Foundations: a mixed methods exploration of the feasibility of a novel intervention treating internalising symptoms in children

ABSTRACT Objective Internalising disorders are one of the most common mental health problems in children under 12 years, yet mixed findings exist for current treatment options. This pilot involves a novel 10-session intervention, BEST-Foundations, to treat internalising symptoms in children using a family-inclusive model. Initial findings and feasibility using a mixed-methods approach are reported. Method Twenty-two participants from eight families (n = 8 children; n = 8 mothers; n = 6 fathers) participated in an uncontrolled single treatment design. Included children (aged 3–11 years) reported clinical-level internalising symptoms on the Child Behaviour Checklist. Data were collected across four timepoints: baseline, pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 4-weeks follow-up. Results As predicted, mothers reported large improvements in child internalising symptoms pre-post (SMD = −.83; 95% CI = 50.58–70.42) and maintained pre to follow-up (SMD = −.92; 95% CI = 50.14–69.11). Sustained improvements were also found in externalising problems and total problems. Qualitative analysis indicated families reported positive improvements in targeted areas including parent confidence and parent–child relationships. Conclusions Findings demonstrate initial feasibility data and effect size estimates comparable to previous trials using the “BEST” framework, and larger than CBT-based interventions. Results are considered preliminary due to the small sample. Further evaluation is warranted, showing the value of family-inclusive interventions to treat child internalising problems.